Complaints
171
Crashes
17
Fires
9
Injuries
17
Fatalities
—
Recalls
0
Worst 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#142 complaints
Electrical Faults
Avg mileage:67,200 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
#224 complaints
Airbags
Avg mileage:76,297 mi
Crash-related:9
#315 complaints
Engine Problems
Avg mileage:87,227 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:2
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 42 | 1 | 1 | 67,200 mi | |
| Airbags | 24 | 9 | — | 76,297 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 15 | 1 | 2 | 87,227 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 9 | — | 1 | 81,313 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 7 | 2 | — | 43,889 mi | |
| Brakes | 7 | — | 1 | 78,996 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 6 | — | — | 59,786 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 6 | — | — | 55,833 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 5 | — | 1 | 87,080 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 3 | — | 1 | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Instrument Cluster | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Latches / Locks | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 1 | — | — | — |
Electrical Faults
42
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
67,200
Airbags
24
complaints
Crashes
9
Fires
—
Avg Miles
76,297
Engine Problems
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
87,227
Transmission / Drivetrain
9
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
81,313
Seat Belt Issues
7
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
43,889
Brakes
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
78,996
Headlight/Taillight Failures
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
59,786
Unintended Acceleration
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
55,833
Steering Defects
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
87,080
Suspension Failures
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Visibility
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine & Cooling
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Seat-Related Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Instrument Cluster
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electronic Stability Control
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Other Equipment
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Latches / Locks
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Body Structure
2
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tire Defects
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Horn
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Automatic Transmission
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Chrysler Pt Cruiser Years
2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser has 171 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical Faults with 42 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
Top reported problems: Electrical Faults (42 complaints, avg 67,200 mi); Airbags (24 complaints, avg 76,297 mi); Engine Problems (15 complaints, avg 87,227 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 71,761 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
NHTSA complaints for the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser include 17 crash-related reports, 9 fire reports, 17 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Chrysler Pt Cruiser reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Chrysler Pt Cruiser
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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