2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

34Electrical System complaints

13.2%Of all 258 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34 · 13.2%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING20 · 7.8%

STEERING19 · 7.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING17 · 6.6%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION13 · 5%

Share of the 258 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser overview page.

What owners report

“I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 PT GT TURBO CRUISER AND HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE DAY ONE. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE LIGHTS…”NHTSA complaint 10185444 — filed 03/18/2007

“WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2003 PT CRUISER GT TURBO. WE REALLY LOVE IT. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ISSUE WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE…”NHTSA complaint 10170711 — filed 10/12/2006

“2003 PT CRUSIER BOUGHT BRAND NEW. HEAD LIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DASH LIGHTS ALL FLICKER HARD TO PAY ATTENTION WHEN DRIVING. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF…”NHTSA complaint 10164934 — filed 08/08/2006

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser: 34 of 258 complaints on file (13.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser have in total?

258 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 22 involved a crash, 15 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.