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severe Owners of the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the lighting, typically surfacing around 52,595 miles at roughly $250 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See lighting across all vehicles →
| Model year | lighting complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 PT Cruiser (this page) | 16 |
| 2006 PT Cruiser | 10 |
| 2007 PT Cruiser | 4 |
| 2008 PT Cruiser | 3 |
| 2009 PT Cruiser | 3 |
Of the 16 lighting complaints filed for the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
Of the 5 model years of Chrysler PT Cruiser we track for lighting problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 16.
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering lighting on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
05182535AD - Lamp Assy ?Tail Light LT You have been identified as either having stock, or have stock in transit to your dealership. Please return suspect stock of part number 05182535AD . See attachments for identifying suspect stock. Please return suspect parts back to your facing depot using Return Code 02, before 12 September, 2016.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The standout issue is a multifunction switch controlling the fog lights that gets stuck on or cycles randomly, even with the ignition off. This drains batteries repeatedly and in severe cases produces smoke and a burning-rubber smell from inside the steering column. Owners report discovering this defect only after months of troubleshooting what they initially thought was a bad battery. Chrysler dealers acknowledge the problem and replace the switch, but owners note the part has been back-ordered and the company denies warranty coverage on out-of-warranty vehicles. Multiple owners cite 550+ online complaints and active forum discussions dating to 2005, confirming this is widespread.
Headlight lenses become cloudy or hazy early in the vehicle's life—some owners see it by 14,000 miles—making night driving unsafe. The plastic deteriorates despite no accident or impact. Aftermarket restoration products don't help.
Brake light and rear light bulbs fail on both sides simultaneously, with water found inside the housings even though the lenses showed no cracks. Owners regard this as a serious safety defect given the risk of rear-end collision.
Same Chrysler PT Cruiser lighting reports on nearby years: 2006
Fog lights activate and remain on without driver input, even with ignition off, causing repeated battery drain. Switch component develops internal electrical faults. Owners cite 550+ online complaints documenting this defect across multiple model years.
When: Variable; reported at 40,000–70,000+ miles and in vehicles out of warranty
Symptoms owners cite: Fog lights activate without driver input; Fog lights remain on when switch is in off position; Fog lights activate and deactivate at random; Battery drained repeatedly due to continuous fog light draw; Smoke and burning smell coming from multifunction switch or steering column; Visible smoke from turn signal handle or window control switch area
Repairs/costs cited: Chrysler dealers report multifunction switch replacement as correction; parts noted as back-ordered at some dealers. Owners resort to pulling fog light fuse or taping switch to prevent battery drain.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler dealers deny coverage on out-of-warranty vehicles. Manufacturer awareness noted by owners; no recalls issued as of complaint dates. Part availability and service bulletins not documented in narratives.
Headlight lenses become cloudy or hazy, reducing illumination and creating night-driving safety concern. Plastic lens material deteriorates over time. Failure appears unrelated to impact or accident; affects multiple vehicles suggesting design or material defect.
When: Early in vehicle life (reported at 14 miles to 47,000 miles; cloudiness visible despite low initial mileage)
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights become progressively cloudy or hazy; Reduced light output at night; Plastic lens material visibly deteriorated
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer confirmed plastic deterioration but no replacement performed. Aftermarket lens restoration products attempted by owner with no success. No cost or parts information provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer confirmed no related recalls. No warranty repair documented.
Brake light and rear light bulbs burst or fail, typically both sides simultaneously, suggesting common cause. Water intrusion into light housing suspected despite no visible cracks. Dual simultaneous failures indicate design defect in sealing or drainage.
When: No specific mileage provided; occurs during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Rear lights do not illuminate with headlights; Brake lights (same bulbs as rear lights) fail to illuminate; Both light bulbs burst or fail at same time on both sides; Water detected inside light housing
Repairs/costs cited: Bulbs replaced; water intrusion evident but housing showed no visible cracks. Owner notes this is a serious safety risk for rear-end collision.
Instrument panel headlight indicator illuminates independently when headlights are not activated, indicating electrical malfunction in lighting control circuit or instrument cluster.
When: Reported at 70,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Headlight icon illuminates on instrument panel when headlights not activated
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chrysler pt cruiser. The contact was driving 25 MPH when the fog lights failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that the switch for the fog lights needed to be replaced. The there were no recalls for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 40,000.
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $250.
Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most lighting failures cluster between 40,000 and 71,000 miles, with the median around 52,595. A quarter of owners report trouble before 40,000; a quarter make it past 71,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover lighting issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.