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 ↗2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser lighting problems
moderate 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250 · see lighting across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
When does it fail?
Of the 10 lighting complaints filed for the 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
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.
What stands out
Among the 5 model years of Chrysler PT Cruiser in our records for lighting problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 18 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
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.
EXTERIOR LAMP - LENS FOGGING.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2006 Chrysler PT Cruisers describe a pattern of electrical lighting failures starting around 24,000 miles and continuing through 110,000 miles. The most dangerous complaint involves headlights going out without warning while driving at night—one owner's lights failed on a dark road with no advance warning, forcing reliance on hazard lights for safety.
Headlights, turn signals, and brake lights all fail intermittently or completely, but bulb replacement consistently does nothing to fix the problem. Fuse checks also come back good. Owners have pinpointed the integrated power module (TIPM)—Chrysler's consolidated electrical control unit—as the likely culprit, finding numerous online reports of identical failures. Some dealerships have reset the TIPM with temporary success; others have replaced the multi-function switch, clock spring, and instrument cluster without permanently solving the issue.
Rear brake light corrosion is another failure mode, requiring both lamp assemblies to be replaced at dealer expense. Interior courtesy lights malfunction, only coming on when doors open. One owner noted tail lights so dim they're nearly invisible to following traffic—a separate design or durability problem.
The core complaint across narratives: critical safety lighting fails without warning, repair attempts are costly and sometimes ineffective, and owners believe Chrysler has not issued a comprehensive recall despite the widespread nature of these failures.
Same Chrysler PT Cruiser lighting reports on nearby years: 2005
Failure modes owners describe
Headlights intermittent or complete failure
Low-beam and high-beam headlights fail to operate, either intermittently or completely. Owners report bulbs test good when installed in other fixtures. Multiple narratives point to integrated power module (TIPM) or internal wiring as the root cause rather than bulb failure.
When: 24,150 to 110,000 miles; some owners report intermittent issues over several years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Low-beam headlights suddenly go out while driving; Headlights flicker or dim on and off while operating; High-beam and low-beam both non-functional; Complete loss of headlight function without warning
Repairs/costs cited: Bulb replacement does not resolve the issue. TIPM reset or replacement required at dealership; some owners note multi-function switch replacement attempted without success
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: F33 recall mentioned for direction signal bulb friction, but owners report no comprehensive recall for headlight failure
Turn signals / blinkers intermittent or non-functional
Front and rear turn signals fail to flash or activate. Bulb replacement and fuse checks do not resolve the issue. Integrated power module malfunction appears to be the common denominator across multiple complaints.
When: 24,150 to 110,000 miles; some intermittent prior to complete failure
Symptoms owners cite: Turn signals fail to activate or flash; Blinkers do not flash when viewed from outside the vehicle; Turn signal function lost without warning while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Clock spring in steering wheel, wiper sensor switch, instrument cluster, and multi-function switch replacements attempted with mixed results; TIPM reset by dealership restored function in at least one case
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership advised to return vehicle for further diagnosis; F33 recall referenced for direction signal issues
Brake lights and rear turn signals failure
Rear brake lights and rear turn signals cease functioning. Bulb replacement does not fix the problem. Owners report the light control system itself is faulty, requiring expensive lamp assembly replacement.
When: Under 60,000 miles; one owner at 27,080 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Rear brake lights non-functional; Rear turn signals do not work; Corroded terminals in lamp assemblies
Repairs/costs cited: Both rear lamp assemblies must be replaced per dealership; bulb changes do not resolve; corrosion in terminals identified as contributing factor
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner notes extended warranty does not cover lamp assembly replacement
Windshield wipers non-functional
Windshield wipers fail to operate. Multiple repair attempts including wiper sensor switch and clock spring replacement have not permanently resolved the issue in all cases.
When: 24,150 miles reported in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield wipers do not work; Wipers fail intermittently alongside other electrical failures
Repairs/costs cited: Wiper sensor switch replacement attempted; clock spring and instrument cluster also replaced in one case without full resolution of all related failures
Interior courtesy lights inoperative except on door open
Interior lights fail to turn on manually when vehicle doors are closed; lights only activate when door is opened. This compounds safety concerns when drivers need interior illumination.
When: No specific mileage cited
Symptoms owners cite: Interior lights will not turn on when doors are closed; Interior lights only function when door is opened
Tail lights dim or nearly invisible
Rear tail lights are extremely dim and small, making the vehicle nearly invisible to following traffic at night. One owner reported being mistaken for a vehicle with no lights on.
When: No specific mileage cited
Symptoms owners cite: Tail lights extremely dim; Tail lights nearly invisible to other drivers; Small light output despite bulbs functioning
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 Chrysler pt cruiser. The windshield wiper and turn signals do not work. The dealer replaced the wiper sensor switch, the clock spring in the steering wheel, and the instrument cluster, but the failures remain. The manufacturer took a complaint against the dealer and advised the contact to take the vehicle back to the dealer. The current mileage was 27,080 and…
Had lighting trouble with your 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most lighting failures cluster between 43,000 and 128,000 miles, with the median around 109,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 43,000; a quarter make it past 128,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
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.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Chrysler/PT Cruiser.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.