While traveling down the qew highway in ontario, the instrument panel on my pt 2009 cruiser started blinking on and off, the gauges went wild with up and down full-range swings, then blinking on and off on and off; I thought the seatbelt may be the problem since the fasten seatbelt indicator remained "on." it happened again a second time right away (less than 2 minutes) accompanied by loss of…
2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser steering problems
moderate 6 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 6 steering complaints filed for the 2009 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
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 13 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Purchased vehicle new in march 2009. In august 2012 had to have both front lower control arm bushings replaced - with only 3 years and 9,000 miles. Later learned son had to have same repair on used 2008 p/t he had bought. In october 2015, only 3 years and 9,000 miles more, had to have the same repair done again.
Driving at 55mph and all the gauges (gas, speed, tach) went to zero and fluttered up and down, the vehicle stalled. Was fortunate enough to be able to pull over safely and restart the vehicle without incidence. The vehicle has repeated this on several occasions. I was able to record on my phone the instrument panel while it was acting up. Think I have isolated the problem to the key and…
Had steering trouble with your 2009 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 steering problem on the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 6 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 46,060 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering 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/2009/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.