Chrysler PT Cruiser Forum : “my 2003 pt cruiser just stopped running. ”

bit by the chrysler bug...   ummm  wow...   this could be a lot of things...    i would recomend that the check engine light be diagnosed and go from there...    it could be something as stupid as a dead O2 seonsor or something as dramatic as a head gasket i suppose...   does your oil look milky or mirky...     (looking for coolant in the oil...)   i suppose you could have a dead fuel pump but that would usually cough to death not just cut out...   have your wiring checked    it could be something as simple as a lost connection which is preventing the car from firing the cylinders properley...   like i said in the start   have the light diagnosed...   that will give you the easiest diagnosis and solution...

thanks ALex I will look into the diagnosis.  The oil is clean. I was thinking the same thing regarding the fuel pump. But,no cough at all so it as they say it "ain't gonna be easy " but then again it never is.  I'm hoping its not the PCM. But we'll have to wait and see. Thanks for your response I'll try to keep you posted as to my progress...or lack of it.  Happy Holidays

No sputter or lack of indication usually denotes a fail safe.  Dead sensor or similar... Possible failure of fuel pump...

Every similar situation I've seen has turned out to be a snapped or slipped timing belt, so that is something to look at...  

Most of what I'm thinking of ought to throw a code so get the codes read.

If that leads nowhere, check compression, check spark, check fuel pressure... not necessarily in that order.  That should be enough to get started.

What is the mileage on your PT Cruiser?  Our 2003 PT Cruiser GT just turned over 100,000 km and just before that milestone the engine was running rough and had a harder time starting.  I changed the spark plugs and the spark plug wires and now the engine runs like it was new.  Passed the emmissions test with flying colours too.  I found out that Chrysler recommends changing the plug wires every 65,000 km.

If you haven't already get it to a Chrysler shop ASAP
I had a electrical problem on my 2002 cruiser witch shorted out my overhead console, sunroof, radio and gages. they never did find the problem . They only charged me the $195 to look at it, it has been fine sense but I would look in the relay center near the battery maybe a short to the computer or ignition system.  Also check all vacuum hoses and sensors including the MAP. Your Cruiser sounds like its nearing 100k miles mine is around 70k  I never had a engine problem or any body in the club I'm in ether. Please let me know what you find out.
Thanks Chris Fry

turn the ignition off, then on, then off, on, off, on....
make sure to wait for the odometer to come on everytime, it will give you trouble codes

then go here http://www.allpar.com/fix/computer-codes.html
or here depening on which set of codes your car falls under,http://www.ptcruizer.com/computer-codes.html

the code you get, if any, should only be listed on one of those.

from there you can basically see whats going on, and it could be a simple fix.


also you can push in the trip reset button, while turning on the ignition, dont start the car, just turn on the ignition,it does a check of the guages, and seems to "reset" the ecm somehow.


a friends pt had died on the side of the road, and upon doing this would start right up, no troubles at all, until it quit again.

it sounds like to me that your timing belt broke.....this happens a lot with mileges around 100,000 mile....check your timing belt

if its her timing belt then the engine is toast, hopefully it wasn't

did u ever find out the problem I am having the same and at a lost?

Your problem sounds like maybe its electrical. Since there was no sputtering or gas starvation. Hopefully you have oil in the engine and the thing didn't
just seize up.

I am having exactly the same problem with my 2003 turbo.  I has died 6 or 8 times.  I comes back to life after anywhere from a few minutes to a couple hours and is fine again for months, then dies again.  I have had two different mechanics look it over and neither one has found anything wrong.  There never are any codes.  

I'd take it to the dealer but I think I would rater be boiled in oil.  My wife took the car to the dealer to have the plugs change and he charged her $400.00.  Not much of a chance that we will be returning th him for ANYTHING.

check your fuel pump it may be that

Alex,

Unfotunately, that's all I am getting from everyone is< "it might be." I hate to pour $300 into a fuel pump just to find out it isn't that. Same thing with O2 sensors, another $500 and it is only a guess. Jim

This sounds like a fuel system problem.  My car did the exact same thing and it turned out to be the fuel pump.  One test for this is listening for the fuel pump turning on when you turn the key to "ON".  If you don't hear anything, it is probably either the fuel pump or fuel pump relay.  You can save a lot on the fuel pump or relay if you just purchase the parts and replace them yourself.

Jonathan,

I don't have any trouble starting the car, generally.  My problem is that it just abruptly stops while driving.  If I wait a few minutes, occasionally a lot of minutes, it will restart and run fine for months.

Jim