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Chrysler Pt Cruiser Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Chrysler Pt Cruiser car check

Is the Chrysler Pt Cruiser reliable? We analysed 279,642 real MOT tests across 18,504 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 279,642 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
68.6%
Typical Mileage
66,345mi
Annual Mileage
5,599mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
26yrs

The Chrysler Pt Cruiser is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement, track rod end ball joint has excessive play and tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Chrysler Pt Cruiser.

Chrysler Pt Cruiser Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Chrysler Pt Cruiser. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Chrysler Pt Cruiser MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Chrysler Pt Cruiser to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

72.6%
2009
71%
2008
69.3%
2007
68.9%
2006
68.9%
2005
68.5%
2004
69.1%
2003
68.8%
2002
68%
2001
66.6%
2000

Chrysler Pt Cruiser Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Chrysler Pt Cruiser fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement 18,061
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 16,572
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 10,501
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 7,633
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 6,390
Suspension arm rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement 5,568
brake binding 3,922
position lamp(s) not working 3,629
Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect 3,428
Direction indicator incorrect colour 3,425

Chrysler Pt Cruiser Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Chrysler Pt Cruiser owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
3,248 mi/yr
Typical
5,599 mi/yr
Average
6,470 mi/yr
Heavy usage
8,579 mi/yr

Chrysler Pt Cruiser MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Chrysler Pt Cruiser year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2009 106 72.6% 29,171 50,032 70,477
2008 2,914 71.0% 36,531 57,960 83,067
2007 24,090 69.3% 34,880 53,287 75,142
2006 32,571 68.9% 36,657 55,779 77,709
2005 34,480 68.9% 40,754 62,374 87,911
2004 36,688 68.5% 43,474 65,780 91,557
2003 47,730 69.1% 45,536 68,331 94,227
2002 41,958 68.8% 50,694 72,389 96,560
2001 39,567 68.0% 53,530 73,288 94,922
2000 19,360 66.6% 57,646 76,572 97,437

How Long Does a Chrysler Pt Cruiser Last?

Based on 18,504 Chrysler Pt Cruiser vehicles on UK roads.

Average
13.1 years
Median
13.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
26 years

Chrysler Pt Cruiser Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Chrysler Pt Cruiser MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
66,345 mi
75th Percentile
90,693 mi
95th Percentile
130,225 mi
Max Recorded
999,961 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Chrysler Pt Cruiser

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2009

72.6% MOT pass rate from 106 tests

Year to avoid
2000

66.6% MOT pass rate from 19,360 tests

The best year to buy a used Chrysler Pt Cruiser is 2009, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 72.6% across 106 tests. The 2000 model year has the lowest pass rate at 66.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Chrysler Pt Cruiser Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Chrysler Pt Cruiser THIS CAR 68.6% 279,642 66,345 mi 26 yrs
Chrysler Grand Voyager 69% 387,238 88,976 mi 29 yrs
Chrysler Voyager 67.1% 217,749 91,363 mi 29 yrs
Chrysler Neon 69.6% 125,009 66,114 mi 30 yrs
Dacia Duster 79.4% 530,807 43,569 mi 13 yrs

Compared to the Chrysler Grand Voyager (69.0% pass rate) and the Chrysler Voyager (67.1% pass rate), the Chrysler Pt Cruiser sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Chrysler Pt Cruiser?

The Chrysler Pt Cruiser has an overall MOT pass rate of 68.6% across 279,642 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Chrysler Pt Cruiser are suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (18,061 recorded failures), track rod end ball joint has excessive play (16,572), and tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (10,501). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Chrysler Pt Cruiser owner drives around 5,599 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Chrysler Pt Cruiser models stay on UK roads for around 26 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Chrysler Pt Cruiser — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chrysler Pt Cruiser reliable?
Based on 279,642 MOT tests, the Chrysler Pt Cruiser has a 68.6% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
The most common MOT failures are suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement, track rod end ball joint has excessive play, and tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Chrysler Pt Cruiser do per year?
The typical Chrysler Pt Cruiser does around 5,599 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Chrysler Pt Cruiser last?
Most Chrysler Pt Cruiser models stay on UK roads for around 26 years based on our analysis of 18,504 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Chrysler Pt Cruiser?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Chrysler Pt Cruiser is 2009 with a 72.6% pass rate across 106 tests.