CHRYSLER CHRYSLER · model year

2002 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER

14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002CHRYSLERCHRYSLER carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 3 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 CHRYSLER is suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint with 2 filings, followed by suspension:front:macpherson strut (1) and unknown or other (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 81 investigation files overlapping the 2002 CHRYSLER, and 5 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

14
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT2
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
AIR BAGS1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH1
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
EQUIPMENT1

Recent Complaints

20101219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I JUST BOUGHT A 2002 PT CRUISER FROM JUST ADD GAS IN ALBANY LOUISIANA I LOVE THE CAR , BUT AFTER I GOT IT HOME AND DROVE IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS I FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAIN IS HAVING PROBLEMS , I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE AND HAD THEM PUT THE TESTER ON IT AND THEY DETERMINED THAT IT IS THE BRAIN ,OR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM GOING TO THE BRAIN , I AM TRYING TO LOCATE ONE AT THIS TIME . *TR

Mileage: 110,000

20101219EQUIPMENT

I JUST BOUGHT A 2002 PT CRUISER FROM JUST ADD GAS IN ALBANY LOUISIANA I LOVE THE CAR , BUT AFTER I GOT IT HOME AND DROVE IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS I FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAIN IS HAVING PROBLEMS , I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE AND HAD THEM PUT THE TESTER ON IT AND THEY DETERMINED THAT IT IS THE BRAIN ,OR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM GOING TO THE BRAIN , I AM TRYING TO LOCATE ONE AT THIS TIME . *TR

Mileage: 110,000

20100302FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

JEEP 2002 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V117000 - WE HAD A FIRE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM A SHORT IN THE WIRING FOR THE HEATED SEAT WHICH CAUSED THE HEATING TO NO LONGER WORK. MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE BURNED AREA/DEBRIS. WE CALLED CHRYSLER AND EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL EVENT HAPPENED TO US IN THE YEAR AND MAKE OF THE VEHICLE RECALL, OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

20061220SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

TL* - THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 2W125384-F23 FOR LOWER BALL JOINTS FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH AND CHRYSLER HAS TOLD HER THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY ONLY GET ENOUGH PARTS TO DO 1 CAR A WEEK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE MAKES A RIGHT TURN, THE CAR FEELS AS THOUGH SHE HAS RUN OVER SOMETHING.

Mileage: 100,000

20061218SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

TL*- THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE PARTS FOR THE RECALL. EACH TIME CONTACT CALLS PARTS ARE NOT IN. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS RECALL. NO. CIMS482-00-85. HE HAS RECEIVED A SECOND RECALL ON SAME PART.

20061002ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, HOWEVER ACCELERATION POWER WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER.

Mileage: 15,031

20060719LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TAILGATE OPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO OCCURRENCES THAT WOULD HAVE AN AFFECT ON THE LATCH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER.

20051007STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS

I PURCHASED MY 2002 PT CRUISER WHEN IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD. THERE WAS SLIGHT DISCOLORATION ON THE BUMPER THAT LOOKED LIKE TAPE WAS THERE. IT WASN'T VERY NOTICEABLE AT THE TIME. NOW, A FEW YEARS LATER IT LOOKS RIDICULOUS. THERE IS A LINE THAT LOOKS LIKE TAPE ABOUT 1.5 INCHES WIDE ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BUMPER, IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE. IT IS ON THE REAR AND FRONT BUMPER. THE BLACK PART AROUND THE WINDOWS IS ALSO DISCOLORED. *JB

20050323POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

300M NOT EVEN 3 YRS. I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK AND SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, PAID ABOUT $700, WITHIN TWO MONTHS THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

Mileage: 105,000

20050209STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING MY 202 CHRYSLER 300M THE STEERING MECHANISM FAILED AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

Mileage: 117,000

20041228LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

HOOD STRUTS FAILED ON MY 2002 CHRYSLER PROWLER--HOOD COMES DOWN ON MY HEAD! *JB

Mileage: 6,000

20040830CrashFatalAIR BAGS

SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ON 19 DECEMBER 2002, MY STEP-SON, AGE 35, AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH BOUND ON I-35 NEAR PERRY, OK IN MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO. I WAS DRIVING AND MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, SLEEPING. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT. I CHANGED LANES TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE (THIS IS A SOUTHBOUND INTERSTATE) AND WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. AS I APPROACHED THE VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT LANE WHICH I WAS PASSING, IT SUDDENLY SWERVED INTO MY LANE (LEFT, PASSING LANE). HER BUMPER CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE ON THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL NEAR THE WHEEL WELL. (SHE SAID LATER THAT SHE FELT A SLIGHT BUMP WHICH SHE DIDN'T RELATE TO ANOTHER CAR AT THAT MOMENT). AS HER CAR SWERVED INTO MY LANE, I ATTEMPTED TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HER. AT THE MOMENT THAT I PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT, HER REAR BUMPER MADE THE CONTACT WITH MY DURGANGO LISTED ABOVE. MY AIRBAG IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYED, STOPPING ME FROM BRAKING OR CONTROLLING THE ST

Mileage: 12,050

20030826UNKNOWN OR OTHER

COMPLAINT ABOUT PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE 2002 CHRYSLER VAN. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF HIS COMPLAINT. *SCC

20030612SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT

FRAME/STRUCTURE OVER THE RIGHT SIDE STRUT HAS RUSTED. THIS COULD RESULT IN STRUT FAILURE AND VEHICLE LOSING STEERING. *AK THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE UPDATED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE COMPLAINT. *SCC

Mileage: 127,000

Compare 2002CHRYSLERCHRYSLER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 5 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER have?
The 2002 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER?
The most-complained component for the 2002 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER is SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2002 CHRYSLER CHRYSLER safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.