How reliable is the Chrysler PT Cruiser compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Chrysler PT Cruiser, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 55.3% across 1,539 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Chrysler PT Cruiser?

The item recorded most often is "The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements", which appears in 26.8% of failed Chrysler PT Cruiser tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Chrysler PT Cruiser?

The most common advisory is "A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn", noted on 29.5% of all Chrysler PT Cruiser tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Chrysler PT Cruiser usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 86,852 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Chrysler PT Cruiser models petrol or diesel?

Of the Chrysler PT Cruiser cars tested, 74% are petrol, 26% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Chrysler PT Cruiser MOT pass rate & common failures

From 1,539 recorded MOT tests of the Chrysler PT Cruiser, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 1,539 MOT tests, 55.3% of Chrysler PT Cruiser tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Chrysler PT Cruiser fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which appears in 26.8% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 86,852 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

55.3%unadjusted, not comparable1,539 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the PT Cruiser. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 1,539 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Chrysler PT Cruiser tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements26.8%
160 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
2.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn17.1%
102 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
3.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake13.9%
83 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
4.Warning device shows system malfunction13.5%
81 occurrencesBrake system warning lamp on, or not working explained
5.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired12.4%
74 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
6.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning12.2%
73 occurrencesLamp not working explained
7.A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play11.4%
68 occurrencesBall joint worn explained
8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.4%
62 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
9.A suspension component missing, likely to become detached or directional stability impaired10.2%
61 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
10.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen9.7%
58 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Chrysler PT Cruiser tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn29.5%
454 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened28.1%
433 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured23.8%
367 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
4.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded22.1%
340 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
5.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users17.9%
275 tests
6.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements17.5%
269 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
7.A tyre seriously damaged16.2%
250 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
8.A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded10.3%
158 testsBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained

What gets tested

The PT Cruiser fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 86,852
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol73.7%
Diesel26.1%

Check a specific Chrysler PT Cruiser

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Chrysler models

Chrysler Ypsilon — 60.8% unadjusted
Chrysler Grand Voyager — 59.2% unadjusted
Chrysler Crossfire — 69.5% unadjusted
Chrysler 300 C — 67.2% unadjusted
Chrysler Voyager — 51.2% unadjusted
Chrysler 300 — 68.4% unadjusted
All Chrysler models

Common questions

How reliable is the Chrysler PT Cruiser compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Chrysler PT Cruiser, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 55.3% across 1,539 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Chrysler PT Cruiser?: The item recorded most often is "The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements", which appears in 26.8% of failed Chrysler PT Cruiser tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Chrysler PT Cruiser?: The most common advisory is "A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn", noted on 29.5% of all Chrysler PT Cruiser tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Chrysler PT Cruiser usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 86,852 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Chrysler PT Cruiser models petrol or diesel?: Of the Chrysler PT Cruiser cars tested, 74% are petrol, 26% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.