PT Cruiser

[kb01]

My mother in-law is looking at purchasing a 2006 PT Cruiser. It has an automatic, about 32,000 miles, and one owner. I'm not a big fan of the car but she really likes it. She's going to have our mechanic put it up on a lift and check it out.

Are there any particular things to watch out for on them? Any known trouble areas?

 

[Chris142]

The radiator cooling fan has 2 speeds. The low speed quits working which causes extreemly high pressure with the AC on and the car not moving.

Most cars turn the fan on whenever the AC switch is on AC mode. This car cycles the fan on and off with the AC compressor as it cxycles on and off which burns the motor out quicker than having it on all the time.

The timing belt is a very involved ($$$) job and the belt is due @ 90K. Don't let it go over 90K bacause it will break soon after 90K. It's a valve bender.

Valves don't hit the pistons. The intake and exhaust valves hit each other once out of sinc.

 

[JustinH]

Make sure its cheap.

I have seen close to new PT cruisers going for 9 grand.

For what they are, I would buy one for 9 grand..

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
This car cycles the fan on and off with the AC compressor as it cxycles on and off which burns the motor out quicker than having it on all the time.


My Corolla did that as well. I think it was the only car I've had (with an e-fan) that did it that way. Most of them, like you said, keep the e-fan whenever A/C is commanded on, whether the A/C clutch is actually physically engaged or not. The Camry's e-fan is so quiet, I'm not yet sure if it cycles with the A/C clutch or not. It also has two fans, and it may have a variable speed fan system, vs. one with one or two fixed speeds.