PT Cruiser starting problem
#11
05-24-2012, 06:23 AM
Battery cable
I've had similar problem - all the light were on, etc., but the starter would not crank. Ended up with replacing battery cables - the original hoockups were all worn out and oxidized, could not run strong enough current through.
#13
11-03-2013, 07:16 AM
Battery drain PT cruiser 2.2 diesel 2007
Hi
Has anyone had any luck with battery drain? I have a 2.2crd 2007 with 23,000 miles on the clock. For the last 2-3 years I have had issues with my battery draining over night. I have had a new battery, had it diagnosed 3 times at Chrysler garages, who were pleased to tell me there is nothing wrong!, and at 2 other garages. All have advised they can find no drain, the battery is fine as is the alternator. I use the car for a mixture of short journeys and medium and it does sometimes sit for a day or 2. It usually happens when there is a hard frost but has happened in the summer this year.
I have gone to it this morning, after using it yesterday, and the battery is flat. At this moment in time I am just about to get rid of my prized possession as I just can't cope with not knowing if it will start in the morning. Anything else that people can suggest would be much welcome!
Has anyone had any luck with battery drain? I have a 2.2crd 2007 with 23,000 miles on the clock. For the last 2-3 years I have had issues with my battery draining over night. I have had a new battery, had it diagnosed 3 times at Chrysler garages, who were pleased to tell me there is nothing wrong!, and at 2 other garages. All have advised they can find no drain, the battery is fine as is the alternator. I use the car for a mixture of short journeys and medium and it does sometimes sit for a day or 2. It usually happens when there is a hard frost but has happened in the summer this year.
I have gone to it this morning, after using it yesterday, and the battery is flat. At this moment in time I am just about to get rid of my prized possession as I just can't cope with not knowing if it will start in the morning. Anything else that people can suggest would be much welcome!
#14
11-05-2013, 09:11 PM
Get a digital volt-ohmmeter with the capability of reading current. Then you are going to have to connect the meter in series with the battery so as to measure the current flowing when everything is turned off. BUT, you want to do this without actually disconnecting the battery. Place a jumper wire between the battery terminal and the battery cable, then while maintaining the jumper connection, disconnect the battery cable. Then hook up the meter and then you remove the jumper. (This ritual is to avoid the surge that occurs when re-connecting a disconnected battery. Also, on those European models there could be a problem with the radio if the battery is disconnected.)
There should be no more than about 0.050 amps flowing (50 milliamps). This represents the expected draw from things like the clock and the remote keyless entry receiver, which are on all the time.
If it's much more than that, you've got a short circuit somewhere. Start pulling fuses one at a time until you locate the circuit with the short. Then you're going to have to try to figure out what it is on that circuit that is drawing current when it shouldn't. Might be something like a faulty component or a pinched wire.
People on the Forum have reported battery problems with diesels due to not enough driving to keep the battery charged. Some have reported success by upsizing the battery.
They don't sell diesels on this side of the Atlantic so you won't get many responses from over here.
There should be no more than about 0.050 amps flowing (50 milliamps). This represents the expected draw from things like the clock and the remote keyless entry receiver, which are on all the time.
If it's much more than that, you've got a short circuit somewhere. Start pulling fuses one at a time until you locate the circuit with the short. Then you're going to have to try to figure out what it is on that circuit that is drawing current when it shouldn't. Might be something like a faulty component or a pinched wire.
People on the Forum have reported battery problems with diesels due to not enough driving to keep the battery charged. Some have reported success by upsizing the battery.
They don't sell diesels on this side of the Atlantic so you won't get many responses from over here.
#15
11-06-2013, 04:28 AM
Hi. Thanks for getting back and taking the time to respond. I didn't realise that diesels weren't sold over there!
Great advice and probably my next step if the garage don't sort it. It got towed in Monday to be re-tested from flat and everything came back as ok, except them saying it 'could be' the 2 year old battery! It was charged up and didn't start so they knocked the starter motor with a spanner and guess what! Some of the forums in the UK have suggested starter motor / solenoid issues but I had assumed it was battery drain, which it may well still be and I'm certainly going to look at an upsized battery. Many thanks.
Great advice and probably my next step if the garage don't sort it. It got towed in Monday to be re-tested from flat and everything came back as ok, except them saying it 'could be' the 2 year old battery! It was charged up and didn't start so they knocked the starter motor with a spanner and guess what! Some of the forums in the UK have suggested starter motor / solenoid issues but I had assumed it was battery drain, which it may well still be and I'm certainly going to look at an upsized battery. Many thanks.
#16
12-05-2013, 05:40 AM
02 pt cruiser wont start? need help ...!!!
02 pt cruiser will turn over with key but wont start, I got a tow from behind one more car & popped the clutch and it started right up. Very confused with the new battery and new starter. It's also getting air, fuel, and spark when turned over with the key.
#17
01-27-2014, 04:02 PM
PT Cruiser start problem
I have a 2006 PT I bought new in 2006. never a problem until this extreme cold below 0 temp. The battery was ok starter tried to start but after a few turns each time it quit. had it towed. They cleaned the plugs and injectors ant it started. @ days latter in the cold no start. Towed again. They said it was a problem with then sending unit on the temp gage . It was showing 60 degrees when it was really 0 it worked for another 3 days. then no start again. I waited for the weather to warm up for a few days then started it. I have been using 1/2 tank of high test since then and no problems
#18
04-07-2014, 12:48 AM
I have a PT Cruiser 2002 for 4 year now and today the starter (I think) has failed again, if this thing does not start tomorrow, I gonna need fix it, the third time in 4 years of the same issue. I gonna try some of your suggestions and figure out what is going on because a starter doesnt fail every year and a half! My post in a few days!
#19
02-01-2019, 09:38 AM
[align=left]Dear Barb
I wanted to post my problem here because it it similar to yours. Maybe someone will read my problem and be able to suggest a solution that would work for both of us.
I bought a 2002 PT Cruiser about 3 years ago. About a year after , the starter quit working. It would click but it wouldn't even take a jump. So I had it towed to a car repair shop. It would start the next day. I would start every time at the shop. Then once it didn't start at the repair shop so they changed the starter. Then after the warrenty ran out on the starter a year and 3 months later, the starter quit working again. I went through the same situation. Finally it quit working at the repair shop (different shop) and they changed the starter. That made it the third starter, the one it came with, the first repair and then the second repair.
A couple of times during all this I would have trouble with the starter and come back after sitting a half hour or so and it would start. One night after work at 12 midnight a guy with a large pickup with a hefty battery tried to jump it and it wouldn't take the jump. He hit the starter with a pole, but to no avail. One time it wouldn't start and some guys had me put it in reverse while they pushed it about 5 feet to have the starter moved out of any kind of null, but that didn't work, wouldn't take a jump. After having towed to a shop and not starting, the next day the repair shop called and said the car started every time. The battery has been checked.
Now it is in the shop again today (still another shop). Same problem.
Brucelog
[/align]
I wanted to post my problem here because it it similar to yours. Maybe someone will read my problem and be able to suggest a solution that would work for both of us.
I bought a 2002 PT Cruiser about 3 years ago. About a year after , the starter quit working. It would click but it wouldn't even take a jump. So I had it towed to a car repair shop. It would start the next day. I would start every time at the shop. Then once it didn't start at the repair shop so they changed the starter. Then after the warrenty ran out on the starter a year and 3 months later, the starter quit working again. I went through the same situation. Finally it quit working at the repair shop (different shop) and they changed the starter. That made it the third starter, the one it came with, the first repair and then the second repair.
A couple of times during all this I would have trouble with the starter and come back after sitting a half hour or so and it would start. One night after work at 12 midnight a guy with a large pickup with a hefty battery tried to jump it and it wouldn't take the jump. He hit the starter with a pole, but to no avail. One time it wouldn't start and some guys had me put it in reverse while they pushed it about 5 feet to have the starter moved out of any kind of null, but that didn't work, wouldn't take a jump. After having towed to a shop and not starting, the next day the repair shop called and said the car started every time. The battery has been checked.
Now it is in the shop again today (still another shop). Same problem.
Brucelog
[/align]
#20
02-01-2019, 09:49 AM
THINK about what conditions you were driving thru before you parked for the night. Did you go driving thru deep snow? Snow could have "packed" around the starter and partially melted to then form ice and "froze up" the starter, if it does not spin the motor at all. If the starter is spinning the engine , but the engine not "catching " to run, how long is it spinning before getting just "clicks"...sign of a weak and dying battery.