engine malfunction light is flashing

Asked by K1a2t3 Dec 01, 2008 at 09:24 AM about the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Wagon FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Need some help, ASAP. I bought a used PT Cruiser, it has close to 80,000 miles on it. I have had it six months. It has the small automatic engine. I noticed when I got it, that the car would do some jerking or lurching type feeling when I would hit around 50 mph. My husband said it was acting like it was not wanting to change gears at this speed. If I let off the gas, or gave it more gas, it would correct itself. The problem has gotten worse since the gas shortage. I have added a few rounds of fuel injector cleaner about every other fill up. This would seem to help. But in the last two fill ups, it is doing the jerking a lot. Mostly still at 45-50 mph, but have also started noticing that during acceleration, the car acts likes it just doesn't have the pep to get going. If I turn on the air or heat, it will do this at any speed or when idiling. Last night the engine light came on and stayed on. It has been cranked and driven three times since, and the light stays on. This am the light will start flashing when I try to acclerate going up a hill. I have parked the car, and want to have it looked at. I will need to drive ten miles into town to a Honda dealer to have it looked at. Should I run by Auto Advance and have a test done first, to know the codes? Or take it straight to dealer? Also, should I have it towed and not driven at this point? I am afraid of damaging my car. Thank you so much! Katherine

8 Answers

25

if you have tripple a use your free towing of find some one that does have triple a and use thiere card to get it towed to a mechanic. make sure you have them check the problem and inform you before they do any work!!!! depending on what the problem is, you might want to get a second quote on the price to get it fixed before you let them service your vehicle!

1 people found this helpful.
2,245

likley the issue it solved by now, but a good thing to do with these cars is to check for trouble codes with the odometer, turn the ignition on,off,on,off,on. and it will show a list of trouble codes stored in the ecm. make sure you wait untill the odometer lights up each time the key is turned on. and do not start the engine just turn the key to the run posistion, and then back off

9 people found this helpful.
60

Had this happen to my pt cruiser ... had code checked for free at autozone ... found it to be the cam sensor was bad . Easy fix part is a 50$ part get lifetime warranty one ..I've changed it four times already .. takes five minutes to change ... only need a screwdriver needle nose pliers and a socket wrench I think it's 5mm ... watch the how to change cam sensor video on u tube . Simple fix car runs good as new again till it needs to be changed again .... lifetime warranty part will save you the $50 next time it happens ... seem pt's are Known for this problem..... this repair in a shop will be around $150.. or more .... do it yourself for about $50

6 people found this helpful.
30

This happened to me, I saw this post, got cam sensor from rock auto for 19.00 .problem solved. Thank you so much

3 people found this helpful.
10

Same thing with my mom's pt I've had to change it 4 time now in the last year. I was going to get it off Rock auto and save $30 but then read about how it will go bad every few months and didn't want to have to pay to ship it back and wait a few days to have my mom her car back. Now I'm having a problem with my lights dimming after mom drives the car for a little bit in the radio will turn on and off I'm pretty sure it's the volt regulator and alternator but before I go ahead and replace that I wanted to know if that would also mess with the transmission because every now and then all the sudden it won't want to come out of first gear and you'll have to turn the car off and let it sit for a couple minutes and then turn it back on and then it'll shift fine also does everybody else is PT Cruiser does everybody else is PT Cruiser does everybody else is PT Cruiser run does everybody else is PT Cruiser run does everybody else is PT Cruiser run kind does everybody else is PT Cruiser run kind of does everybody else is PT Cruiser run kind of hot does everybody else is PT Cruiser run kind of hot does everybody else is PT Cruiser run kind of hot does everybody else is PT Cruiser run kind of hot where does everybody else's PT Cruiser run kind of hot where it it goes it goes it goes it goes halfway it goes halfway it goes halfway on it goes halfway on the it goes halfway on the it goes halfway on the it goes halfway on the it goes halfway on the it goes halfway on the temp meter and it heats up really really fast within maybe less than 5 minutes of running and I'll be at the halfway mark

1 people found this helpful.
190

Mine is doing this now so I'll have it checked for the cam sensor. I also had a problem with lights going dim every so often at first, for a couple years, then one day smoke came out of the turn signal. Found out it was that and it's also known as a multi function switch.

1 people found this helpful.
30

I had light keep coming on after shop replaced it after a while kept taking it in and sometime s the check engine light would go off by my appointment .They checked the sensor and it was always testing good but the last time they said we know the light keeps coming on but sensor is play so They said they replaced it again but with Chrysler OEM type.Well that's been over 3 years now and never had the light come on again for that sensor I be heard that's true for the crank sensor also.Dont buy the after market Sensors.

3 people found this helpful.

The self diagnose thing does work but mine is showing no codes but when I hook it up to a scanner I’ve throwing several codes replacing small stuff first and trying to fix it

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