2005 pt cruiser problems

Thank you for responding although that's not the answer I wanted.. The far cost me 900$ and seems to run fine 90 percent of the time.. But that to me is even scarier because it means it's unpredictable

The engine reving may be from a transmission problem. Check the ATF level and top it off if it is low. You can't do anything about the air filter except to install a new filter.

I would sell it. Even if you lose a few hundred dollars it is better than being stranded in a bad place.

Yep, plan on spending around $1300 every 60K to 80K to replace timing belt AND water pump. Do both at same time or pay $1300 to replace one and then $1300 later to replace the other. No, having a timing belt break doesn't mean bye bye engine. Maybe bye bye head. With 180K miles on it, it's due for a timing belt and water pump. Probably why the previous owner got rid of it. I've owned a variety of cars over the years and the engine in my '05 is one of the toughest I've ever had. Timing belt popped requiring head work, driven @ 80 mph for the majority of the 240,00 miles I have on it, and overheated numerous times without warping the aluminum head. Love my cruiser, but would not recommend it to the everyday driver. You really have to love the car. I'll have mine even after the wheels fall off and the engine breathes it's last breath.

The PT engine is fairly bullet proof, the only failure point historically is the head gasket. People tend to ignore replacing the timing belt, which can cause damage to valves and pistons if it was to break. Therefore, it’s always good practice to change it earlier than the 100k required interval (Plan the change at 80 or 90 k). The other areas which cause wonky things to occur is the cam sensor which resides on the back of the cylinder head, on the driver’s side of the vehicle, just inward of the battery. It’s a very inexpensive part, change it once a year or so For some reason people tend to assume cooling hoses last for an eternity …. They don’t. They need to be changed every 40k, and change the heater hoses with the upper and lower radiator hoses, while draining the coolant completely and changing it. The PT is an Aluminum head on a cast iron block so there is some metallurgy going on with the reaction to coolant For your turbo folks… the #1 focal point is change the oil .. religiously and never ever use Petroleum stock oil as your lubrication as it is prone to coking due to its lowered temperature characteristics. Always use synthetic oil in turbo charged vehicles. Talking suspension, the lower control arms tend to wear out at 120k along with the wheel bearings. Both require the disassembly of the suspension so when one is replaced it’s a good idea to do both. I would suggest Delrin bushings for those looking for tighter suspension as well as larger sway bars both front and rear. PT cruiser bushings are designed to take the brunt of suspension wear, so keep that in mind when considering Delrin. Finally if you have the manual transmission version (great version to own), the shifter bushings tend to wear out at the transmission, so pay close attention to those spots as well. The PT is a compact package so it’s imperative that maintenance scheduled be kept up to date. It’s a great little ride which can serve multiple roles in one vehicle package.

What are your scan codes? That car has a huge amount of mileage.. Next time buy one under 100k miles

I just bought a car at the same milage but it cost me 2500... I was in need of a vehicle and my bf loved the look so I went for it... This was in Feb 24th now it's May 5th and the neck that connects the radiator to the reservoir had been changed along with the thermostat and the cap... Team fine for 2 days then it began to gurgle and felt as if overheating yet temperature showed to be normal... The mechanic called me crazy as I told him I could see the white smog coming from the hood as I drove and smelled the coolant... He checked the coolant and it showed as filled correctly said no smell was there or smog and off course he didn't hear the sound I told him of, when I asked if the head gaskets could be the issue or maybe the fact that the hose connecting the neck to the reservoir was bent and not smooth he pretty much said I'm a female therefore I have no idea what these big words meant... Today after a 15 minute drive to the store and back once again the gurgling began and low and behold I looked under the car and yes it was leaking... The temperature did not change our go higher than normal... I'm so beyond frustrated with these mechanics who have no experience with these cars brushing off my concerns, I need a working vehicle.... Should I just sell it or invest in getting it fixed?!

You have to bleed a valve by the thermostat while the heater is on.. That will solve the problem... The is trapped air in the heater.. YouTube it.. Good luck

2005 pt cruiser base model cam sensor light on delay to start.