The commercial positioning of the PT Cruiser in Brazil was completely different from that applied in the
United States. Abroad, it was born with the promise of being a practical, creative car, and above all, cheap
for the average family and easy to maintain ("affordable"). When Chrysler began its imports to Brazil in the
early 2000s, the model suffered the impact of heavy import taxes and the exchange rate of the time. The
solution of the automaker's Brazilian branch was to treat the PT Cruiser not as a cheap utility vehicle, but
rather as an imported car of image and status, aimed at upper-class people who wanted to stand out in urban
traffic.
Prices, Equipment, and Sales in the National Market
Due to its more luxurious positioning in Brazil, the car came equipped from the factory with everything that
was charged as an expensive option in the US. The units sold here came standard with multiple airbags,
modern ABS braking technology, an electronic stability system, natural and electrically adjustable leather
upholstery with heating, in addition to the large aluminum wheels.
Almost the entire batch imported here was equipped with a single engine: the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated
sixteen-valve four-cylinder. In the calibration sent to our country, it delivered about 143 horsepower and
21.8 kgfm of torque. This engine was obligatorily coupled to the four-speed Autostick automatic
transmission, focused more on the comfort of not having jolts than on offering high speeds. The strongest
version with a turbo engine (GT Turbo with over 215 horsepower) was officially brought in minuscule
quantities, making it a disputed rarity among those who buy modern used cars in the country today.
In 2008, at the peak of the lineup's maturity, the official price table showed the car's distance from
ordinary buyers. The entry-level version ("Classic"), which was modernized that year gaining a trip
computer, cost R$ 68,900. If the customer wanted the luxury convertible version ("Cabrio"), the price
skyrocketed to an extortionate R$ 94,900 at dealerships.
The exclusivity of the convertible body is demonstrated by the sales numbers in the model's entire history
here: Brazil registered only 7,600 units with the retractable canvas roof, ensuring its position as a rare
object.
In its final market year, 2010, Chrysler brought the Decade Edition to Brazil. It was the farewell gift that
celebrated the 10th anniversary of its global launch. It cost R$ 69,900, only an R$ 4,000 difference margin
over the "Limited" model at the time. For the extra value, the owner got fog lights and anti-fog mirrors, as
well as commemorative chrome plaques reading "Decade Edition 2000 – 2010" attached to the rear. The most
interesting part for the vehicle owner was that they received a physical certificate attesting to the
authenticity and numbering of that final manufacturing run.
Acceptance and Usage Problems in Brazil
The perception of Brazilian owners, cataloged in clubs, repair shops, and portals, is divided. On the
positive side, it is considered today a car with excellent "cost-benefit" in the used market. This is due to
the high comfort and design that does not look so old, associated with the fact that cheap and compatible
replacement parts can be easily imported online (from sites like eBay or Mercado Livre) straight from
manufacturers in the US, as they are from the same stock as the old Dodge Neon sedan.
The biggest technical dissatisfaction documented by Brazilian owners refers relentlessly to the high gasoline
consumption. The PT Cruiser was heavy for its time (the document registers almost 1,580 kg in the Brazilian
versions), had a high roof (with terrible frontal wind aerodynamics), and an engine that worked with few
automatic gears and dragged out long shifts. As a final result of the project, data and tests in Brazil
reveal dismal averages of only 7.2 kilometers per liter driving in city traffic, and a maximum of 12
kilometers per liter traveling smoothly on the highway. Consequently, the starting power was highly impaired
by the large weight of steel, with the acceleration from zero to 100 kilometers per hour taking a long 10.3
to a terrible 13.5 seconds, depending on the market configurations.
Chronic Maintenance and Suspension Defects
Due to the long time that this same model was on the streets, with the same platform running for over ten
years, mechanic shops all over the world managed to identify what the basic design errors were and which
parts suffered from great premature wear on the Chrysler PT Cruiser's platform. Although the engine block
itself withstands high mileage without blowing up, the accessories around it suffer. Mechanics record ten
repetitive systematic problems that the vehicle owner will invariably have to face:
The following detailed technical list of serious problems affects the daily performance of the vehicle:
- Premature Destruction of Bushings: The rubber bushings placed in the lower suspension
control arm suffer tearing due to the heavy weight of the front of the vehicle. When they break, the
wheel does not respond directly to the steering wheel, generating constant misalignment in the geometry
and wearing out the tires rapidly and unevenly.
- Rupturing of Engine Mounts: The large rubber springs and iron pieces that hold the
engine fixed to the bodywork (the mounts) are poorly proportioned. With usage time, they break. The
symptom is clear: when the driver accelerates abruptly or the automatic transmission jolts to change
gears, the engine swings freely in the engine bay, letting out loud metallic clangs (intense noises and
jolts).
- Crankshaft Position Sensor: This is a dangerous electrical part problem. The electronic
sensor malfunctions due to heat. When it misreads the position at which the engine valves are turning,
the car's electronic brain gets confused and cuts off all gasoline flow. The car shuts down completely
(total blackout) without any prior warning during normal trips.
- Loose Tie Rod Ends: The shafts known as tie rod ends damage their articulation
prematurely, making the steering feel loose when the driver shakes the steering wheel quickly to the
left or right, losing the sporty precision of the suspension.
- Power Steering Pump Overload: The part that pumps steering oil suffers greatly and
starts generating very loud metallic squeals over the years. With the total failure of the hydraulic
part, the ability to send fluid pressure drops to zero and the steering wheel suddenly stiffens,
requiring excessive force from the driver's arms to turn simple corners.
- Starter Motor Failure: A false electrical problem where the owner inserts the key and,
upon giving the electric start to turn it on, only faint electrical noises or weak "clicks" occur,
sounding like a completely dead battery. However, it is chronic wear on the parts that make the primary
electric motor turn the gears.
- Recurrent Problems in the Electronic Fuel Injection System: Caused by weak modules,
they fail to manage regular injection and cause unstable behavior.