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Chrysler PT Cruiser, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls

1,425 Chrysler PT Cruisers are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 55.7% of initial MOT tests, 16.6 points below the 72.3% UK average.

Looking at a specific PT Cruiser? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Chrysler PT Cruiser at the MOT

55.7% of 1,920 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the PT Cruiser 531st of 575 models.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Chrysler PT Cruiser55.7%
  • All Chrysler modelsThe PT Cruiser is 6 pts behind61.7%
  • All cars72.3%

Where PT Cruisers fail

Share of all failure items recorded on Chrysler PT Cruiser tests in 2025.

  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment26.6%
  • Suspension22.9%
  • Brakes21.9%
  • Body, chassis, structure5.4%
  • Visibility5.4%

The items testers recorded most often were headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (7.1%), pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (5.8%) and position lamp not working (3.9%).

The MOT page lists every common PT Cruiser MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.

Full Chrysler PT Cruiser MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The PT Cruiser's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.

  1. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.26.6% of PT Cruiser failure items

  2. Suspension

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.22.9% of PT Cruiser failure items

  3. Brakes

    Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.21.9% of PT Cruiser failure items

Chrysler PT Cruisers in the UK

1,425 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 91% since the end of 2014.

Change since 2014
−91%from 15,814 licensed
Typical year of first use
2006half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2006 or earlier
Declared off the road
2,41963% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Chrysler PT Cruisers since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 201415,814
End of 201513,924
End of 201611,920
End of 20179,811
End of 20187,786
End of 20196,199
End of 20204,982
End of 20213,977
End of 20223,166
End of 20232,518
End of 20241,986
End of 20251,579
End of June 20261,425

How old they are

Licensed Chrysler PT Cruisers by year of first use.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025
200870
2007389
2006331
2005263
2004169
2003156
200293
200161
200035

PT Cruiser engines and fuel

2.4 litre engines made up 49% of Chrysler PT Cruiser MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.1 litre at 25%. Petrol accounts for 75% of licensed PT Cruisers and diesel for 25%.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 1,919 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 2.4 litre49.3%
  • 2.1 litre25.5%
  • 2.0 litre25%

Fuel type, licensed PT Cruisers

DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.

FuelLicensedShare
Petrol1,06875%
Diesel35225%
Gas50.4%

Chrysler PT Cruiser recalls

4 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every PT Cruiser is affected.

  1. Aug 2007 R/2007/089

    Rear quarter window may detach from vehicle

    PT Cruisers built Jan 2005 to Dec 2006 · 212 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The fixed rear quarter glass may separate from the vehicle whilst in motion
    Remedy
    Recall affected vehicles and replace Quarter Glass assembly

  2. Dec 2006 R/2006/143

    Direction indicators may not function correctly

    3,043 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    It has been identified that the direction indicators may not function correctly.
    Remedy
    Recalled vehicles will have the indicator power module reprogrammed.

  3. May 2005 R/2005/011

    The fuel line jumper tube may chafe against the throttle cable

    PT Cruisers built Jan 2000 to Dec 2001 · 5,077 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The fuel line jumper tube may chafe against the throttle cable. This may then lead to a fuel leak.
    Remedy
    Recalled vehicles will be fitted with a modified fuel line jumper tube. Additionally the tube will be re-routed and secured.

  4. Jan 2003 R/2002/136

    Fuel pump module mounting concern

    10,200 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The fuel pump module mounting may leak if the vehicle is involved in a rollover collision.
    Remedy
    Install a secondary seal over the fuel pump module.
How to check a specific PT Cruiser for recalls

Other Chrysler models

The most-tested Chrysler models in 2025, against the PT Cruiser's 55.7% MOT pass rate.

All 5 Chrysler models

Chrysler PT Cruiser FAQs

How many Chrysler PT Cruisers are there in the UK?

1,425 Chrysler PT Cruisers were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 2,419 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Chrysler PT Cruiser reliable?

MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 55.7% first-time pass rate for the Chrysler PT Cruiser across 1,920 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Chrysler PT Cruiser had any recalls?

4 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Chrysler PT Cruiser. The most recent was published in August 2007. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.

What should I check before buying a used Chrysler PT Cruiser?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.

How do I check a Chrysler PT Cruiser's history?

Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.

Already found a PT Cruiser?

Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.

Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the car history check.

  • Outstanding finance
  • Write-off records
  • Stolen markers
  • Mileage history
  • Previous keepers

MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.