"blinkin'" lights

my 2001 pt cruiser’s engine light has been on for 2 years(it is an expensive computer chip] but that is only background info. Now the light display on the clock/radio goes on and off at will [its will,not mine] and when the light display is off, the horn won’t work. Other facts: the display on the odometer has gone off once, same time as radio,the on/off is not related to any bumps or jarring in the car

Has the car been in an accident of flood? Sounds like maybe corosion on the connectors.

A slight accident dented the left wheel well but no flood. We do live near a saltwater bay but that’s it

The “check engine” light needs to be read and dealt with, I have no idea what the phrase “it is an expensive computer chip” has to do with anything at all.

Radio displays do fail,I would not connect its failure with the “check engine” light

The info you provide leads me to believe the radio display has failed more times than the odometer display, it would have been a good clue if they failed at the same rate/time.

Most likely failure for horn is the horn contacts (in the steering wheel or airbag)

There is a real down side to ignoring that CEL. You will not know when something else comes along and that one could be a safety issue or it may be warning of impending engine damage. Letting it go can cost you a lot more than the cost of replacing it.