Evaporative fault leak in an '03 PT Cruiser. Fix it or trade it?

Maintenance/Repairs
21

You beat me. I was about to suggest that.

Let me also respond to the earlier comment about there being no puddle that confirms the water pump leak. This would not be uncommon. A water pump leak around the shaft seal can leak only when the engine is running and the shaft is spinning.

Yeah, a water pump for the leak and timing belt for the maintenance, along with a smoke test for the EVAP system, are all perfectly prudent. It’s my impression that the shop did everything right and the OP simply misunderstood.

And these are not the sort of problems that indicate that the car is shot. These are normal, simple, basic repairs on a 5 year old car. Although I admit to still be wondering about the “rattle”.

22

Thank you, everyone, for all of your responses and advice. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of these “second opinions.”

[list]The check-engine light has not come back on, so, indeed, it may have been the gas cap that triggered it.[/list]
[list]The dealership replaced my coolant, and I will continue to check it every few days to make sure I don’t lose another half gallon without realizing it.[/list]
[list]Next paycheck, I’ll take the car to a local garage (recommended by co-workers) to talk about the water pump, timing belt, smoke test, and other upcoming and imminent maintenance. If we can hold off for a few months on any major repairs, I’ll be happy.[/list]

In the meantime, there was a new development Friday night, possibly entirely unrelated, but I wonder: I left work Friday to find my fog lights had been on all day. I’m not sure how they turned on, as I haven’t used them for probably two years, but on they were. And they wouldn’t shut off. I tried every trick I could think of, called my dad, called a friend, called the dealership. Of course, the service center was closing, so they couldn’t help me. I was told to return Saturday morning, when they could “probably remove the fuse at no charge.” I was assured that this had nothing to do with anything they did to the car on Thursday. I asked if there were another service center that could help me, or if removing the fuse was something I could do, and was told no, that it was too difficult. About two hours later, a friend removed the access panel to the fuses located inside the car, beside the steering wheel and pulled out the fuse in about 15 seconds. He’d found the directions online.

I realize it’s a little thing, fog lights, but I’m hugely bothered by the service tech telling me that pulling the fuse would be too difficult when it clearly wasn’t. In addition to the points you all have made, this is yet another reason any information he gave me is suspect.

Regardless, I feel 100 times better now - because of this “discussion” - about how to approach this repair work and how to better inform myself (and arm myself) when I go to the garage. Thank you so much for posting your experience and expertise on boards like this for car morons like me!

23

It’s very gratifying to have someone post back and say think you. So few do. I just want to let you know I appreciate it.

If the CEL light stays off, if it was indeed the gas cap, you can skip the smoke test. All the test does is fill the cavities in the EVAP system with smoke and look for a leak. If yo still have a leak, the CEL light will reappear.

24

As far as the fog lights, a quick Google search revealed this may be a fairly common problem with the PT. The fix seems be replacing the multi function switch.

25

you should look further into the manual, ensure that the fuse pulled is not supplying power to anything else.

maybe, since it’s been two years since you used them, maybe you could skip reinstalling the fuse, and not use them?

i believe the multifunction switch is several hundred bucks. (including installation)

26

I found one for less then $80.00 http://ptboutique.com/items/pt-cruiser/pt-cruiser-parts/interior/mopar-interior/pt-cruiser-multifunction-switch-507304-ab-detail.htm

27

I will check further into the fog lights fuse/multifunction switch. The last thing I want to do is cause more problems for myself. The rest of the switch’s functions are all working correctly (blinkers, headlights, etc.), so for now, so far, so good.

Thanks for the $80 switch Web site, americar. I’ll say it again: I’m so grateful for everyone’s input. All of this information just helps me better prepare to take care of these issues, and I genuinely appreciate that.

28

FIX IT.

29

Your welcome.