Hi,
I have a 2005 PT Cruiser Touring Model, original owner of car, no longer under warranty at about 42,000 miles.
I was looking through the internet to find a car maintenance schedule for a 42,000 mile just to see if I missed anything in maintaining my vehicle properly so far.
I came across five recalls for this car but had never been notified by Chrysler for even one recall.
Questions are:
1) What do I know knowing there are outstanding recalls on car without notification/authorization from Chrylser?
2) Can you recommend a general maintenance schedule for cars up to 130,000 miles? I usually get rid of them at 130,000 or they have died at that point.
Thanks very much.
Sherry
A Chrysler service department can enter your VIN into their data base in order to determine which–if any–of those recalls apply to your car. If they are valid, they do not expire. The problem that you may run into is backordering of parts, since the investor group that bought Chrysler from Daimler Benz has been notoriously late with payments to part suppliers. As long as a recall is valid, once the parts become available you can get these repairs/modifications performed free-of-charge.
As to maintenance, just open the glove compartment and take out the maintenance schedule that is sitting in there. If the schedule “runs out” at…let’s say…100k, then you begin again with the earliest listed major maintenance listed, probably 15k or 30k. At whatever mileage the mfr’s maintenance schedule runs out, you simply revert to the beginning of the maintenance schedule again.
Thanks very much! That is great information to know about getting the service department to enter the VIN# and that the recalls never expire.
Also, have been following the Chrysler Manual with repairs - just wanted to see if needed anything else.
Thanks again and love this forum and the show!
Well, there is another maintenance item to add, just in case it was not listed by Chrysler. Your brake fluid should be changed every 30k, due to the hygroscopic nature of brake fluid. That means that it absorbs moisture from the air, and after a while, this accumulated moisture actually dilutes the fluid with water.
Water in the brake fluid will eventually result in the failure of brake lines and caliper pistons from corrosion/rust. Diluted brake fluid can also cause the fluid to boil when the brakes get very hot, as when you drive in hilly terrain. Boiling fluid=loss of braking ability until the fluid cools off.
While Japanese auto manufacturers usually specify a brake fluid change every 30k, for some reason, some US auto makers seem to ignore the importance of this procedure. I assume that this is an attempt to make their cars appear to be “maintenance free”. Unfortunately, they are ignoring reality and endangering lives by not recommending a brake fluid change every 30k.
I would not delay on these. Here in NH almost 1/2 of the new car dealerships are expected to close this year. Chrysler dealers are high on the list. I suspect our stats may be typical nationwide.
Who will service these vehicles remains to be seen.