The reason for the poor m.p.g. on my PT

I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
"braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.

On 15 Aug 2006 05:00:51 -0700, "tomkanpa" > wrote:

>I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
>inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
>m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
>wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
>"braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
>This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
>cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
>couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
>is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
>vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
>Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.

This is the reason I no longer buy Chryslers. I've had four and always
considered myself a Chrysler guy. I still have two left (a 92 and a
97)..have had a lot of trouble with both. Since then I have bought two
Hyundais....10 year warranty and have no problems yet at all.

Do you habitually drive with you foot on the brake pedal?



tomkanpa wrote:
>
> I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
> inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
> m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
> wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
> "braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
> This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
> cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
> couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
> is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
> vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
> Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.

jtees4 wrote:
>
> On 15 Aug 2006 05:00:51 -0700, "tomkanpa" > wrote:
>
> >I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
> >inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
> >m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
> >wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
> >"braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
> >This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
> >cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
> >couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
> >is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
> >vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
> >Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.
>
> This is the reason I no longer buy Chryslers. I've had four and always
> considered myself a Chrysler guy. I still have two left (a 92 and a
> 97)..have had a lot of trouble with both. Since then I have bought two
> Hyundais....10 year warranty and have no problems yet at all.

I was just talking on sunday with friends who made a similar point.
Their Chrysler product had more problems than they were willing to deal
with, and the dealer seemed to go out of his way to find loopholes in
the warranty that made THEM pay for repairs.* They recently bought a
Honda because the warranty listed a host of things the Chrysler warranty
would not cover.

* Most recently, a sensor, or somehing, on the tranny. Because it was
ATTACHED to the tranny instead of being IN the tranny, the dealer
claimed the warranty wouldn't cover it.

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:12:57 GMT, vince garcia
> wrote:

>jtees4 wrote:
>>
>> On 15 Aug 2006 05:00:51 -0700, "tomkanpa" > wrote:
>>
>> >I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
>> >inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
>> >m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
>> >wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
>> >"braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
>> >This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
>> >cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
>> >couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
>> >is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
>> >vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
>> >Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.
>>
>> This is the reason I no longer buy Chryslers. I've had four and always
>> considered myself a Chrysler guy. I still have two left (a 92 and a
>> 97)..have had a lot of trouble with both. Since then I have bought two
>> Hyundais....10 year warranty and have no problems yet at all.
>
>I was just talking on sunday with friends who made a similar point.
>Their Chrysler product had more problems than they were willing to deal
>with, and the dealer seemed to go out of his way to find loopholes in
>the warranty that made THEM pay for repairs.* They recently bought a
>Honda because the warranty listed a host of things the Chrysler warranty
>would not cover.
>
>* Most recently, a sensor, or somehing, on the tranny. Because it was
>ATTACHED to the tranny instead of being IN the tranny, the dealer
>claimed the warranty wouldn't cover it.

GM did the same thing to my on my 1995 Corsica. 60,000 km
bumper-to-bumper, and after that just "drive train". At 60,500km the
alternator blows up (like most of the GM piece of **** alternators
that they use now!). I was livid. To me an alternator is a major
engine component, and there is no way in hell that it should blow at
such low mileage. To me it is an integral part of the drive train. The
car is basically not driveable without it. BUT NO! To the weissels at
GM, the "drive train" is the engine block assembly, the tranmission,
and MAYBE the axels. Just as you state, all supporting sensors and
electrical / electronic bits are NOT covered! What HORSE ****.

After protracted arguements with GM, they deferred the matter to my
local dealer service manager. HE was at least willing to do SOMETHING.
He gave me the part, but I had to pay them to put it in the car. The
tow and the install was just over $100, and that ain't bad these days!

So I was happy with my local dealer, but still ****ed off enough that
I simply do not buy GM products any more. Their quality has gone down
into the dummper over the last 15+ years, and I see no reason why I
should throw away my money buy supporting thier crappy cars. And,
based on GMs loss of market share over the same period, it appears
that the motoring public agrees with my sentiment! GM is now reaping
the rewards for their lack-luster designs, and their poor quality.

On another note, while on holiday, the people camping next to us had a
1952 Chevrolet with a 235 CID straight six. I asked him what mileage
he gets, figuring it must be pretty bad... 18 MPG City, 25 MPG
highway!!!!!!! I barely get that in my 2002 GC with 3.3!!!!

I have a lot of bells and whistles, but the auto industy has NOT
improved the basics in over 60 years! What a rude wake up call. And
with todays gas prices, what a slap in the face to the motoring
public!

Robbie and Laura Reynolds wrote:
> Do you habitually drive with you foot on the brake pedal?
>
____Reply Separator_____

Nope! Just use the right foot and only when I want to stop. Or slow
down.

"tomkanpa" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
> inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
> m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
> wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
> "braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
> This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
> cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
> couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
> is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
> vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
> Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.
>

I find it strange that both calipers were seized up, something had to cause
that and normally it is oil contamination in the master cylinder.

Glenn

> This is the reason I no longer buy Chryslers.

You could have done worse, buy a Ford and change heater cores on a regular
basis.
(which requires removal of the entire dash board, steering wheel, air bags,
and purging/opening of the A/C system)

Sorry you had such trouble. I head up a PT Cruiser club with over 130
members. I've yet to hear of a problem like this. It certainly isn't
common. Most in our club will agree with me, my PT has been THE MOST
trouble free car I've owned. I will have owned my 2001 6 years in October.
Almost 90,000 miles and the only thing replaced was a PVC valve. It is as
squeek and rattle free as the day I bought it new. One member has 155,00
miles and he has had regular maintenance on it and his is as trouble free as
mine. Of these 130 members, 2 have had to have their transmissions replaced
and both were under warranty (good for them, it aint cheap).

Normal gas mileage is not wonderful. But we have members reporting
consistant gas mileage in the 23 to 28 mpg range. Us with heavier foots do
get less.

=======================

"tomkanpa" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I took the 2001 Cruiser to the garage to get the required PA
> inspections. I asked them to see if they could find a reason why the
> m.p.g. had severely dropped. They did. You could hardly turn the front
> wheels by hand. It seems the calibers had frozen and the wheels were
> "braked" all the time. I needed new calibers, new rotors and new pads.
> This of course freed up the wheels and freed up my wallet from a lot of
> cash. Throw in a tie rod end, cutting a lip from the rear drums, a
> couple other parts and you're talking a big repair bill. The odometer
> is just getting ready to turn 40K. I never put the amount of money in a
> vehicle that I've put in this one before with this low mileage on it.
> Well, at least I'll get those 3-4 m.p.g. back.
>

Likely all you needed was a new set of pads and clean and lubed caliper
pins. I had an identical issue with my Chrysler mini-van while in Florida
and a local brake shop quoted me a $1,200 charge stating that the calipers,
rotors, and pads were shot. [Let us pray for those retired folks down there
who get this treatment from service shops every day].

I drove away after rejecting their repair offer and drove to a local parts
shop. The rotors looked fine, no cracks or warps, and were still thick
enough to continue in service. In their lot I changed out the pads and lubed
the pins with synthetic brake lube and it was like new. That repair lasted
until I traded in the vehicle a year later. Cost: $62.00 and change. Time:
55 min. (By the way, even the old pads looked fine and likely could have
stayed in service). From then on I lube my caliper pins myself once a year,
an easy task.

Richard.