Troubleshooting: Why Your PT Cruiser Won't Start

Suppose you are running late for an occasion or just about to leave the house. But just when you are about to turn on the ignition of your Chrysler PT Cruiser, you are hit with the horror of your car refusing to start. The scenario gets even more frustrating when you don’t know other methods to turn your PT Cruiser engine without using the keys.

In a survival situation, you need to know how to start a PT Cruiser without a key. There are, of course, plenty of methods the internet provides, but few would work in the real sense. Our article focuses on the safest process when it comes to “How to start a PT Cruiser without keys.”

Let us get right into it.

Why Your PT Cruiser Won’t Start Even With Keys

Is it possible that your PT Cruiser can fail to start even with a key? The answer is a resounding yes! Thousands of PT Cruiser owners have experienced the frustration of their vehicle not starting. Of course, different problems ranging from the engine to battery issues can be the culprit. But before assuming without proper diagnosis, you should learn why your PT Cruiser won’t start.

For beginners, there are two ways your PT Cruiser won’t start. The first situation will have the engine not turn over or move even when the ignition key turns. Such a scenario fails to engage the engine; therefore, the car does not start.

In a second way, the engine turns on (cranks) when you engage the starter of your PT Cruiser. However, this time the engine fails to fire or run on its own without the ignition key in place. Each situation is different, and diagnosis could result in varying culprits causing the failure of your PT Cruiser to start.

Engine Cranks but Won’t Start

Different reasons would cause your PT Cruiser engine to crank but not start. While tracking each issue down can be downright daunting, you can narrow it down to what is wrong with enough time and patience.

In any case, these trouble codes could point to the following possible causes:

Ignition Problems

Ignition issues are a common cause of your PT Cruiser cranking but failing to start. Once there is no spark, you can’t count on the engine to start. Such situations would have your PT Cruiser engine misfire and release OBD2 related codes indicating the origin of the problem. These codes can reveal the cause of the issues being ignition problems such as bad coil packs, damaged spark plugs, car computer issues, or even lousy plug wiring.

Fuel Component Issues

Your PT Cruiser can have different fuel component issues ranging from damaged to bad fuel pumps, fuel injectors, or filters. Whatever the case, fuel component issues will cause the PT Cruiser engine not to receive enough fuel in the combustion chamber, leading it to crank but not start.

Bad Engine Timing

Your vehicle’s timing allows the PT Cruiser to fire your spark plugs at the appropriate time and ultimately start your engine. If the spark plugs misfire or don’t fire at the right time, then the camshaft does not sync with the PT Cruiser crankshaft.

PT Cruiser Anti-theft System

The PT Cruiser combines smart keys and inbuilt electronic protection with a modern anti-theft system. This design makes it challenging for thieves to steal your PT Cruiser but can cause the inconvenience of not letting your car start.

Engine Neither Cranks Nor Starts

If your PT Cruiser won’t start and doesn’t crank at all, consider these issues:

Battery Issues

If you suspect the battery to be the problem, consider reviewing the following places.

Terminals and Cables

Dirt and debris on your battery terminals or cables can cause a great deal of harm to your battery condition and leave it damaged. Corrosion buildup is especially a significant cause of your battery failing to charge up the engine.

Dead Battery

A dead battery is a massive letdown since it practically means your car does not charge enough to switch on the starter. Therefore, the cranking amps are few, making the PT Cruiser engine unable to start.

Starter Issues

When the starter fails to function or goes wrong, there is a good chance your PT Cruiser will not start. It is relatively simple since the starter is responsible for igniting the engine component to start the whole vehicle.

How to Start a PT Cruiser Without Keys (Jumpstarting)

Step 1

Get your PT Cruiser to park nose-to-nose with the donor car, plus both hoods open.

Step 2

Locate and inspect both cars’ batteries for any physical damage such as leaks or corrosion. Meanwhile, you can locate the negative and positive terminals. Some vehicles have their batteries below the rear seat or in the trunk. Such cases mean there are points to help in jumpstarting on or near the vehicle engine. Check your vehicle manual to find any jumpstart terminals on your PT Cruiser engine.

Step 3

Turn off both cars before making any terminal connections. Once off, attach the red jumper cable clip to the positive end of your PT Cruiser battery. If present, you can also connect it to the underhood jumpstart connection we mentioned earlier.

Next, connect the other red clip to the donor car’s positive battery terminals. Repeat this process for the black cables, connecting each to the negative terminals of your PT Cruiser and the donor car. Check that all connections are secure.

Step 4

Start your donor car, and engage the engine while letting it idle enough to charge up your PT Cruiser battery.

Step 5

Test and affirm that your PT Cruiser is on and that the battery has enough power. You can confirm by checking if your dome light is on and becomes bright. If this works, then your PT Cruiser has enough battery power.

Step 6

Try starting your PT Cruiser and see if it works. If so, remove the jumper cables carefully in the opposite manner you connected at first.

What’s Next?

There are several reasons why you need to learn how to start a PT Cruiser without keys. Whatever the reason, it’s evident that a jumpstart is a safe and convenient method to start your PT Cruiser without keys. However, after a jumpstart, you will need to diagnose your PT Cruiser on why it fails to start even with the ignition key in place. So be sure to get professional mechanical services before tampering more with your car.

Troubleshooting: Why Your PT Cruiser Won’t Start