[ImperialCrown]

Welcome to Allpar. Not all problems will set a fault code, life would be too easy if they did.
You may need to catch this 'live' with a borrowed/rented/purchased scan tool on the seat next to you while driving. It would be safer with a passenger watching the scan tool display while you drive.
On the sensor display screen, you would want to look for what is 'missing' or 'lost' when it starts bucking. Common intermittents may be a cam or crank signal sensor, but I don't recommend changing any parts until this can be diagnosed a bit more.
A fuel pressure gauge can be tied into the fuel line under the hood and held under a wiper blade to monitor fuel pressure while driving if you suspect a loss of fuel pressure. Make sure there are no fuel leaks before starting out on a drive.
The dealer has a tool called a Co-pilot that they can program and plug into your car. You then drive the car until it acts up and you press a button that will record everything that the engine computer has seen for the last 90 seconds. Up to 3 separate recordings can be stored. Back at the shop, the data is analyzed and hopefully an answer is reached. You want this to act up with the diagnostics attached in order to find the problem.
If you ask, the service manager may waive an additional diagnostic fee if you have had to pay previous fees for this same problem.

 

[Deborah Nusbaum]

Thank you for the reply. I will request one of those from the dealership on Monday and see how it goes.

 

[Myishaj]

Hi deb, whatever happened with that my pt is doing the same thing..?

 

[SlpYhd]

Thank you for the reply. I will request one of those from the dealership on Monday and see how it goes.

Welcome to Allpar. Not all problems will set a fault code, life would be too easy if they did.
You may need to catch this 'live' with a borrowed/rented/purchased scan tool on the seat next to you while driving. It would be safer with a passenger watching the scan tool display while you drive.
On the sensor display screen, you would want to look for what is 'missing' or 'lost' when it starts bucking. Common intermittents may be a cam or crank signal sensor, but I don't recommend changing any parts until this can be diagnosed a bit more.
A fuel pressure gauge can be tied into the fuel line under the hood and held under a wiper blade to monitor fuel pressure while driving if you suspect a loss of fuel pressure. Make sure there are no fuel leaks before starting out on a drive.
The dealer has a tool called a Co-pilot that they can program and plug into your car. You then drive the car until it acts up and you press a button that will record everything that the engine computer has seen for the last 90 seconds. Up to 3 separate recordings can be stored. Back at the shop, the data is analyzed and hopefully an answer is reached. You want this to act up with the diagnostics attached in order to find the problem.
If you ask, the service manager may waive an additional diagnostic fee if you have had to pay previous fees for this same problem.

I have a 2007 pt cruiser touring. Randomly, it could be once a week or once every several weeks, while I am accelerating it will starting bucking like it isn't getting gas? Check engine light will come on in that moment, but when checked no code comes up? Then after 3 drives, it resets. When it happens it keeps bucking if I try to accelerate at all, but if I pull over and turn car off then turn back on it runs like it never happened. Since no code comes up, dealership seems a bit clueless, and it costs over 100 just to keep doing diagnostic. I saw that a Johnneypro had exactly the same problem with his pt cruiser on a post here, but cant seem to find him on here now. Also seems to be happening more frequently now.

Anyone any ideas??? Please tell me someone knows something! lol...

Deborah

Have the same problem same year PT Cruiser resolves the same way by ahutting off the car and turning it back on. I noticed it does it at speeds usually either 20-40 mph or around 60 mph. Once I shut it off and restart the engine it doesn't do it anymore.

 

[chuzz]

Have either one of you PT owners ever had the throttle body cleaned or used Techron Fuel System Cleaner in your gas tanks? If not, I'd try those before going to a stealership. Throttle body cleaner and Techron will be less than $20. Stealership? Probably a few hundred.

 

[djsamuel]

I had a similar issue and it was the cam position sensor.

 

[Gerry G]

If you do replace the cam position sensor, I highly recommend an OEM/dealer one. Mopars sometimes do not play/run well with after-market brands.

If the check engine lamp is lit, there should be a code stored. A decent code reader should be able to show cleared codes (removed after 50 restarts) and pending codes.

 

[ImperialCrown]

A really decent scan tool can show live sensor data. A data recorder (Co-pilot) can download what the PCM saw for the past 90 seconds. A test drive to get it to act up is all that is necessary.
The sensor data helps take the guesswork out of diagnosis, it may save money and prevent good parts from being replaced.
Sometimes it is worthwhile paying a diagnostic fee (usually shop minimum) to get an answer. Depending on the difficulty of the repairs, it may be worth doing the work yourself with the diagnostic and cost estimate information from the shop or have the shop do it?
How are the spark plugs and wires?