Chrysler Prowler Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Chrysler Prowler options? We analyzed 2 model years (2001–2002) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Chrysler Prowler has 14 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2001–2002. The most reported issue area is SUSPENSION.
- Make
- Chrysler
- Model
- Prowler
- Model years analyzed
- 2001–2002 (2 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 14
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 1
- Fire-related complaints
- 1
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2002 (13 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- SUSPENSION
- Reliability signal
- Good
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
GoodThe CHRYSLER PROWLER has 14 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 1 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 14 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 1 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
0 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
No NHTSA recalls were found in our database for this model. Always verify open recalls using your specific VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2001–2002. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 14 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
14 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I JUST BOUGHT A 2002 PT CRUISER FROM JUST ADD GAS IN ALBANY LOUISIANA I LOVE THE CAR , BUT AFTER I GOT IT HOME AND DROVE IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS I FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAIN IS HAVING PROBLEMS , I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE AND HAD THEM PUT THE TESTER ON IT AND THEY DETERMINED THAT IT IS THE BRAIN ,OR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM GOING TO THE BRAIN , I AM TRYING TO LOCATE ONE AT THIS TIME . *TR
JEEP 2002 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V117000 - WE HAD A FIRE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM A SHORT IN THE WIRING FOR THE HEATED SEAT WHICH CAUSED THE HEATING TO NO LONGER WORK. MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE BURNED AREA/DEBRIS. WE CALLED CHRYSLER AND EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL EVENT HAPPENED TO US IN THE YEAR AND MAKE OF THE VEHICLE RECALL, OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 2W125384-F23 FOR LOWER BALL JOINTS FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH AND CHRYSLER HAS TOLD HER THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY ONLY GET ENOUGH PARTS TO DO 1 CAR A WEEK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE MAKES A RIGHT TURN, THE CAR FEELS AS THOUGH SHE HAS RUN OVER SOMETHING.
TL*- THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE PARTS FOR THE RECALL. EACH TIME CONTACT CALLS PARTS ARE NOT IN. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS RECALL. NO. CIMS482-00-85. HE HAS RECEIVED A SECOND RECALL ON SAME PART.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, HOWEVER ACCELERATION POWER WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TAILGATE OPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO OCCURRENCES THAT WOULD HAVE AN AFFECT ON THE LATCH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER.
Read 8 more owner reports
I PURCHASED MY 2002 PT CRUISER WHEN IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD. THERE WAS SLIGHT DISCOLORATION ON THE BUMPER THAT LOOKED LIKE TAPE WAS THERE. IT WASN'T VERY NOTICEABLE AT THE TIME. NOW, A FEW YEARS LATER IT LOOKS RIDICULOUS. THERE IS A LINE THAT LOOKS LIKE TAPE ABOUT 1.5 INCHES WIDE ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BUMPER, IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE. IT IS ON THE REAR AND FRONT BUMPER. THE BLACK PART AROUND THE WINDOWS IS ALSO DISCOLORED. *JB
300M NOT EVEN 3 YRS. I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK AND SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, PAID ABOUT $700, WITHIN TWO MONTHS THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING MY 202 CHRYSLER 300M THE STEERING MECHANISM FAILED AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
HOOD STRUTS FAILED ON MY 2002 CHRYSLER PROWLER--HOOD COMES DOWN ON MY HEAD! *JB
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ON 19 DECEMBER 2002, MY STEP-SON, AGE 35, AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH BOUND ON I-35 NEAR PERRY, OK IN MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO. I WAS DRIVING AND MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, SLEEPING. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT. I CHANGED LANES TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE (THIS IS A SOUTHBOUND INTERSTATE) AND WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. AS I APPROACHED THE VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT LANE WHICH I WAS PASSING, IT SUDDENLY SWERVED INTO MY LANE (LEFT, PASSING LANE). HER BUMPER CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE ON THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL NEAR THE WHEEL WELL. (SHE SAID LATER THAT SHE FELT A SLIGHT BUMP WHICH SHE DIDN'T RELATE TO ANOTHER CAR AT THAT MOMENT). AS HER CAR SWERVED INTO MY LANE, I ATTEMPTED TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HER. AT THE MOMENT THAT I PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT, HER REAR BUMPER MADE THE CONTACT WITH MY DURGANGO LISTED ABOVE. MY AIRBAG IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYED, STOPPING ME FROM BRAKING OR CONTROLLING THE STEERING. MY VEHICLE THEN WENT ACROSS THE MEDIAN GRASS (EAST BOUND) TOWARDS THE NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC. I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING DUE TO THE AIRBAG, NOR COULD I STEER DUE TO THE AIRBAG ,NOR COULD I BRAKE DUE TO THE AIRBAG. AS THE AIRBAG BEGAN TO DEFLATE MY THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY DURANGO SLAMMED INTO A NORTHBOUND SEMI TRAILER TRUCK, SPUN AND ROLLED ONCE, LANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. MY 35 YEAR OLD STEP- SON DIED OF HEAD INJURIES. THIS AIRBAG SHOULD NEVER HAVE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE (THE GRILL AND ENGINE ARE STILL INTACT, AS IS THE HOOD), EVEN AFTER THE COLLISION WITH THE SEMI TRAILER TRUCK AND THE ROLL OVER. MY DAUGHTER IN LAW HAS FILED SUIT AGAINST ME AND AGAINST CHRYSLER. THAT DOES NOT BRING MY SON BACK. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE MADE ACCOUNTABLE TO ALL OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS AIRBAG. THIS AIRBAG SHOULD NEVER HAVE DEPLOYED. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO RECALL ANY OF THEIR VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THIS UNSAFE, UNPREDICTABLE AIRBAG. *AK
FRAME/STRUCTURE OVER THE RIGHT SIDE STRUT HAS RUSTED. THIS COULD RESULT IN STRUT FAILURE AND VEHICLE LOSING STEERING. *AK THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE UPDATED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE COMPLAINT. *SCC
COMPLAINT ABOUT PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE 2002 CHRYSLER VAN. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF HIS COMPLAINT. *SCC
AT ABOUT 10:15 PM EDT, JULY 31, 2015, I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 CHRYSLER PROWLER EAST ON INTERSTATE 64 IN VIRGINIA. I WAS BETWEEN EXIT 167 AND EXIT 171. I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH AND NOTICED THAT THE GREEN "CRUISE CONTROL ON" LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD WAS ON. I HAD NOT TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT TURN OFF...IT ALSO WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO REDUCE MY SPEED. USING MY BRAKES, I SLOWED THE CAR, LEFT THE HIGHWAY AT EXIT 171, PULLED INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT, AND TURNED THE CAR OFF WITH THE IGNITION KEY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN GEAR. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK POSITION. WHEN I HAD CALMED DOWN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NO LONGER ON AND DROVE TO MY DESTINATION. I FOUND THIS SITUATION TO BE BOTH FRIGHTENING AND ANNOYING.
Showing 14 of 14 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Chrysler Prowler
These pages show model-year patterns across 2 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Chrysler Prowler, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Chrysler Prowler has 14 complaints on record across 2 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Chrysler Prowler has 0 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 1 of the Chrysler Prowler's 14 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Good) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Chrysler Prowler vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Chrysler Prowler vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Chrysler Prowler has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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How does the Chrysler Prowler stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Chrysler Prowler by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Chrysler Prowler.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Chrysler Prowler reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Chrysler Prowler reliable?
Good. The Chrysler Prowler has 14 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is SUSPENSION. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Chrysler Prowler years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2002 (13 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Chrysler Prowler problems?
Top reported issues: SUSPENSION (3 complaints); LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES (2 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2 complaints).
Does the Chrysler Prowler have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the Chrysler Prowler. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.