# 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
> **FATAL** · NHTSA complaint `623962` · 2007-05-13 · Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 1
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHRYSLER
- **Model:** PT CRUISER
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
- **Miles at failure:** 52,437
- **Speed:** 50 mph
## Narrative
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*