Crusin' through life: June 2006

First Mods

One of the cool things about owning a PT Cruiser is making it your own by customizing it. Fortunately there are several sources of custom performance and appearance aftermarket parts for the PT Cruiser.

But before you start adding the bling, I would recommend a few 'starter' mods. Some to improve safety, and some that should have been included at the factory.

Tools needed include your basic set of screw drivers and wrenches, and a hand held electric drill. A pry bar tool to remove the plastic rivets that hold on trim will be needed for the air cabin filter and horn mods. This tool looks like a two-pronged fork and can be found at most auto supply stores.

SilverStar Bulbs
The headlights are adequate, but for a brighter, whiter headlight change the stock bulbs with Sylvania SilverStar bulbs.

Here are the SilverStar part numbers for the PT Cruiser:

9006XSST - low beam headlight
9005XSST - High beam headlight
9006 ST - Angled connector for fog lights.

Replacement is fairly simple if you've got a skinny hand. The bulbs are accessible through a plastic door in the wheel well, just ahead of the tires.

Anytime you replace these types of headlight bulbs it's a good idea to wear plastic gloves. They will protect the bulb from touching your skin, and oil from your skin will reduce the life of the bulbs. These gloves are available in bulk at most auto supply stores.

This mod is the most costly of the first mods I recommend. Each pair of bulbs currently runs about $30-$40, so if you have fog lights the total can run over $100.00.

Add a High Tone Horn
From 2003 on, PT Cruisers have been sold with only the low tone horn, instead of the standard low tone/high tone combination. This brilliant marketing plan has probably saved Chrysler a few thousand dollars, but at the expense of safety.

This mod should never have been necessary, but is one every 2003 and newer PT Cruiser owner should do. See my July 16th post for complete instructions.

This mod is "do-able" by just about anyone handy with tools and only costs the price of the high tone horn and a bit of wire: about $20.00 total.

Cabin Air Filter
This mod only affects domestic US Cruisers. PT Cruisers in the export market already have the cabin air filter in place.

The US version of the PT Cruiser vents outside air directly into the inside of the car without any filtration. Admittedly, this mod is not in the "must have" category. Unless you're an allergy sufferer cruising around just about any kind of plant life. I've read a few first hand account of how well the cabin air filter works at removing pollen from the air.

Fortunately, this is a fairly simple mod to do and the filter currently costs only about $16.00.

Rear Mud Flaps
I can hear you from way over here:
"Mud flaps?!!! How old IS this guy?".

But take my word for it; if you want to keep your lower quarter panels paint chip-free a set of mud flaps is essential. Even if you don't plan on driving down any gravel or dirt roads you will almost certainly find yourself on a freshly re-tarred road with a nice thick layer of loose gravel, or a pot hole newly filled with a shovel full of hot road tar.

Mud flaps can even be fairly unobtrusive. You won't need a huge slab of rubber hanging from the back of your wheel well. Simply buy a plain black pair designed for passenger cars and mount them so the bottom edges are about 3"-4" below the bottom of the rear quarter panel.

Total cost: about $10.00.

So there you have it. One weekend's worth of work plus approximately $130.00 and you'll be ready to jump into those fuzzy dice and that chrome washer nozzles you've had your eye on.

Can You Hear Me Now?

How to add a high-tone horn to the PT Cruiser

Incredible as it may sound, Chrysler decided to remove one of the two horns most cars come with on 2003 and newer PT Cruisers. Push the horn on these cars and you'll hear an anemic "neeeeee" sound that will barely get heard above the road noise of most SUV tires.

Here's how to add the high-tone horn to these cars:

Parts and Tools Needed

Photo 1 the parts you will need, which include an aftermarket hi tone horn (about $15 to $20), about 12 inches of stranded 10 or 12 gauge wire, and a sheet metal bolt. The mounting bracket and wire connections were included with the horn itself. You usually have a choice between a 125 db horn and a 132 db horn. Since you're going to all the trouble of adding an aftermarket horn, spend the extra $5 and get the louder horn. If there is a choice between a single wire and two wire horn, get the two wire horn.

The tools you'll need include a socket set, wire cutters, wire stripper, and a crimping tool or vise grip pliers. A drill and a 3/8" drill bit may be required to drill a new hole in the mounting bracket supplied with the horn. A pop rivet pry bar tool is also handy for removing the inner fender splash guard.

Step 1 - Remove the Right Front Wheel

The horn is located just behind the fog lights, and is accessed from inside the right front wheel well. Jack up the car and remove the wheel.

Step 2 - Remove the plastic inner fender splash guard

Photo 2 shows the locations of the three sheet metal screws and plastic pop rivets holding the front half of the plastic splash guard in place. You'll only need to remove the front half of the splash guard. It's a light weight and flexible plastic that can be folded out of the way and held in place behind the disc brake calipers. The three plastic pop rivets can be removed with the pry bar tool, or by placing your fingers behind the splash guard next to the rivets and gently pulling.

Photo 2a shows the existing horn and fog light assembly. The two things to note are the pre-drilled holes for mounting the new horn, and the small space available to add one. The 2003 models are supposed to have the horn mounting bracket and wiring still in place, so your Cruiser may look slightly different than this.

Step 3 - Splice in the new wires

Photo 3 shows the new wires (red and black) spliced onto the existing horn wires. I removed the existing horn to allow more room to work. After the wires are spliced and taped, attach them to the new horn.

Step 4 - Bolt on the New Horn

This is where the lack of extra space rears its ugly head. My first attempt to bolt on the hi tone horn (photo 4a) looked like I had left plenty of clearance, but trying to replace the splash guard proved that looks can be deceiving. I removed the hi tone horn and drilled a new hole in the mounting bracket. Photo 4b shows the second attempt that allowed enough room for the splash guard.

Step 5 - Test it Out, Button it Up

Before putting it all back together again, make sure to test your new horn system. A quick push on the center of the steering wheel provides a very satisfying, I-won't-be-ignored-anymore HOOOONNNKKK!

All that's left to do is to fold back the plastic splash guard with the three sheet metal screws and three pop rivets, and remount the front tire.

There you have it. You've just completed the only mod that should never have been necessary, but the one that just might save your Cruiser from a trip to the body shop!

"Petey"

Here's an early (before mods) photo of my Cruiser