Towing Capacity of 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser

Question:

So I looked and my GVWR is 4425 my g a w AR for the front is 2400 lb in the rear is 2075 lb the vehicle capacity luggage is 115 and the total number of pounds with passengers would be 715 lb.. Ive been doing some research and I know you have to that this can vary depending on how many people are in the car how much cargo you have what kind of tires and how much the trailer tip ways has to be all configured. So Im getting different answers that vary and make a big difference when picking out a camper even a few couple of hundred pounds makes a big difference so please email me back. Thanks a lot.

asked by: Tammy J

Expert Reply:

You are correct that passenger and cargo weight inside a vehicle does reduce the trailer weight it can tow. A vehicle like your PT that is intended primarily to transport people may not have much trailer towing capacity if you have a full load of passengers and cargo.

I checked the online owner's manual for the 2005 PT Cruiser and the manual states (on page 242) the maximum trailer weight is 1000-lbs when the total weight of passengers, luggage and cargo is no more than 865-lbs. This is enough capacity for a small boat/trailer or a lightweight pop-up. To confirm your specific towing capacity you need to know the total passenger weight, total cargo weight and of course the details on the trailer itself, including its loaded tongue weight (TW) and loaded gross weight.

If your intent was to pull a tow dolly like the Roadmaster # RM-2000-1 which itself weighs 620-lbs without a vehicle loaded on it then you will need a different vehicle to tow it. If your intent was to pull a small boat trailer or pop-up that is within your PT's capacity then you will need basic towing items including a hitch # C11132, wiring harness # C55532, ball mount # C45520 and a hitch ball like 1-7/8-inch size # C40001.

expert reply by: Adam R

Adrienne S.

2/23/2020

If I put a tow bar on my 2003 pt cruiser how much weight can I pull

Chris R.

2/24/2020

For the towing capacity of your 2003 PT Cruiser you will need to check your copy of the owner's manual. I wasn't able to track this information down because Chrysler doesn't go this far back on their site for the posted manuals. You'll need to follow whichever capacity is lowest, the number posted in the manual or the 2,000 pound rating on the Curt # C11132 hitch.