2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE REPAIRS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A HOLE ON THE FRONT OF THE REAR WHEEL. IT WAS LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FENDER AND WAS 12 INCHES LONG AND 4 INCHES WIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE; THEREFORE, NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,500. UPDATED 03-09-09 *BF UPDATED 03/12/09. *JB

AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING FAILED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. CAR HAS 41,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO STATED THAT THE MOTOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY DETERMINED THAT A TEAR DOWN HAD TO BE DONE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS ENGINE SLUDGE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WOULD BE $7,800. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS ENGINE SLUDGE, NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

WITH RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE. THEN THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN AT AN IDLE. NOW, THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS WORN OUT DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WHEN OIL CHANGES ARE DONE AT CORRECT INTERVALS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE EXITING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HE WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE NEEDED AT THE COST OF $3,000. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DID NOT WANT TO RESTART THE ENGINE BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO MUCH OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE CAUSED BY A JUMP TIMING AND FAULTY PARTS. THERE WERE NO CRASHES, INJURIES, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE REPAIR SHOP, BUT NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. WHENEVER THE CONTACT LIFTS UP THE TRUNK, IT DOES NOT REMAIN OPEN AND THE TRUNK SLAMS BACK DOWN. THE CONTACT CANNOT LEAN INTO THE TRUNK BECAUSE IT WILL FALL DOWN ON HER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT BELIEVES THE REPAIRS SHOULD BE THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000. UPDATED 1/8/09 *CN UPDATED 01/14/09. *JB

PROBLEM # 1 - STARTED AS INTERMITTENT / NOW CONSTANT. SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY "WACKY". EARLIER IN NOV. 2008, EXHIBITED A PROBLEM THAT I FIRST SAW TWO WINTERS AGO. IN DEC 2006, HAD THE SAME SYMPTOM - SPEEDOMETER GOING WILD. IN THE REPAIR SHOP, THE REP REPLACED INNER & OUTER SPEED SENSORS BASED ON CODES HE SAW FROM COMPUTER. PROBLEM NOT SEEN SINCE 12/06 UNTIL RECENTLY. IN EARLY OCT 2008, ONLY ABOUT THREE BRIEF INSTANCES. NOW THE WACKY SPEEDOMETER IS FREQUENT / CONSTANT. GOING ALONG AT 55 MPH, SUDDENLY SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE FLIPS TO 10 MPH (PRESUMABLY THE CAR IS STILL REALLY TRAVELING ALONG AT 55 MPH). IN FRACTION OF A SECOND THE NEEDLE SWINGS BACK UP TO 60 MPH, THEN DOWN TO 20 MPH, THEN UP TO 70 MPH, THEN DOWN AGAIN TO 5 MPH... I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT A LOCAL GARAGE. GARAGE TECH REPLACED BOTH INNER & OUTER TRANSMISSION SENSORS ON 12/5/2008 -BASED ON COMPUTER CODES, AND RESET ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT. SINCE REPLACING BOTH SPEED SENSORS THE ?WILD SPEEDOMETER? PROBLEM STILL HAPPENS; SWING OF THE NEEDLE IS JUST A LITTLE LESS, ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON (CONSTANTLY) AFTER HAVING SPEEDOMETER SWING WILDLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. PROBLEM # 2 - POSSIBLY RELATED (OR NOT) - AT LOWER SPEEDS (5-30 MPH), THE CAR TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO RESPOND FINE (OTHER THAN THE WILD SPEEDOMETER ISSUE). I MEAN THAT IS THE CAR REGISTERS 1000-2000 RPM, SOUNDS LIKE ENGINE IS RUNNING WELL. CAR SEEMS TO DRIVE FINE AT HIGHER SPEEDS AFTER DRIVING FOR SOME TIME AT 50-60 MPH, THEN SLOWING TO EXIT (DOWN OR UP A RAMP) WHEN SPEED IS SLOWED TO AROUND 20 MPH, TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEAR (SMALL BUCK CAN BE FELT); THEN CAR SEEMS TO STAY IN LOW-GEAR. I CAN STILL DRIVE THE CAR BUT WHEN THE SPEED IS AROUND 30 MPH, THE RPM IS OVER 3000, CAN HEAR THE ENGINE STRAINING. I PULL OVER, TURN-OFF ENGINE, SIT A MINUTE, RESTART CAR, IT IS OK ONCE AGAIN TO DRIVE. IT CAN GO OVER 30 MPH OR HIGHER AND MAINTAIN AROUND 2000 RPM (UNTIL SPEED IS REDUCED TO 20 MPH (CYCLE CONTINUES). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN SPECULATED THAT THE OIL PUMP LOCKED UP, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT THE COST OF $4,700. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE, 2.7 LITER CHRYSLER NO WARNING LIGHTS LEADING UP TO INEVITABLE ENGINE FAILURE. 10/27/08, 6:30 P.M. HEATER ABRUPTLY STOPPED WORKING. 10/28, 2 MILES INTO A.M. COMMUTE; STOPPED AT RED LIGHT, TURNED RIGHT ONCE TRAFFIC CLEAR. UPON ACCELERATION ENGINE HESITATES, NEARLY CAUSING DRIVER BEHIND TO REAR END ME. PULLED OFF STREET TO CHECK THAT CAR WAS RUNNING OK, SEEMED FINE. 9 MILES INTO COMMUTE. OIL LIGHT FLICKERS, PULLED INTO GAS STATION WITHIN 4 BLOCKS, SCARED ENGINE WOULD LOCK UP OR BLOW. CHECKED OIL, DRY DIPSTICK! PURCHASED 2 QUARTS, ADDED 1 & BARELY REGISTERED ON DIPSTICK. ADDED 2ND, NOW REGISTERED OVER FILLED (OIL IN ENGINE WAS HELD BACK DUE TO SLUDGE, & RELEASED WHILE ADDING NEW OIL?). OIL LIGHT STOPS FLICKERING & IS OFF. 1 MORE MILE TO WORK. ENGINE HESITATED A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING A.M. & P.M. COMMUTES. 9:58 P.M., 11 MILES INTO P.M. COMMUTE STOP AT GAS STATION, CHECK OIL. BEFORE OPENING HOOD, NOTICED ANTIFREEZE ODOR, COULDN'T TELL IF COMING FROM MY CAR OR OTHERS NEARBY. OIL STILL REGISTERED ON DIPSTICK AS OVERFILLED. NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM ENGINE NEAR MID FRONT OF CAR, PASSENGER SIDE, COULD NOT FIND EXACT LOCATION. PURCHASED COOLANT JUST IN CASE. FINAL 2 MILES OF COMMUTE, TEMP GAUGE REGISTERED HIGHER THAN NORMAL. 10/29, 8:00 A.M. TAKE CAR TO DEALERSHIP. DRIP MARKS ON DRIVEWAY FROM EVENING BEFORE. ARRIVED AT DEALERSHIP SERVICE, INFORMED ME THEY WERE NO LONGER CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP/SERVICE AS OF OCT. 1, (SIGN OUTSIDE & CARS IN THE LOT HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN AWAY). DIAGNOSIS: REPLACE WATER PUMP, OIL, AC & POWER STEERING BELTS, OIL SENDING UNIT, TIMING CHAIN & GEARS, TENSIONERS & UPPER CONNECTORS. ESTIMATE: $1,548. 2ND OPINION: REPLACE WATER PUMP, VALVE COVER GASKET, THERMOSTAT, BELTS, & OIL FOR $1,371. ALSO SUGGESTED REPLACING TIMING CHAIN, TOTAL $2,500. HOWEVER, THE SHOP HAD 15-YEAR FORMER CHRYSLER SERVICE VETERAN ON STAFF WHO SUGGESTED I NOT MAKE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE ENGINE WILL SEIZE SOON, AND I'D BE WASTING MONEY. STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON CAR. *TR

A FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED IN THE CAR. AFTER THE REPAIR THE CAR RAN BAD AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. DEALER ADVISED IT WAS ONLY OIL SLUDGE AND IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. THE CAR EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. *TR