2000 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEFECTIVE BENT RIMS CAUSED A TOTAL OF THREE TIRE BLOWOUTS BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER 2001 AND JANUARY 2002. *YD

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A TWO LANE DAMP ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. THE TAIL END OF THE CAR STARTED TO FISHTAIL, AND I WENT OFF THE ROAD, THROUGH SOME BUSHES, AND HEAD-ON INTO AN OAK TREE. NEITHER AIR-BAD DEPLOYED. I WOULD GUESS THAT I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40-30MPH AT THE POINT OF IMPACT. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT, AND ONLY SUFFERED BRUISED KNEES, AND SORE STIFF NECK.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED UP. RPMS WERE RACING UP TO 6000. TOOK TO DEALER, HAD BRAKE REPAIRED. PROBLEM STILL NOT REMEDY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

LEFT FRONT OUTBOARD BRAKE PAD APPARENTLY SEPATATED FROM THE BACKING PLATE WHILE STOPPING IN A PARKING LOT. THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING NOISES. WHEN COMPLETING A STOP, I FELT A PULSE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR AND STARTED HOME THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING VERY BAD. ICONTINUED HOME SLOWLY AND THE NEXT MORNING PULLED THE WHEELS AND BRAKES IN THE GARAGE. THE LEFT OUTBOARD BACKING PLATE HAD NO BRAKING MATERIAL AT ALL. THERE WAS NO RESIDUAL AS IS USUALLY PRESENT ON A WORN OUT PAD, JUST THE RIVETS AND BACKING PLATE. THE PADS HAVE WEAR INDICATORS THAT HADN,T GIVEN ANY WARNING SO I THINK IT WAS A SUDDEN FAILURE. EXCEPT FOR AN EARLY BRAKE JOB I HAD NO REAL DAMAGE(BRAKE WARRANTY IS 12 MONTHS12K). HOPEFULLY THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT BUT I AM NOTIFYING NTSB IN CASE ANY TRENDS DEVELOP. *AK

BOTH FRONT TIRES HAVE GONE COMPLETELY FLAT. TIRE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS DUE TO ALLOY RIMS CONTRACTING WITH THE LOW PROFILE TIRES. ONE WAS A NEWLY REPLACED TIRE, THE OTHER TIRE HAD 11,00 MILES ON IT. THE RIGHT WHEEL IS SLIGHTLY BENT, AND I AM TOLD THAT THIS CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND THIS COULD CAUSE AN INCOMPLETE SEAL AROUND THE BEAD/RIM. I AM CURRENTLY CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE EVERY TWO WEEKS, AND MOST RECENTLY HAD PRESSURE AS LOW AS 10 PSI ON REAR RIGHT, AND 15-25 ON ALL OTHERS. TIRE DEALER STATED THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO COMBINATION OF ALUMINUM RIMS AND LOW PROFILE TIRES. THIS APPEARS TO BE QUITE AN UNSAFE COMBINATION IF HE IS CORRECT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I NEED TO REINFLATE MY TIRES EVERY THREE WEEKS! THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/50R17)

BRAKE SYSTEM IS MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO BRAKE PEDAL. BRAKES HAVE NOT FAILED, AND STOPPING DISTANCE FOR VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THIS IS NORMAL CONDITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

AFTER BEING CUT OFF BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, MY VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL HEAD_ON AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 60 MPH, AND UPON IMPACT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED.*AK

THE SEAT BELT MALE PART DOES NOT ALWAYS STAY ATTACHED WHEN INSERTED INTO FEMALE END. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEREOUS OCCASIONS WHEN THE SEAT BELT JUST POPPED OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LAST AUGUST WHILE DRIVING TO FLORIDA THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT POPPED OUT AND I COULD NOT GET IT TO WORK FOR A WHOLE DAY. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN COLORADO SPRINGS (LITHIA COLORADO SPRINGS JEEP CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH, 719-475-1155) TOOK MY VEHICLE IN. THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO ACT UP SO THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I COMPLAINED TO THE MANAGER, CALLED THE CO ATTORNEY GENERAL, CHRYSLER HOME OFFICE AND NO ONE WOULD HELP, SAID THEY WOULD DO NOTHING. I'M STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY SEAT BELT ATTACHING PROPERLY. THE DEALER I LISTED, IS WHO WE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. THE DEALER WHO HAS DONE ALL THE REPAIRS AND CHECKING IS IN COLORADO SPRINGS, @ 1250 S NEVADA AVE. (719)475-1155. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU, SINCERELY, [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

WHILE BRAKING, A SQUEAKY NOISE COMES FROM LEFT REAR, DEALER CONTACTED, REPLACED REAR PARKING SHOES AND ROTORS, CONSUMER STILL HAVE A PROBLEM PARKING ON A HILL, WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE VERY HARD TO GET IT TO HOLD. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT CONVERTABLE TOP IS NOISY WHEN COMING UO TO CLOSE. *ET

ALL FOUR ALUMINUM WHEELS WERE CAUSING LOSS OF AIR, DUE TO DEOXIDIZING OF WHEELS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK *YD