2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

I HAVE A 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING. FOR 1 YEAR BEGINNING IN OCTOBER 2006, I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT WOULD COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. I WAS UNABLE TO BRING IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS OVER THE WARRANTY MILEAGE. I HAVE HAD STALLING PROBLEMS, WHEN I WOULD APPLY THE BRAKES THE CRA WOULD EITHER STALL OR JERK FORWARD. ON JULY 26, 2008, I HAD TO HAVE THE TIE RODS REPLACED. SINCE I HAD THE VEHICLE I ALSO HAD TO HAVE A BEARING REPLACED. I DO A LOT OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, BUT, HAVE HAD VEHICLES IN THE PAST THAT NEVER HAD THESE PROBLEMS. WHEN I HAD THE TIE RODS REPLACED (AT STS), THEY ALSO CHECKED ON THE STALLING. THE ONLY THING THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND WAS "DIRTY THROTTLE PLATES" WHICH DID NOT FIX THE SITUATION. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON MY VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE COMMON WITH MY MODEL, YEAR, AND VIN NUMBER. THIS IS ONE REFERENCE I USED: HTTP://WWW.LEMONLAWCLAIMS.COM/2004_CHRYSLER_SEBRING_AND_ENGINE%20FAILURE.HTM. *TR

VEHICLE HAS DIED FOR NO REASON ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THEN RECENTLY STARTED KNOCKING. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUINED WITH SLUDGE. IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAVE DONE A FEW OF THE OIL CHANGES OURSELVES, AND HAD SOME DONE AT AUTO SERVICES OTHER THAN CHRYSLER SO THEY DO NOT WISH TO WARRANTY THE ENGINE. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM I DISCOVERED AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND CHRYSLER IS TRYING NOT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY BY CLAIMING THE OIL WAS NOT CHANGED CORRECTLY BY THE OWNER, AND OR, THE SERVICE COMPANIES OTHER THAN CHRYSLER. I CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE PAYING FOR A CAR THAT DOES NOT RUN, AND I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE FOR A CAR THAT IS A 2004 MODEL, OR ANY YEAR MODEL FOR THAT MATTER. A $20,000 VEHICLE SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 4 OR 5 YEARS. 20,000. *TR

UPPER REAR STRUT MOUNTS FOR 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEVERE CORROSION CAUSING MOUNTS TO FAIL. IF NOT CAUGHT IN TIME STRUT ASSEMBLY COULD WEAR THROUGH INSIDE SIDE-WALL OF TIRE AND CAUSE BLOWOUT, POSSIBLY WRECK. REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND STARTED TO HEAR A KNOCKING IN THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I STOPPED AT A MUFFLER/SHOCK DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE A BROKEN UPPER STRUT PLATE AND BEARINGS ON THE RIGHT REAR, BECAUSE THESE PARTS HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY 4-YEARS OLD. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE LEFT REAR OF MY VEHICLE, BUT THE SHOP COULD NOT LOCATE ANY REPAIR PARTS. THERE ARE SO MANY OF THESE PARTS BREAKING THE DEALERS CAN'T KEEP THE PARTS ON HAND. I WAS TOLD BY CHRYSLER CORP AND OTHER PARTS DEALERS; THAT THERE ARE OVER 9,000 OF THESE STRUT-PLATES ON BACK ORDER. THIS MAKES DRIVING THE CAR UNSAFE, AND WITH THESE MANY BREAKDOWNS THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL TO REIMBURSE OWNERS FOR THIS EXPENSE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR LOCK IS INOPERATIVE, PREVENTING HIM FROM OPENING THE DOOR FROM INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER. THE CONTACT HAS TO WAIT 6-8 WEEKS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 38,000.

I HAD OWNED THE CAR LESS THAN 4 YEARS WHEN THE REAR STRUT MOUNT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE FROM CORROSION AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO HAVE THE REAR MOUNTS AND STRUTS REPLACED. I EMAILED CHRYSLER AND THEY RESPONDED THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY FOR THOSE PARTS THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. *TR

IN MAY OF 2008, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH HER PURSE ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND LOOKED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT HER PURSE WAS BURNING ALONG WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT. SHE PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE BOTTOM OF HER PURSE WAS CHARRED AND THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD A BURN WHOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE SEAT WARMER. THE SEAT WARMER HAS A RANGE OF 1-5 WITH 1 BEING THE LOWEST. THE WARMER WAS ON 3. I HAD BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY WITH THE COMPLAINT OF THE SEAT WARMERS OVERHEATING. I HAD FELT A BURNING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND WAS CONVINCED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SEAT WARMER. ADDITIONALLY MY WIFE HAD MENTIONED THAT SHE FELT SIMILAR OVERHEATING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. EACH TIME I BROUGHT IT IN TO CHRYSLER, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I HAD ASKED THEM TO SEARCH FOR RECALLS AS WELL AS TSB'S. I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NONE. THERE WAS IN FACT A TSB ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM BEFORE I HAD BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO BE EXAMINED. IT SEEMS THAT THIS WAS EITHER IGNORED OR OVERLOOKED ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS. WE KEPT THE CONTROL AT 3 OR BELOW AND THIS SEEMED TO HELP FOR A BIT, HOWEVER IT STILL GOT TOO HOT ON MANY OCCASIONS AND WE HAD TO TURN THEM OFF. I HAVE DISCOVERED RECENTLY THAT THE CHRYSLER JEEP FOR 2004 WAS RECALLED FOR EXACTLY THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD. NOW THE MERCEDES (DAMLIERCHRYSLER) IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AS WELL. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 7/2/2008 HOPING THAT THEY WOULD HELP RESOLVE THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT A MANAGER WAS PUTTING A CALL INTO CHRYSLER TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE. I CALLED LATTER IN THE DAY FOR STATUS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MANAGER WAS AT THE DENTIST. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, I WAS TOLD THAT HE NEVER RETURNED FORM THE DENTIST. I AM NOW (7/9/08) BEING TOLD THAT THE CHRYSLER FACTORY REP IS ON VACATION AND WILL NOT BE BACK UNTIL 7/14/08.

2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING REAR UPPER STRUT MOUNTS BROKEN FROM CORROSION. REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. BACK ORDERED BY THE THOUSANDS. *TR

INCIDENT: OUTER, OR UPPER PLATES FOR STRUT ASSEMBLY DETERIORATED; VEHICLE DEEMED UNSAFE TO OPERATE; PARTS ON NATIONWIDE BACKORDER; APPROX. 3,000 VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS. *TR

THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF AT RANDOM. CHRYSLER HAS REPLACED THE SEATBELT TENSIONER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS NOW RECURRING AND THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELT TENSIONERS TO TURN OFF THE LIGHT. I BELIEVE, FROM ONLINE QUERIES, THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR MODEL SERIES. THE CONDITION IS CLEARLY UNSAFE. *TR