2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ENGINE BEARING FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND THE BEARINGS RUB AGAINST EACH OTHER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON IN ALL THE VEHICLES OF THAT SAME MODEL. THE VIN AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 113,400.

I BOUGHT A USED 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH A 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINE FROM AN INDEPENDENT CAR LOT AROUND MAY 2006. THE CAR WAS VERY CLEAN AND HAD THE ORIGINAL MANUALS IN THE GLOVEBOX BUT NO SERVICE RECORDS FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER (THERE WAS ONLY ONE OWNER ACCORDING TO CARFAX). THE CAR HAD 99K MILES ON IT AND RAN WELL WHEN I TEST DROVE IT. I MOVED TO TN AND DID ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR - AN ALIGNMENT, NEW TIRES, AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES WITH SYNTHETIC OIL AT JIFFY LUBE. THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE RATTLING NOISES WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, WHEN ACCELERATING AND WHEN GOING UP HILLS IN EARLY JULY 2007. THE SOUND GOT WORSE AS TIME PROGRESSED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE AUTO CENTER IN MID-JULY 2007. THE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T FIX THE ENGINE AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE IT. I HAD ONLY PUT 11K MILES ON IT SINCE I OWNED IT AND I WAS STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR. I ASKED THEM HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE PUT IN. THEY LOOKED UP THE PRICE FOR A REBUILT ENGINE AND WITH LABOR AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $7200. THEN THE MECHANIC TOLD ME PRIVATELY THAT HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS WORTH IT TO FIX THE CAR. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE ENGINE COULD FAIL AT ANY MINUTE AND POSSIBLY LEAVE ME STRANDED OR IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I LOOKED UP THE VALUE OF THE CAR - IT WAS ONLY WORTH $6000 (I STILL OWED ABOUT $6500 IN PAYMENTS). I THEN WENT ONTO ONLINE CAR FORUMS TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS ENGINE TO SEE WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE. THERE I FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE FAILING AND THAT SOME WHO HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE HAD THE SECOND ENGINE EVENTUALLY FAIL ALSO. SO I WENT SHOPPING FOR A NEW CAR USING THE SEBRING AS A TRADE-IN. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE ENGINE (THE REST OF THE CAR WAS IN GREAT CONDITION). I GOT $1000 FOR THE TRADE AND BASICALLY LOST $5000 BECAUSE OF THE BAD ENGINE. I WORK IN A HELPING PROFESSION SO THIS LOSS WAS A CONSIDERABLE SET-BACK FOR ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE GARAGE AND THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE TIMING CHAIN AND HOUSING. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 53,813.

WE OWN A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING THAT HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED BY US FOR THE TWO YEARS THAT WE OWNED IT. WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING BACK TO SCHOOL THE ENGINE SEIZED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY, LEAVING HER STRANDED. WE WERE TOLD THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT UNCOMMON IN ENGINE 2.7L). SO WE FOLLOWED THROUGH BY CONTACTING ISG. (CHRYSLER) WERE ONLY OFFERING US A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, SO WE ARE OUT A LOT OF MONEY, BESIDES THE FACT THAT THEY DRUGGED THEIR FEET IN THIS MATTER ,AND OUR DAUGHTER HAS BEEN WITHOUT A CAR SINCE 3/28. I JUST BELIEVE THAT THEREWAS A DEFINITE ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE , FROM WHAT ALL I SAW. AND CHRYSLER NEEDED TO TAKE A LITTLE MORE RESPONSIBILITY! WE WILL BE HAVING A JASPER ENGINE INSTALLED SHORTLY.*AK

2001 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE - OIL LAMP APPEARS ON DASHBOARD, CAR STALLS, TOWED BY AAA, INFORMED I NEED NEW ENGINE. ONLINE HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH OIL SLUDGE/NEW ENGINES NEEDED, NHTSA RECALL I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT, I PURCHASED ADDITIONAL WARRANTY IN MAY 2001 (6 YEARS TOTAL) WHICH RAN OUT 2 WEEKS AGO HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN FOR HELP. I'M CURRENTLY COLLECTING SERVICE RECORDS (MY OIL CHANGES ARE UP TO DATE) - HOW CAN I HAVE A VOICE WITH CHRYSLER IN THIS MATTER?

THE PAINT ALL OVER MY CAR IS FADING AND CRACKED AND IT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. I HAVE SAW OTHER CARS EXACTLY LIKE MINE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO CAUSE THE PAINT TO DO THIS AND I BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH TOP COAT THE MANUFACTURE PUT ON. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPE LXI. THE DASHBOARD ON THIS VEHICLE IS CRACKING AND BUSTING UP IN MULTIPLE PLACES. I HAVE ALWAYS USED A WINDOW COVER, AND KEPT IT CONDITIONED WITH PRODUCTS THAT SPECIFICALLY INDICATE THAT THEY WILL NOT CAUSE DRYING OR CRACKING. THE DASHBOARD HAS NO OTHER SIGNS OF DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE SUN. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE CHRYSLER / DODGE PRODUCTS. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH THEIR IS CLEARLY A HUGE PROBLEM. PLEASE REFER TO THIS LINK HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/NEWS/OPINION/TP9NB9FAIDRD6V3RG CLEARLY WE EXPECT THIS SORT OF PROBLEM IN VEHICLES APPROACHING TEN YEARS OR MORE, BUT I HARDLY THINK LESS THAN A FIVE YEAR DURABILITY EXPECTANCY IN A DASHBOARD IS REASONABLE. ADDITIONALLY, ONCE THE INTEGRITY OF THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN COMPROMISED IT BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO EXPOSED WIRING AND INSULATION. *AK

HEARD SOMETHING RIP OR BREAK INSIDE STEERING WHEEL WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, FOLLOWED BY THE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNING ON. NO PROBLEMS WITH STEERING, BUT FEAR A COSTLY REPAIR FOR THE AIR BAG AND OR CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM. HAD TO REPLACE HUB BEARINGS 3 TIMES. *AK

NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE - ENGINE FAILURE - COOLANT IN ENGINE - 2.7 LITER ENGINE CHRYSLER SEBRING 2001 CHRYLSER WANTS $7000 TO FIX. THEY KNOW THESE ARE BAD ENGINES AND THEY ARE ALLOWED TO SELL THEM . *AK

THE AIRBAGS IN 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING DID NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONT IMPACT CRASH**CC THE CONSUMER SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO THE MANUFACTURER, HOWEVER IT WAS DENIED. THE MANUFACTURERS CLAIMED, THE IMPACT DIDN'T SIGNIFICANTLY INVOLVE THE FRAME AND IT DID NOT CREATE THE LONGITUDINAL (FRONT TO BACK) NECESSARY TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. THE CONCLUSION WAS SUPPORTED BY THE READINGS FROM THE ONBOARD COMPUTER THAT DISCLOSED NO CODES-INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. *JB