2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE WE WERE LEAVING A FRIENDS HOUSE HEADED HOME I WAS AT A STOP SIGN MAKING A RIGHT TURN WHEN I STARTED TO SMELL RUBBER BURNING BUT ASSUMED IT WAS THE CAR AHEAD OF ME I STARTED TO PICK UP SPEED I WAS IN A 35MPH ZONE WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD BOOM I PULLED OVER AT A LOCAL PARK. I LOOKED TO SEE MY DRIVER SIDE BACK TIRE WAS FACING INWARD AND WOULD NOT STAND STRAIGHT I CALL MY FATHER INLAW WHO IS A MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE NOW BECAUSE IT IS SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A SECOND TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINT AND THE CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09F056000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. UPDATED 3/24/15*CN

THE FOLLOWING RECALL IS FOR YEAR 2007 MODELS. MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEDAN ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) UNIT/MODULE IS BROKEN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I THINK THE RECALL 06V493000 SHOULD APPLY TO OLDER MODELS AS WELL. ............................................................................................................................................................ FOLLOWING IS REFERENCE ONLY::: ............................................................................................................................................................ NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V493000 COMPONENT(S): SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................ SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE MAY CAUSE THE REAR BRAKES TO LOCK UP DURING CERTAIN BRAKING CONDITIONS. CONSEQUENCE: THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403. NOTES: DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECALL NO. F50. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV. *TR

JUST TURNING OFF THE MAIN BUSY ROAD FROM DRIVING 40-45MPH AND ONTO A SMALL RESIDENTIAL NARROW STREET DOING 25MPH I SUDDENLY HEARD VERY LOUD CLUNKING NOISES SI I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND GOT OUT AND NOTICED THAT MY REAR DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WAS SLANTING INWARD. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THAT MY REAR UPPER BALL JOINT HAD BUSTED . WAS TOLD BY THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT IF IT WOULD OF HAPPENED A FEW SECONDS EARLIER WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON THE MAIN ROAD, THAT I WOULD OF HAD A SERIOUS CRASH. DUE TO MY TIRE BUCKLING IN FROM THE BALL JOINT BREAKING IN HALF. THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION ON THE CAR NEEDS REPAIRED. FRONT AND BACK. ALL BUSHINGS, BALL JOINTS ARE TOTALLY WORN DOWN TO ALMOST NOTHING. SHOCKS/STRUTS ALL NO GOOD. *JS

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MADE A BIT OF A CRUNCHING SOUND. LIGHT STAYED ON; SOUND HAPPENED WHENEVER STEERTING WHEEL TURNED. CALLED MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS THE AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY. FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED THE NEED FOR A REPLACEMENT CLOCK SPRING FOR THE AIR BAG WHICH IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR BUT THE CAR WAS DEEMED TOO UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT IS. SOME TIME BACK, I WAS HEARING A SQUEAKING WHILE TURNING THE WHEELS VERY SLOWLY AND THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE ISSUE, BUT NOTHING APPEARED TO BE A PROBLEM THERE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRES IN THE INTERIOR FUSE BOX MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WHILE OUT OF STATE ON A SUMMER TRIP IN JULY 2010 WHEN THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. IT HAS STAYED THAT WAY FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS. SHORTLY AFTER I RETURNED FROM THIS TRIP I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP (07-29-2010) WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2001. I WAS TOLD (1) THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND (2) TO FIX IT WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO SELDOM USED PARTS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED AND WHICH TOGETHER WOULD COST ME AROUND $800. I DECLINED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AS (1) IT IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND (2) I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT I CERTAINLY DID NOT CAUSE, THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS, AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY CHRYSLER AT NO CHARGE TO ME. I CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN THIS WEEK AND WAS TOLD THERE STILL IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD JUST UNDER 70,000 MILES WHEN THE PROBLEM APPEARED AND IT CURRENTLY HAS JUST UNDER 97,000 MILES. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR NEARLY 30,000 MILES WITHOUT AIR BAG PROTECTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SHE NOTICED AN ABNORMAL RUBBER SMELL AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WAS RESTARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT ADDED FREON TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE BUT CONTINUED LEAKING FREON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO INDICATED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000. *TR

MY CAR STARTED MAKING THIS INCREDIBLE SQUEAKING SOUND EVERY TIME I TURNED BY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE SQUEAKING STARTED IN MID-JANUARY OF THIS YEAR (2014) I HAVE HAD MY CAR CHECKED BY 2 PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD BY BOTH THAT MY BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANICS ALSO ADVISED THAT MY CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL CONCERNING BALL JOINTS ISSUED ON MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE. THE RECALL WAS ISSUED ON OCTOBER 9, 2009 UNDER RECALL #68353. AT THE TIME THE RECALL WAS ISSUED MY CAR WAS NOT 10 YEARS OLD. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE (BASED ON MY VIN #) WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE LINE AND AGAIN WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN # WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN I ASKED WHY SOME VIN #'S WERE INCLUDED AND SOME WERE NOT, I WAS TOLD THAT DIFFERENT BALL JOINTS WERE PROBABLY PUT ON MY CAR AND THAT THOSE BALL JOINTS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I THEN ASKED WHY THEY PUT DIFFERENT TYPE PARTS ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR OF CAR AND COULD NOT GET AN ANSWER. THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHAT TYPE OF BALL JOINTS WERE PUT ON MY CAR. OBVIOUSLY, THE DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS ARE THE ONES THAT WERE PUT ON MY CAR. I ALSO WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE THAT MY CAR WAS MANFACTURED ON AUGUST 11, 2000. AFTER DOING THE MATH, IT SEEMS THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON OCTOBER 9, 2009. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY SOME CARS ARE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND SOME ARE NOT. PLEASE CONSIDER HAVING MY VIN # ADDED TO THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED OCTOBER 9, 2009. I AM CERTAIN MY VEHICLE SHOULD FALL UNDER THOSE GUIDELINES. I HAVE NO OTHER RECOURSE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD BEEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. A FIRE DID NOT ERUPT. ONE WEEK LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V011002 (POWER TRAIN) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. *TR