2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

ON TURNING INTO A MAIN STREET IN OUR TOWN FROM A DRIVEWAY, THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ON MY CAR PULLED APART, RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. DUE TO THE LOW SPEED INVOLVED, I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE CAR TO THE CURB WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I-89 EARLIER, AND HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED THEN, COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL, AND THE POSSIBLE DEATH OR INJURY TO MY WIFE AND I WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO VERMONT TIRE, HERE IN SOUTH BURLINGTON, WHERE THE TIE ROD ENDS (401-1704 & 401-1737) WERE REPLACED AND THE FRONT END WAS RE-ALIGNED. I HAVE THE OLD PARTS FOR INSPECTION, IF DESIRED. TOTAL MILEAGE ON THE CAR WAS 62285. NOTE, THE TIE ROD ENDS NORMALLY THREAD TOGETHER. IN THIS CASE CORROSION ALLOWED THESE PARTS TO PULL APART COMPLETELY. EXCEPT FOR ABOUT A HALF INCH AT THE VERY TOP OF THE THREADED END OF THE ROD, THE ROD COULD BE INSERTED AND WITHDRAWN WITH LITTLE OR NO RESISTANCE, AND THIS IS HOW THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO WARNING IN THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE CAR TO INDICATE THE FAILURE WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. *JB

PURCHASED A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING NEW WITH 101 MILES IN AUG 2001. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 42,000 MILES AND THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THE CHRYSLER'S 2.7L ENGINE HAS MANY INTERNET DOCUMENTS SHOWING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. NOT COVERED BY CHRYSLER OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. WAS DRIVING VEHICLE 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY AT 8:00 AM WHEN THE CAR JUST DIED. FORTUNATELY (ALTHOUGH RUSH HOUR) NO ONE WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE VEHICLE. CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS CHRYSLER WANTS $6,000 TO FIX THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH $8,800. CAR IS STILL SITTING AT DEALERSHIP. CHRYSLER HAS NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO THIS ENGINE SO EVEN IF REPAIRS ARE MADE THIS PROBLEM WILL KEEP OCCURRING. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A PUDDLE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE COOLER HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V011002, REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 8/14/2006 - THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE WORN. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SMOKE. THE TRANSMISSION HOSE AND THE SOLENOID PACK WERE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V011002, REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION LINES. THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM

IN JUNE OF 2005, MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE ENGINE START MAKING THIS LOUD NOISE LIKE A ROD WAS GOING TO GO. I TURNED IT OFF HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID I HAD SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. WHEN I ASKED FOR THE SERVICE MANAGER TO EXPLAIN SLUDGE TO ME ABOUT ME NOT CHANGING MY OIL AND NOT PROPERLY HAVING THE CAR SERVICED. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE, WHERE IT HAS BEEN SITTING. ON FEBRUARY 6TH I WENT TO MY ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND HE SENT CHRYSLER A LETTER(CERTIFIED) THAT I WANT THEM TO FIX MY CAR AND/OR WE WILL BE FILING A CLASS ACTION CASE IN THE FRANKLIN COUNTY OF OHIO COURTS AGAINST THEM. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER PERSONALLY AND THEY ALL BUT SAID I CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AFTER HAVING TALKED WITH SOME MECHANICS AND LOOKING AT THE INTER-NET I NOW KNOW THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE.*JB

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE ON MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING MY ONLY SOLUTION IS TO LET THE CAR SIT FOR THE TWO YEARS I OWE ON IT BECAUSE THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE IT IS APPARENTLY A DESIGN FLAW. *NM

MY WIFE WAS IN A FRONTAL CRASH WITH ENOUGH IMPACT TO NEARLY PUSH THE ENGINE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT OR DESIGN. I DO HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES THAT SHOW THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. *JB

WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING THE TOP, OFTEN TIMES THE SIDES OF THE TOP FOLD UNDERNEATH THE REAR WINDOW. THIS CAUSES A CREASE WHICH MAKES IT MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN. WHEN FOLDED UNDER THE TOP OFTEN LEAKS IN THE RAIN. WHEN MANUALLY PULLED OUT INTO IT'S RIGHTFUL PLACE, THE PORTION OF THE TOP PULLED OUT BECOMES RUFFLED AND UNSIGHTLY. DAMAGES WERE CAUSED TO THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. ON ONE SIDE, THE WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRONIC DEFROSTER WAS BROKEN OFF. ALSO, THE TOP HAS TORN LOOSE FROM THE BOTTOM WINDOW OVER HALFWAY ACROSS THE WINDOW. THE TOP HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAS NOW RECURRED.*AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. MY CAR STALED, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE HOME. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ROD BEARING HAD GONE OUT AND THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF TALKING TO CHRYSLER THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ONE OF THEIR DEALERSHIPS SO THEY CAN LOOK AT IT AT MY COST. THE CAR HAD 82,121 MILES ON IT SO THERE WAS NO WARRANTY. CHRYSLER GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME 200 TO 400 $ JUST TO LOOK AT IT. I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY THING BECAUSE OF EXCESS SLUDGE IN THE MOTOR. NEED LESS TO SAY I WENT TO A DIFFERENT COMPANY TO PUT IN A REMANUFACTURE MOTOR. THESE 2.7 LITER APPARENTLY HAS A LOT A DEFECTS. *AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. MY CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE HOME. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ROD BEARING HAD GONE OUT AND THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF TALKING TO CHRYSLER THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ONE OF THEIR DEALERSHIPS SO THEY CAN LOOK AT IT AT MY COST. THE CAR HAD 82,121 MILES ON IT SO THERE WAS NO WARRANTY. CHRYSLER GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME 200 TO 400 $ JUST TO LOOK AT IT. I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY THING BECAUSE OF EXCESS SLUDGE IN THE MOTOR. NEED LESS TO SAY I WENT TO A DIFFERENT COMPANY TO PUT IN A REMANUFACTURE MOTOR. THESE 2.7 LITER APPARENTLY HAS A LOT A DEFECTS. *AK