2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATED APPROXIMATELY TWO SECONDS AFTER THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE; THEY FOUND SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 12/27/05. *JB

CONSUMER REPLACED REAR DEFROST ON CHRYSLER SEBRING ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *TS THE REAR DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. THE REAR VISION GLASS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CHRYSLER OFFERED THE CONSUMER A 50/50 SPLIT. ALSO THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW RATTLED, RED FLUID WAS FOUND IN THE CONSUMER'S DRIVEWAY DUE TO TRANSMISSION PAN AND COOLER LINE LEAKAGE, THE CONVERTIBLE WAS LEAKING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW AREA DUE TO WEATHER STRIP AND THERE WAS A SLOW LEAK IN THE R/R TIRE DUE TO A HOLE. *SC

CONSUMER HAD A LEAK IN ENGINE, DUE TO SLUDGE IN CHRYSLER SEBRING. *TS THE CONSUMER READ AN ARTICLE WHICH MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 797,000 QUESTIONABLE CHRYSLER ENGINE THAT COULD EXPERIENCE SLUDGE PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE CONSUMER WITH ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE SLUDGE WAS THE RESULT OF OIL MAINTENANCE NEGLECT. *NM

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING 2.7L MOTOR. 69000 MILES. MOTOR QUIT. DIAGNOSED AS BROKEN TIMING CHAIN, NEW MOTOR NEEDED $6,900. FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, MOTOR JUST STOPPED. I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. *JB

ABSOLUTELY NO SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLOWING 2 HEAD GASKETS. AT A PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE, I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT I HAD SOME SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE AND ASKED WOULD I LIKE TO PURCHASE AN ADDITIVE FOR IT? SINCE I HAD READ MY OWNER'S MANUAL WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, I KNEW THAT CHRYSLER DID NOT RECOMMEND ADDING ANYTHING TO THE ENGINE, SO I SAID NO. I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST A SALES PLOY BY THE OIL CHANGE OUTLET ANYWAY. AFTER HAVING JUST EXITED A FREEWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHTS COMING ON. AFTER THE CAR DIED, I OPENED THE HOOD AND HAD OIL EVERYWHERE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC OF 15 YEARS WHO TOLD ME THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN, THE WATER PUMP HAD GONE AND THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF MY ENGINE. HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT AND THINKS IT IS THE WORST DESIGNED ENGINE IMAGINABLE. THE WATER PUMP IS LOCATED INSIDE THE ENGINE. AFTER SPENDING $2600, THE TOP HALF OF MY ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE BOTTOM HALF STILL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $5300. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 12 HIGHWAY MILES, MY CAR CANNOT MAINTAIN OIL PRESSURE WHILE IDLING AND I HAVE TO KEEP THE IDLE UP MANUALLY SO I DON'T HARM THE WORK WE HAVE ALREADY DONE. WE REPLACED 24 LIFTERS, 2 HEAD GASKETS, THE WATER PUMP, 3 OIL SENDING UNITS AND VARIOUS MISCELLANEOUS PARTS. MY OTHER CAR HAS 300,000 MILES ON IT. I KNOW HOW TO MAINTAIN A CAR. I AM GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T LOSE POWER ON THE FREEWAY I HAD JUST EXITED. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY AND THE MEDIATION GROUP HANDLING THIS FOR CHRYSLER. I AM AWAITING PAPERWORK FROM THEM AT THE PRESENT TIME. *JB

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING HAS FAILED TWICE IN ITS LIFETIME (CURRENTLY ~65,000 MILES) - LUCKILY BOTH TIMES WERE DURING PARTS OF THE YEAR WHERE I DID NOT NEED HEADLIGHTS, BUT THIS TIME AROUND I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE SWITCH REPLACED. THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK. *NM

I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES AND HAD A PASSENGER IN THE CAR WITH ME. NOTHING DEPLOYED...BUT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THE NEXT DAY...WELL I TOOK IT TO DINOVOS AND THEY SAID THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT PRE TENSIONER WAS OPEN...CLEANED IT AND GREASED IT AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF...IF I WAS IN AN ACTUAL WRECK..WOULD I HAVE HAD AN AIRBAG..THAT IS THE QUESTION OF THE DAY.*JB

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING 2.7 LITER DOHC PERFORMED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON 9-11-05, DUE TO A LONG TRIP. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD AS FAR AS FLUID LEVELS, PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE, VEHICLE RAN FINE OIL WAS NOT BURNT OR LOW OIL CHANGE INTERVAL WAS ON SCHEDULE. ON 9-12-05 AT 9:30 A.M., AT INTERSTATE SPEED VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AS IT SHUT DOWN TEMP. GAUGE WENT TO THE MAX. MY WIFE AND SEVEN MONTH OLD CHILD WERE STUCK ON HIGHWAY OFF-RAMP. VERY HOT AND HUMID DAY ABOUT ONE-HUNDRED MILES FROM HOME. TOWED VEHICLE BACK TO HOME AREA. VEHICLE ACTED AS IF TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKE. UPON REMOVAL OF INTAKE AND VALVE COVER, TWELVE INTAKE VALVES ARE BENT AND STUCK OPEN DO TO THE TIMING CHAIN JUMPING OR WATER PUMP FAILURE. HAVE NOT INSPECTED ANY LOWER IN THE ENGINE YET. VEHICLE HAS 88,374 MILES ON IT. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. MADE CONTACT WITH CHRYSLER TO SEE IF THEIR WAS A POSSIBLE RECALL. CHRYSLER SAID THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY TIMING PROBLEMS WITH THIS ENGINE, BUT WERE VERY EVASIVE WHEN CHALLENGED WITH QUESTIONS. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.*JB

WHEN CAR BOUGHT SHARED DRIVER INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE LOOSE. TOOK BACK IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIR. MONTHS LATER POWER WINDOW BUTTONS ARE FALLING THROUGH SAME DOOR HANDLE, RENDERING WINDOW INOPERABLE. UPON ME TAKING IT APART TO SEE IF I COULD FIX, FOUND THE PLASTIC STEMS THAT INTERLOCK POWER WINDOW BUTTONS TO THE HANDLE, ARE DISENTAGRATING.THAT WHEN I TOOK IN FOR ABOVE MENTIONED WARRANTY WORK, ALL THAT WAS DONE, THEY GLUED HANDLED TO UPOLSTRY. THE REAR WINDOW DRIVER SIDE HAS NOW ALSO BEDOME INOPERABLE DUE TO SAME DISENTEGARATION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND/OR FIRE AND UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR TO ESCAPE ONE WOULD BECOME TRAPPED UNABLE TO LOWER A WINDOW TO GET OUT.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN IRREGULAR ENGINE SNAPPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A NAIL IN THE TIRE, BUT UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO NAIL IN THE TIRE. THE ENGINE FIRST STARTED WITH THE SNAPPING SOUND, THEN VIBRATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE NOISE HAS BEEN THE SAME SINCE IT STARTED. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER; THEY STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. *AK