2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S REAR TIRES WERE LOSING AIR CONSTANTLY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING AND FOUND THAT THE CHROME WHEELS WERE CRUMBLING CAUSING AIR LEAKAGE. ALL OF THE CHROME WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *LA

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED AND IS NOW AT THE DEALERS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A SLUG BUILD UP ON THE ROD AND IN THE OIL PAN. THE VEHICLE HAD AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE, WHEN THE CAR WAS IN IDLE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT WARM, ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING IT WARMED UP. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AS WELL AS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ENGINE SEIZED. AS RESULT, VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC, AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. DEALER STATED THAT SLUDGE BUILT UP IN THE ENGINE. *AK

AT ABOUT 51,000 MILES MY CAR BEGAN MAKING LOUD SQUEAKING NOISES FROM THE FRONT END EVERY TIME YOU PASS OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT ALSO DEVELOPED MAJOR VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE CAR WAS SLOWING UP TO STOP. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHRYLSER DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE INNER TIE RODS WERE METAL TO METAL AND IT ALSO NEEDED NEW RACK AND PINION STEERING. THIS AMOUNTS TO NEARLY $1,000 EXPENSE ON A CAR JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN ONE YEAR FROM THE TIME THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SINCE THE STEERING CAN GO OUT. I HAD VERY LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING OF THIS PROBLEM AND AM NOT PREPARED TO INVEST THIS KIND OF MONEY IN ORDER TO HAVE A SAFE CAR FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. WE HAD PLANNED TO DRIVE THIS CAR ON VACATION IN THREE WEEKS. IF I HAD NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE, IT VERY WELL MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A FATAL CRASH WITH MY TWO SONS IN THE CAR. *AK

PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO SLUDGE.*MR WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN STOP RUNNING, THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SIDE, AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING TO THE LEFT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *NM

THE ENGINE ON MY CHRYSLER SEBRING (2.7) QUIT DUE TO EXCESS SLUDGE FROM A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME ANY COSTS. I HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY HAVE TO REPAIR 6 OR 7 CARS A YEAR DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT AT A COST OF NEARLY $2,500. IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD PERFORMED THE WORK IT WOULD HAVE COST NEARLY $7,000 AND THEY WOULD HAVE PUT A NEW, BUT THE SAME DEFECTIVE ENGINE IN MY CAR. A JASPER ENGINE EMPLOYEE DOCUMENTED THAT CHRYSLER HAS NEVER DONE THE UPDATES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROBLEM. *AK

OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY TYPE OF WARNING WHEN MY ENGINE FAILED AFTER ONLY 43,000 MILES. IT IS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEDAN. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT THESE ENGINES 2.7 LITER FOUND IN THE SEBRING AND INTREPID ARE PRONE TO SLUDGE AND PREMATURE FAILURE. MY WARRANTY WAS UP AT 36,000 MILES AND I AM GOING BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO GET SOME HELP WITH THESE REPAIRS CONSISTING OF $4988.45. A NEW ENGINE SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED IN A VEHICLE WITH 43,000 MILES. (AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE) I HAVE SPOKEN TO 5 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY ARE ALL AWARE OF THESE ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WAS STRANDED 150 MILES FROM HOME, IT WAS GRADUATION WK-END SO NO HOTEL ROOMS AND NO RENTAL CARS AVAILABLE. I WAS OUTSIDE OF KIRKSVILLE MO. AND HAD TO RIDE WITH A STRANGER TO GET TO SOMEWHERE THAT I COULD PHONE SINCE MY CELL PHONE WAS OUT OF RADUIS. *AK

OWNER WAS CHANGING TIRE AND CUT HAND ON RIM. OWNER FOUND CHROME PLATING PEELING AWAY FROM THE BACK OF ALL FOUR RIMS UPON FURTHER INSPECTION. PIECES ARE METAL CHARDS >2 INCHES WHICH ARE PEELING AWAY AROUND WELD OF SPOKE (BACKSIDE OF RIM). COULD CUT OR INJURE A PERSON OR CAUSE TIRES TO PUNCTURE IF METAL FRAGMENTS WERE TO BREAK OFF DURING TRAVEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER (LAFLAM CHRYSLER, RUNNEMEDE NJ) WHERE DEALER STATED THAT RIMS WERE "COSMETIC" AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEES. CHRYSLER SERVICE LINE WAS CONTACTED SAME DAY (FILE#129-7146). DEALERSHIP DENIED INQUIRY ABOUT RIMS AND THEN CLAIMED THAT THEY FELT IT WAS COSMETIC ALSO. OWNER FEELS THERE IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK AND IS VERY CONCERNED AT CHANGEING TIRES AND WHAT MAY HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER HAS STATED THAT THERE IS "NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT". THE OWNER HAS A CUT ON HIS FINGER TO PROVE THIS IS NOT COSMETIC.*AK

PURCHASED FOUR DUNLOP SP SPORT A2 TIRES FOR 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE, SIZE P205/60HR16, FROM TIRERACK. AFTER INSTALLATION, CAR HAD A SEVERE VIBRATION AND STEERING WOBBLE ABOVE 45 MPH. INSTALLER, HUB CAP HEAVEN IN CARY, NC, REINSTALLED FOUR TIMES IN ATTEMPT TO BRING ALL TIRES INTO ADJUSTMENT WITH REGARD TO ROAD FORCE, INCLUDING ONE TIRE BEING REPLACED BY TIRERACK. CAR WOULD BE OK FOR FOUR TO EIGHT HOURS, AND THEN TIRES WOULD BEGIN TO VIBRATE STRONGLY AGAIN. SENT BY TIRERACK AND DUNLOP TO LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALER TO VERIFY, AND TWO TIRES WERE CONSIDERED DEFINITELY DEFECTIVE AND ONE BORDERLINE. THIS MEANS THREE OUT OF THE FIVE TIRES WOULD NOT STAY IN ROUND AFTER INSTALLATION, AND ONE OR BOTH OF THE REMAINING ARE LIKELY TO GO OUT OF ROUND AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE. STILL PURSUING ADJUSTMENT WITH TIRERACK. CURRENTLY HAVE ALL FOUR TIRES INSTALLED ON CAR.