1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPAIRED IN 1998 ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V201000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V421002 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT) IN 2000. THE CONTACT DID NOT REMEMBER THE FIRST RECALL REPAIR; HOWEVER, IT IS IN THE SYSTEM AS BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. HE BELIEVES THAT THE REPAIR WAS NEVER PERFORMED, BUT WAS DOCUMENTED AS COMPLETED IN ORDER TO GET PAID BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

PURCHASED 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. IN 1998 THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE TACHOMETER, AND ODOMETER FADE IN AND OUT, OUT MOSTLY. CANT SEE MILEAGE, SO CANT SELL CAR. DEALER SAYS COST IS ABOUT $600 TO FIX. AND IS COMMON PROBLEM. IF ITS SO COMMON, IT SHOULD BE A RECALL!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN THE PAST YEAR, THE SEAT BELTS HAVE NOT WORKED. THE SEAT BELTS ARE CURRENTLY IN A LOCKED POSITION AND WILL NOT RELEASE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

ELECTRONIC ODOMETER AND TACHOMETER DISPLAY WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER EXPLAINS THAT IT IS COMMON WITH THIS CAR MODEL. DIFFICULT TO TRACK SERVICE ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO WILL BE DIFFICULT TO SELL WITH OUT FIX WHICH WILL BE OVER $500 FOR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND COULD INVOLVE INDIVIDUAL GAUGES WHICH WILL COST AROUND $380. CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL AND PAY FOR THIS. *TR

SEBRING CONVERTIBLE INTERIOR FLOODS EVERY TIME IT RAINS THE CARPET BECOMES COMPLETELY SOAKED AND TAKES DAYS TO DRY OUT IN THE MEAN TIME CAUSING A CONCERN ABOUT ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS UNDER THE SEATS. *TR

PROBLEM WITH DASH CLUSTER SPEEDO AND TACH QUIT WORKING DEALER SAID THEY SEE IT ALL THE TIME ON THIS CAR. *TR

OCCASIONALLY, THE SEATBELT ON ON MY 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING LOCKS UP. WHEN IT DOES, IT CANNOT BE EXTENDED/PULLED OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. WHEN IT HAPPENS, BOTH SEATBELTS FREEZE, LEADING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. SOMETIMES, AFTER WAITING A HALF HOUR OR SO, THE PROBLEM CORRECTS ITSELF. IN THE MEANTIME, UNLESS I HAVE TIME TO WAIT, I MUST DRIVE WITHOUT THE SAFETY OF MY SEATBELT, WHICH NOT ONLY PUTS MY LIFE AT RISK, BUT MAKES ME A LAWBREAKER AND POTENTIALLY LIABLE FOR A TICKET. I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL CHRYLER DEALERS, NONE OF WHOM ADMITS TO HAVING HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND ALL OF WHOM WANT TO RUN EXPENSIVE TESTS TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THAT MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION, AND WE NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AN HELP US PLEASE! *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI, WHEN I BEGAN GETTING LIGHT-HEADED, AND KNEW THAT I WAS ABOUT TO PASS OUT. I TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT TO GET OFF THE ROADWAY, AND THE LAST THING THAT I REMEMBER WAS TURNING INTO THE LOT (BECAUSE I INDEED DID PASS OUT, DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION). MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, I STRUCK A RAISED CONCRETE SIDEWALK (AT A STORE FRONT) THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 INCHES HIGH, THEN STRUCK THE BRICK WALL AND STORE FRONT WINDOW, ENTERED THE BUILDING AND STRUCK DISPLAY CASES, FURNITURE, ETC. UPON ENTERING THE BUILDING. WHEN I CAME TO, I WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, AND THE AIRBAGS (NEITHER ONE) HAD DEPLOYED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 9-1-1 FROM MY CELL PHONE TO SUMMON POLICE, FIRE & EMS. THE INVESTIGATORS FROM THE LOCAL POLICE INDICATED THAT WHEN I PASSED OUT MY FOOT HAD TO HAVE HIT THE VEHICLES ACCELERATOR TO CAUSE ME TO TRAVEL THE DISTANCE, HIT THE SIDEWALK, AND CONTINUE INTO THE STRUCTURE (BUILDING). I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE SAFETY FEATURES (AIR BAGS) DID NOT DEPLOY! *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE ROAD AT 15 MPH, AFTER GOING THROUGH THE 2ND OF 2 SMALL DIPS, THE FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE ON THE 1997 SEBRING AND THE CAR STOPPED. WE GOT OUT, SAW FRONT WHEEL TURNED OUT AT SHARP ANGLE, THE RIGHT FRONT OF CAR DROPPED. SHERIDAN POLICE DROVE BY,WE MADE AN ACCIDENT REPORT. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED 2 BLOCKS, THE INS. CO. WAS CALLED WE CONTACTED PHIL LONG CHRYSLER IN LITTLETON CO. TO FIND PRICE ON THE PART. THEY ASKED FOR VIN NUMBER AND DETERMINED THERE WAS RECALL ON THAT VEHICLE. THEY SAID CAR WAS FIXED ONCE UNDER RECALL, THEY WANTED TO SEE IT. WE HAD IT TOWED THERE. BERNIE SAID THEY WOULD AT LEAST FIX THE BALL JOINT. THEY ESTIMATED THE DAMAGE AND CALLED DISTRICT REP TO COME SEE THE CAR. WE WERE CALLED AND TOLD DISTRICT REP SAID NO, THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE CAR UNDER THE RECALL. WE ALSO OWED THEM $100 (DIAGNOSTICS).WE WERE TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER, SCOTT VANSICKLE, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD, HAD 160,000 MILES. [RECALLED PART WAS FIXED AT 20,000 MILES IN 1998.] DECISION WAS MADE BY THE DISTRICT REP. AND, BESIDES, THOSE PARTS WEAR OUT. I ASKED FOR NAME AND NUMBER OF DISTRICT REP - CHRIS G. AT 1-800-992-1997. I CALLED, WAS TOLD BY ALEX, AFTER MUCH REFERRAL WITH HIS SUPERVISOR, THAT CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH DISTRICT REP, CHRIS G, HE SAID HE WAS NOT AT THAT NUMBER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A DISTRICT REP THERE, I NEEDED TO GO THROUGH DEALER FOR THAT. I ASKED HIM FOR HIS NAME, ALEX, AND SUPERVISOR'S NAME,RYAN.CHRYSLER'S REP, ( CHRIS G.) HAS OFFERED TO DO ABSOLUTELEY NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM AND IS UNWILLLING TO DO ANYTHING. I AM LUCKY I WAS GOING SLOW AND NOONE WAS HURT.THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND THE 3 OF US COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I FIND IT APPALLING THAT CHRYSLER CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULT OF THIS PART.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. HE NOTICED A CONSTANT LEAK ON THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOLD. A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.