1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING Complaints

ACCELERATION PROBLEM. GOING 35-40 IN RESIDENTIAL AREA, THOUGHT WE WERE SLOWING DOWN FOR STOP LIGHT, ACCELERATION PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. CAR SPED UP. BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS PULLED AND CAR PUT INTO NEUTRAL. STOPPED BEFORE REACHING TWO CARS AHEAD WAITING TO TURN. *JB

THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT ON MY 96 SEBRING HAS LOCKED UP AND CAN NO LONGER BE PULLED OUT OF THE SEAT AT ALL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT A RECALL, BUT WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE "AT LEAST TWO HOURS LABOR, NOT COUNTING PARTS AND WOULD BE OVER $200 TO FIX). TO ME, THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND A SAFETY ISSUE. I NORMALLY DRIVE ALONE, SO THE BELT GOT MINIMAL USE BEFORE BECOMING DEFECTIVE. I SENT A DETAILED LETTER TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER FROM THEIR WEB SITE AND GOT A VERY BRIEF REPLY OF "I'M SORRY." THERE WAS NO OFFER OF HELP OR SUGGESTIONS TO SPEAK OF. AT ANY RATE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO COST ME A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO GET THIS FIXED SO THAT PASSENGERS IN MY CAR CAN RIDE IN SAFETY ONCE AGAIN. *JB

I PRESENTLY OWN A 1996 CHRYSLER SERBRING CONVERTIBLE THAT WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1996. THE BATTERY FOR THIS VEHICLE IS LOCATED BEHIND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ORDER TO GAIN ACCESS THE BATTERY YOU MUST REMOVE THE FRONT TIRE AND THEN THE SHROUD THAT COVERS THE WHEEL WELL. MY BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON THE DAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED; THE SECOND TIME WAS IN 1999 AND MOST RECENTLY TODAY; NOVEMBER 22, 2005. DURING THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE BATTERY ON 11/22 OUR MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE BATTERY CASING THAT HOLDS THE BATTERY IN PLACE WAS TOTALLY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THIS CORROSION (ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC) IS FROM BATTERY ACID AND OTHER ELEMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS ALSO DAMAGED/CORRODED DUE TO THE BATTERY ACID AND THAT THE FRAME WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED/REPAIRED AS WELL AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATION JUST PRIOR TO WRITING TO YOU AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE; DESPITE THE FACT THAT I TRULY BELIEVED THAT THIS SITUATION WAS CAUSED BY EXTREMELY POOR ENGINEERING OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE OF 1) I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OTHER CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE DRIVERS MAY BE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF AND 2) IF IN FACT THEY ARE OR COULD HAVE IN THE FUTURE A CORRODED BATTERY CASING AND MORE SO A CORRODED FRAME. THE POTENTIAL OF AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE ISSUES APPEARS TO BE INEVITABLE. YOUR HELP REGARDING THIS ISSUE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT COULD TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE OF A SAFETY DEFECT. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE RECALL HE GOT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE RECALL, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE SHIFT INTERLOCK WAS NOT AVAILABLE ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. UPDATED 11/16/05. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPLE LX. THE THROTTLE CONTROL IS STICKING. IF COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE ON AT A FULL THROTTLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT RECALLS, AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE MAIN COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT THAT REPLACEMENT WAS NOT RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE FALSE SIGNALS FROM THE IDLE AIR CONTROL SOLENOID TO THE MAIN COMPUTER, CAUSING THE THROTTLE CONTROL TO STICK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP YET. HE WANTED TO CONTACT NHTSA FIRST. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN NINE MONTHS AGO, AND OCCURRED SIX TIMES, GENERALLY AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. *AK *NM

ON JULY 11, 2005 I DROVE FROM MY HOME IN BOLIVIA, NC TO DUNN, NC (APPROX. 125 MI) TO PICK UP MY GRANDSON & A FRIEND. WHILE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CRACKERBARRELL RESTAURANT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RT 421 & I95, I STARTED THE ENGINE AND LEANED OUT THE WINDOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY DAUGHTER. SUDDENLY BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS EXPLODED FILLING THE CAR WITH SMOKE AND FUMES. ALL THREE OF US IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AUTOMOBILE. I SUFFERED A SEVERE BRUSED AND CUT RIGHT ARM AND BRUSING TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY NECK & SHOULDER AND A TWISTED RIGHT KNEE. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN DUNN BY THE PARAMEDICS & RELEASED. THE CHILDREN WERE NOT INJURED. HAD THE INCIDENT OCCURRED FIVE MINUTES LATER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING SOUTH ON #421, A 2 LANE HWY USED MOSTLY BY 18 WHEELERS AND OTHER LARGE TRUCKS. NO DOUBT I WOULD NOT BE HERE WRITING THIS REPORT. I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR IF THE AIRBAG HAD EXPLODED IN MY FACE WHILE TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE EXPLODED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIRBAG ON THE DIRVERS SIDE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE DUNN POLICE DEPARTMENT (CASE # OCA 2005 01833). THE CAR WAS LEFT IN THE PARKING LOT UNDISTURBED UNTIL WEDNESDAY THE 13TH, WHEN IT WAS TOWED TO MARTIN'S AUTO BODY SHOP ON BEACH ROAD IN SOUTHPORT, NC. IT REMAINS THERE UNDISTURBED. ON JULY 15TH A MR JAMES WILLIAMS, SENT BY CHRYSLER, INSPECTED THE CAR. (FILE # 13779399). ON JULY 19TH STATE FARM SENT AN INSPECTOR. (CLAIM # 330713425, TEAM #44). I AM AWAITING NEWS FROM CHRYSLER AS TO WHAT ACTION THEY WILL TAKE TO REPLACE, REPAIR OR OTHERWISE COMPENSATE ME FOR THE LOSS OF THIS VEHICLE AND TRAUMA TO ME AND THE CHILDREN.

DT: JUNE 30 2005 THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH. THERE WAS A NOISE, SPARKS WERE FLYING, AND THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL AND BOUNCED OFF A CURVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY INSPECTED IN MAY AND NO PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED. THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE OF IT. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THERE WAS A CORROSION PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINT. THE CONSUMER DIDN'T HAVE THE RECALL NUMBER. THE VEHICLE IS NOW HAVING REPAIR WORK DONE. CHRYSLER IS WILLING TO PAY THE REPAIRS. THE BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED TWICE. *JB

DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V021000. CHECKED VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER FOUND THAT VEHICLE DID HAVE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ONCE CONSUMER PICKED UP VEHICLE FROM DEALER FOUND THAT VEHICLE WOULD STILL COME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN, AND DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A CABLE TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, DEALER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND MANUFACTURER TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE COULD BE TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER. HOWEVER, IF DEALER FELT THAT RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED THAN DEALER COULD BE CHARGED CO A $35 INSPECTION FEE, AND THEN CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR IF CONSUMER DECIDED TO HAVE IT DONE. *AK

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 00V421002; DAIMLER CHRYSLER ISSUED A LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 55 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB BALL JOINT SNAPPED AND RESULTED IN THE WHEEL TURNING SIDEWAYS. AS A RESULT THE DRIVEER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO REST THE TIRE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND UNDER CARRIAGE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. *SB *NM

DT:CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE WHILE IN CARPORT. HE PUT THE CAR REVERSE MOVED ABOUT 1 FOOT AND THE DASH BLEW UP. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS SO LOUD THAT NEIGHBORS HEARD IT FROM INSIDE THEIR HOUSES AND CAME RUNNING OUT. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE CONSUMER SAID THAT SMOKE BELLOWED OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. PARTS OF THE CAR WERE BLOWN ALL OVER THE INTERIOR. CONSUMER SAYS INCIDENT WAS LIKE A BOMB GOING OFF. CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT HE HAD BEEN CAR BOMBED. CONSUMER SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL CONTACT TO VEHICLE TO CAUSE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. CONSUMER SAYS THERE ARE OTHER WITNESSES AVAILABLE. CONSUMER SAYS INVESTIGATOR THAT LOOKED AT VEHICLE TOLD CONSUMER THAT HE HAD INVESTIGATED 3 OTHER SUCH INSTANCES. *JB