1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE Complaints

VERY, VERY LOUD SQUEEKING AND RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL OR WHEN DRIVING OVER SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS WHILE IN PARK, DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGHER SPEEDS, AND IN REVERSE. AS SOON AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED, THE LOUD NOISE STARTS. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS. DT

CONSUMER STATES THE WINDSHIELD SEAL IS LEAKING WATER AND DAMAGE RADIO, CD AND CARPET. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

DRIVING AT APPROX. 15 MPH THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILED/LOCKED ON MY CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ON 10/28/02, AND WAS INITIALLY DIAGNOSED A "FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP". THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP, AND DURING THE MECHANIC TESTING FOUND THAT THE NEWLY REPLACED PUMP ALSO IMMEDIATELY FAILED AND STEERING AGAIN LOCKED. THE DEALER THEN DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE "RACK" WHICH NEEDED REPLACEMENT AS IT HAD "FAILED AND WAS CONTAMINATING THE PUMPS". BOTH THE POWER STEERING RACK AND POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $1728.33 PARTS/LABOR. THE DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ADMITTED TO ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN SUCH FAILURES BEFORE, AND THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A RESULT OF MY MAINTAINENCE OF THIS VEHICLE. IN FACT, I HAVE VIGOROUSLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE WITH THIS DEALER SINCE ITS PURCHASE ON 6/30/97 - AND THEY HAVE PERFORMED ALL SCHEDULED MINOR AND MAJOR SERVICES. YET, SINCE I WAS JUST OUTSIDE OF THE 5 YEAR/50K MILE WARRANTY, THE DEALER REFUSED TO COVER ANY OF THE LABOR/PARTS CHARGES FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I THEN CONTACTED DAMILER CHRYLSER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER ON THIS MATTER. DAIMLER CHRYSLER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO VEHICLE RECALLS FOR RACK/PUMP FAILURES, AND HELD NO RESPONSIBILITY. THEY WERE UNINTERESTED IN ANY DISCUSSION OF DEFECTS, OR RISK IF THE FAILURES OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IF MY FAILURE HAD OCCURRED UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, RATHER THAN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURIES OR FATALITIES SINCE THERE WAS NO ABILITY TO TURN OR CONTROL THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. CHRYSLER MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, BUT I WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SOME CONCERN FOR SUCH DANGEROUS FAILURES. DT

CONSUMER STATES AFTER A HARD RAIN THE PASSENGER SIDE CONSUMES WATER WHICH COULD CAUSE RUST TO THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THERE IS NO DRAINAGE TO SHOW WHERE THE WATER MAYBE COMING FROM. DEAELR IS NOT AWARE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IT COULD CAUSE SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. *JG

CONSUMER JUST HAD THE CENTER MOTOR MOUNT REPLACED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS TOO EARLY FOR THE MOTOR MOUNT TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS AN UNFAMILIAR RATTLE, WHICH ALERTED CONSUMER. *JG

MANUFACTURER'S RECALL B22/THROTTLE CABLE: DEALER, DESERT DODGE IN LAS VEGA, NV. PHONE# 702/221-000 IS UNABLE TO HONOR MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO NO PARTS BEING AVAILABLE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IS TWISTED IN FABRIC AND WILL NOT RETRACT OUTWARD. SEAT CAN'T BE OCCUPIED UNTIL FIXED. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE BELT WAS LOOSE AND DOES NOT FULLY RETRACT. THE VEHICLE HAD A RECALL ON FULL THROTTLE CABLE HOWEVER, CONSUMER DID NOT MENTION IF A PROBLEM STILL EXISTED.*YH

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTS HALFWAY BACK TO THE SPOOL. SEAT BELT IS MALFUCTIONING WHICH CAN CAUSE BELT TO LOOSEN TENSION OR LOCK UP AND NOT RETRACT TO SECURE PASSENGER. DEALER IS AWARE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

THE DRIVER'SAND FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT RELEASEI TOOK MY CAR TO A CHRYSLER DEALER TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE TO FIX THEM I WAS TOLD OVER $600.00 TO FIX THEM BOTH I BROUGHT MY CAR USED AND THE EXTENDED COVERAGE HAS EXPIRED I LIVE IN ILL WHERE SEATBELT ARE MANDATORY I DO NOT HAVE THE KIND OF MONEY IT TAKES TO FIX SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE COVERED FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR GENRALLY I DON'T COMPLIAN ABOUT ANYTHING BUT WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR CHRYSLER TO DO SOMETHING.*AK

RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END BROKE COMPLETELY AWAY AND RIGHT WHEEL PIVOTED NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO LEFT WHEEL. ONLY TRAVELING 5 MPH AT TIME OF INCIDENT . A HIGHER NORMAL SPEED COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DAMMAGE OR INJURY OR FATALITY. CAR HAS ONLY 34,400 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. REPAIR WAS MADE BY REPLACING BOTH RIGHT TIE ROD END{BROKEN} AND LEFT TIE ROD END BADLY WORN AND ALIGNMENT. THESE TIE ROD ENDS ARE NON LUBRICATABLE. IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM TO OCCUR IN A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OPERATED IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH A FAILURE. TWO ACQUAINTANCES OF MINE HAVE HAD FRONT AXLES BREAK ON NEWER CHRYSLER MINIVANS. COULD THERE BE A COMMON SUPPLIER OF FRONT END PARTS PROVIDING DEFECTIVE METALS OR COMMON ENGINEERING FLAWS? CHRYSLERS REPRESENTATIVE WAS TOTALLY UNSYMPATHETIC TO MY PROBLEM/COMPLAINT. *AK