2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ENGINE DUE TO INTERNAL PARTS WITHIN THE ENGINE FAILING. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE OPERATES NORMALLY. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY $250.00 DEDUCTIBLE AND $150.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE MOUNTING BRACKET. *AK

IN JUNE OF 2005, MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE ENGINE START MAKING THIS LOUD NOISE LIKE A ROD WAS GOING TO GO. I TURNED IT OFF HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID I HAD SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. WHEN I ASKED FOR THE SERVICE MANAGER TO EXPLAIN SLUDGE TO ME ABOUT ME NOT CHANGING MY OIL AND NOT PROPERLY HAVING THE CAR SERVICED. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE, WHERE IT HAS BEEN SITTING. ON FEBRUARY 6TH I WENT TO MY ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND HE SENT CHRYSLER A LETTER(CERTIFIED) THAT I WANT THEM TO FIX MY CAR AND/OR WE WILL BE FILING A CLASS ACTION CASE IN THE FRANKLIN COUNTY OF OHIO COURTS AGAINST THEM. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER PERSONALLY AND THEY ALL BUT SAID I CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AFTER HAVING TALKED WITH SOME MECHANICS AND LOOKING AT THE INTER-NET I NOW KNOW THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE.*JB

WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING THE TOP, OFTEN TIMES THE SIDES OF THE TOP FOLD UNDERNEATH THE REAR WINDOW. THIS CAUSES A CREASE WHICH MAKES IT MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN. WHEN FOLDED UNDER THE TOP OFTEN LEAKS IN THE RAIN. WHEN MANUALLY PULLED OUT INTO IT'S RIGHTFUL PLACE, THE PORTION OF THE TOP PULLED OUT BECOMES RUFFLED AND UNSIGHTLY. DAMAGES WERE CAUSED TO THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. ON ONE SIDE, THE WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRONIC DEFROSTER WAS BROKEN OFF. ALSO, THE TOP HAS TORN LOOSE FROM THE BOTTOM WINDOW OVER HALFWAY ACROSS THE WINDOW. THE TOP HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAS NOW RECURRED.*AK

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE. HIT BLACK ICE AND STARTED TO SKID. APPLIED MODERATE AND THEN HEAVY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEELS LOCKED UP WITHOUT THE ANTI-LOCK FEATURE ENGAGING AT ALL, INDUCING LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN SPIN AND CRASH.*JB

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALTHOUGH NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE STALLING, THE CHECK OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTERWARDS. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO A DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DISCOVERED SLUDGE AND OTHER FLUID CONTAMINATION IN THE ENGINE; HOWEVER BASIC MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED REGULARLY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 00V299002 CONCERNING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE ENGINE STALLED AT SLOW SPEEDS. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE COULD BE RESTARTED SOMETIMES THE ENGINE DIED WHILE IDLING. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH PRODUCED A CODE INDICATING AND ENGINE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 01V011002 CONCERNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: COOLING UNIT AND LINES. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

I BOUGHT A USED CAR FROM HYANNIS HONDA, WEST MAIN ST., HYANNIS, MA THE LAST WEEK IN MAY 2005. RECENTLY, I GOT A NAIL IN MY BACK REAR TIRE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CAPE AND ISLAND TIRE IN FALMOUTH, MA. AFTER EXAMINING THE TIRE, THE MANAGER SAID THAT THEY COULD FIX THE TIRE BUT IT WOULD BE USELESS BECAUSE ALL FOUR OF MY TIRES WOULD NEVER PASS THE STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE MY TIRES WERE TO BALD. AFTER PAYING FOR 2 NEW REAR TIRES($250), I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO HYANNIS HONDA. THE SALES MANAGER AGREED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE FRONT 2 TIRE FOR FREE. A WEEK LATER, AFTER RETURNING FOR A TRIP TO CA AT 10:30 P.M., THE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT BECAUSE HYANNIS HONDA DIDN'T SEAL THE TIRE PROPERLY AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. THE NEXT DAY I RETURNED TO HYANNIS HONDA WHO AGREED TO FIX THE TIRE BUT SAID THAT MY BATTERY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CHARGE TO START THE CAR IN THE WINTER. I COULD PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY FOR $110. I DISCUSSED MY SITUATION WITH BRIAN PERRY IN HYANNIS, A CERTIFIED INSPECTION REPRESENTATIVE. HE SAID THAT IF HE INSPECTS A CAR AND NOTICES THAT THE TIRES ARE UNSAFE, EVEN IF THEY ARE BARELY WITHIN STATE GUIDELINES, HE WOULD WARN THE DRIVER OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF DRIVING ON UNSAFE TIRE ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. I REALLY FEEL AS THOUGH HYANNIS HONDA DEFINITELY HAS A "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" IN BEING ABLE TO INSPECT THEIR OWN USED CAR. THE CAR THEY SOLD ME MIGHT HAVE PASSED THE TIRE REQUIREMENTS BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME THAT I WAS RIDING ON ALMOST BALD TIRE AND THAT THE BATTERY WAS SO OLD THAT IT WOULDN'T WORK IN THE WINTER. I FEEL THAT THEIR UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR ENDANGERED MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY. I KNOW THE OLD ADAGE"BUYER BEWARE" BUT THIS IS TERRIBLE BEHAVIOR FROM A REPUTABLE HONDA DEALERSHIP. *JB

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

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