2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ON SAVANNAH SPRINGS DRIVE (A PATIO HOME COMMUNITY) AND I HEARD A HORRIBLE NOISE AND STOPPED. I THOUGH I HAD A FLAT TIRE BUT WHEN I GOT OUT AND LOOKED, MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAD OFF. (THE BALLJOINT CAME LOOSE FROM THE CONTROL ARM) THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. WE JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR ON 4/23/2015 FROM NEW LIFE AUTO IN NOBLESVILLE, IN AND DROVE IT HOME TO LOUISVILLE, KY ON I65. THE CAR DROVE GREAT AND I TOOK IT OUT FOR A DRIVE AND TURNED INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD LESS THAN 1/2 MILE FROM MY HOUSE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS ON A VERY BUSY ROAD PRIOR TO THIS AND THANK THE LORD THAT I WAS NOT ON THAT ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE TOW DRIVER SAID I WOULD HAVE TOTALED THE CAR AND HIT SOMEONE ELSE. NO INJURIES OCCURRED AND NOT OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. WE SEE THERE IS A RECALL ON THE CONTROL ARM AND WONDER IF WE ARE COVERED. *TR

JUST TURNING OFF THE MAIN BUSY ROAD FROM DRIVING 40-45MPH AND ONTO A SMALL RESIDENTIAL NARROW STREET DOING 25MPH I SUDDENLY HEARD VERY LOUD CLUNKING NOISES SI I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND GOT OUT AND NOTICED THAT MY REAR DRIVERS SIDE TIRE WAS SLANTING INWARD. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THAT MY REAR UPPER BALL JOINT HAD BUSTED . WAS TOLD BY THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT IF IT WOULD OF HAPPENED A FEW SECONDS EARLIER WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON THE MAIN ROAD, THAT I WOULD OF HAD A SERIOUS CRASH. DUE TO MY TIRE BUCKLING IN FROM THE BALL JOINT BREAKING IN HALF. THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION ON THE CAR NEEDS REPAIRED. FRONT AND BACK. ALL BUSHINGS, BALL JOINTS ARE TOTALLY WORN DOWN TO ALMOST NOTHING. SHOCKS/STRUTS ALL NO GOOD. *JS

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WHILE OUT OF STATE ON A SUMMER TRIP IN JULY 2010 WHEN THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. IT HAS STAYED THAT WAY FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS. SHORTLY AFTER I RETURNED FROM THIS TRIP I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP (07-29-2010) WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2001. I WAS TOLD (1) THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND (2) TO FIX IT WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO SELDOM USED PARTS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED AND WHICH TOGETHER WOULD COST ME AROUND $800. I DECLINED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AS (1) IT IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND (2) I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT I CERTAINLY DID NOT CAUSE, THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS, AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY CHRYSLER AT NO CHARGE TO ME. I CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN THIS WEEK AND WAS TOLD THERE STILL IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD JUST UNDER 70,000 MILES WHEN THE PROBLEM APPEARED AND IT CURRENTLY HAS JUST UNDER 97,000 MILES. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR NEARLY 30,000 MILES WITHOUT AIR BAG PROTECTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD BEEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. A FIRE DID NOT ERUPT. ONE WEEK LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V011002 (POWER TRAIN) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE GOING TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. ON THE WAY THE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING LOUDLY. HE PULLED OVER TO CHECK ALL OF THE FLUIDS AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE FINE. WHEN I GOT HOME I RESEARCHED THE ISSUES AND ABOUT 99% OF 2001 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEMS AND IT STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR THE A DEALERSHIP NEAR ME. I WAS ABLE TO ENJOY MY CAR FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS. THEY WILL CONTINUE HEARING FROM ME FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE I AM A PERSON THAT NEVER GIVES UP. I WILL PESTER THEM EVERYDAY UNTIL MY DEMANDS ARE MET WITH FIXING OR REPLACING MY ENGINE. IT IS NOT ANYONE'S FAULT THAT THEY MADE A CRAPPY ENGINE FOR THIS MODEL. LET THE GAMES BEGIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND HEARD A LOUD METAL TO METAL DRAGGING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS PARTIALLY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CAR STARTED MAKING ENGINE NOISE SO IT WAS PULLED OVER AND THEN WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. *TR

THE BALL JOINT ON THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL CAUSING THE BALL STUD TO WEAR THROUGH THE CONTROL ARM HOUSING RESULTING IN NOISE AND/OR SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE HOUSING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILURE, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE OIL HAD BECOME SLUDGE AS A RESULT OF OIL BUILD-UP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED.THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT CONTINUED TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF AT THE TIME SO THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY.THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V299002 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,400.