13 of the
295 complaints about the 1997 Chrysler Sebring are about the
steering — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
92,675 miles.
ON APRIL 23, 2005, MY SON WAS TRAVELING TO WORK, ABOUT 12:30 IN THE AFTERNOON, TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE 210 FREEWAY. AT SOME POINT, HIS LEFT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT. HIS CAR LOST CONTROL AND SPUN COUNTERCLOCKWISE, ACROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC, AND HEAD ON INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER. HIS CAR CONTINUED TO SPIN IN THE SAME DIRRECTION AND IMPACTED AGAIN AT THE RIGHT REAR QUARTERPANEL, AND THE RIGHT REAR BUMPER. MY SON GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND THE CHP ARRIVED WITHIN TEN MINUTES TO HAVE HIS CAR TOWED. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN. THEY SENT AN INSPECTOR TO THE SALVAGE YARD. TWO WEEKS LATER I GOT A LETTER FROM CHRYSLER SAYING THAT THEIR RECALLED UPPER BALL JOINT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRASH. I HAD A MECHANIC EXAMINE THE VEHICLE, HE HAD IT LIFTED UP WITH A FORKLIFT, AND SHOWED ME THE RACK AND PINION THAT WAS DANGLING DOWN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HE SAID THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRAIGE, THE BROKEN STEERING WAS WHAT CAUSED MY SON'S CAR TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, AND CRASH INTO THE MEDIAN, INJURING HIM, AND THREATENING THE OTHER COMMUTERS.
NHTSA complaint #10121428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clinton, MDCrash
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THE STEERING COLUMN AND RACK AND PINION BROKE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT A SPEED OF 35 - 40 AND AS A RESULT, MY HUSBAND HAD NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND WE VEERED ACROSS THE LANE OF THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC AND HIT A LIGHT POLE.
NHTSA complaint #10058671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 104,000 milesMira Loma, CA
STEERING:COLUMN
1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 75 - 80 MPH, I FELT THIS REALLY HARD JERK IN MY CAR WHERE I HAD TO RAPIDLY GRAB THE STEERING WHEEL WITH BOTH MY HANDS TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE JERK SLIGHTLY MADE MY CAR STEER TO THE RIGHT AND THE PERSON ON THE RIGHT OF ME HAD TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. LUCKILY NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT WHAT IF SOMETHING WOULD OF. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS SAFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO A PERSON'S SAFETY. I CONSIDER THIS BAD BUSINESS PRACTICE BECAUSE CHRYSLER DOES NOTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM TO THE ALREADY EXISTING CHRYSLER CAR BUYERS. GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE IS KEEPING THE CLIENT HAPPY, AND THIS GOAL IS NOT BEING MET BY THIS COMPANY. I'M 20 YEARS OF AGE AND NOW I'M STUCK WITH A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK, I STILL OWE ON, AND IS MY ONLY WAY OF TRANSPORTATION.
NHTSA complaint #10045144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montgomery, MD
STEERING
CONSUMER STATES WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THERE IS A GRIDING SOUND THAT COMES FROM THE STEERING THE HARDER THE TURN THE LOUDER THE NOISE. DEALER CONTACTED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8006516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CA
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
REPORTED NOISES TO DEALERSHIP IN RIGHT TIRE AND STEERING WHEEL. THEY FIRST TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. TOOK IT BACK BECAUSE NOISE GOT WORSE. THEY FINALLY FOUND THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS BROKEN. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. ABOUT 1 1/2 WEEKS LATER WAS TURNING CORNER AT BUSY INTERSECTION. RIGHT WHEEL TURNED INWARD AND LOCKED. SPUN AROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. LUCKLY NO ONE WAS HURT. ALTHOUGH THEY SAY THAT THIS TIME IT WAS THE STEERING COLUMN. WE INVESTIGATED THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED AND FOUND THAT IT WAS STEERING RACK AGAIN. DEALER ADMITTED THAT THE PART INSTALLED WAS DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #721263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Prospect, CTCrash
STEERING
DRIVER LOST STEERING CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A BARRIER. YH
NHTSA complaint #550981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Latham, NY
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
FLOOR MAT BECAME JAMMED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN. STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. WAS EXTREMELY DIFFCULT TO REMOVE FLOOR MAT, HAD IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF THE DRIVEWAY, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE AT ALL.
NHTSA complaint #701425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arlington, VA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING PUMP AND SWITCH FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #536146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arlington, VA
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #536146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
LOUD NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #533888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #533888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hafb, NM
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THE VEHICLE HAD INTERMITTENT NOISE IN THE STEERING, AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY RACK AND PINION. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER DUE TO A FAILED BATTERY.
NHTSA complaint #821635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
George SCH, PA
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
VEHICLE SHIMMIES CONSTANTLY, THE INTENSITY VARIES THE THE RATE OF SPEED AND ROAD CONDITIONS. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES CONSTANTLY AND JERKS RIGHT AND LEFT WHEN VEHICLE HITS BUMPS. THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SHAKE WHEN VEHICLE TRAVELS ON ANY NON-SMOOTH ROAD CONDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #527470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.