19 of the 357 complaints about the 1998 Chrysler Sebring are about the electrical system — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 52,010 miles.
19
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. THE HORN DID NOT WORK. IF THE HORN WORKED I COULD HAVE STOPPED VEHICLE FROM HITTING ME.
NHTSA complaint #10159177 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
I AM SO DISGUSTED. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLE, NOR WILL I ENCOURAGE ANYONE ELSE TO DO SO. I PURCHASED A 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI ON 6/29/2000. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: KEY WON'T WORK IN TRUNK ALL THE TIME. LACK OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT - 2 DIFFERENT INCIDENTS (REPORTED IN A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT) PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL OPEN IF YOU JUST PUSH AGAINST IT - I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE CERTIFIED SERVICE AGENT (OVER A YEAR AGO) WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO ORDER THE PART AND CONTACT ME WHEN IT ARRIVED. HE NEVER DID AND NOW THAT DEALERSHIP IS NOT THE SERVICE AGENT ANYMORE.*AK DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT TWISTS INSIDE THE COVERED AREA ATTACHED TO THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE VEHICLE. HIGH-PITCHED WHINING SOUND COMING FROM FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AREA. HAVE REPLACED ROTORS TWICE. HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE THOSE EXPENSIVE ($600 - $800) GOODYEAR TIRES ABOUT 4 - 6 TIMES. ONE DAY, ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING TO WORK, GOING UPHILL AND MY CAR JUST SLOWLY DIED. ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, I COULD NOT GIVE IT ANY GAS, I COULD BARELY STEER IT AND IT JUST ROLLED TO A STOP. I KEPT TRYING TO CRANK IT AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAS STILL PARTLY IN THE ROAD, SO I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND TRIED TO BACK IT ONTO THE SHOULDER. AFTER DOING THAT, I TRIED TO CRANK IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I DROVE IT TO A GARAGE NEARBY, BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HESITATION WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. MORE COMPLAINTS ARE BEING SUBMITTED IN A SUBSEQUENT FORM.
NHTSA complaint #10050738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON OCT 2003. TOOK IT TO THE GOODYEAR (GY) SERVICE CENTER PUT ON A DIAGN. MACHINE. INDICATED MISFIRES. MAJOR TUNE-UP PERFORMED. PICKED CAR UP 4:30 P.M. SERVICE ENG LIGHT WAS OFF. BY 8:00 P.M. IT WAS ON AGAIN. TOOK BACK NEXT DAY & ANOTHER TUNE-UP DONE W/ CHRYSLER POINTS & PLUGS THIS TIME. PICKED UP THAT AFTERNOON. LIGHT WAS OFF. CAR RAN ROUGH & MADE LOUD ROARING NOISE. NEXT DAY LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK CAR BACK. NOISE STOPPED. LIGHT OFF FOR A FEW HOURS & CAR WAS STILL RUNNING ROUGH. COST INCL. TIRES - $1480.00. IN RICHMOND, VA FOR 5 WKS FOR TRNG FOR NEW JOB. DEC 4, CAR IDLED ERRATICALLY. EVERY TIME SLOWED DOWN IT CUT OFF. TOOK IT TO MEINEKE SERVICE CENTER IN RICHMOND. DIAG. INDICATED ERRORS W/ FUEL INJECTORS & MISFIRING. TOLD ME TAKE BACK TO GY FOR THEM TO CORRECT. THAT DAY TOOK TO GY SERVICE CENTER. THEY CONTACTED WARRANTY PERSON & GY SERVICE CENTER IN DANVILLE, VA & TOLD ME DANVILLE GY SAID WHEN I BROUGHT CAR TO THEM IT DIDN'T HAVE INJECTOR PROBLEM & WARRANTY PERSON SAID ID HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY WORK. MADE AN APPT. HAYNES CHRYSLER JEEP IN RICHMOND TO CHECK CAR 12/9. INVOICE STATED "5 DIFFERENT CODES PRESENT. MULTIPLE MISFIRE, INJECTOR #2, #4 & #6 CONTROL CIRCUIT, MAP SENSOR WON'T CHANGE ON START UP. PERFORMED DIAG TEST W/SERV MANUAL 4 EVERY SINGLE CODE. NO PROB FOUND. CALLED ED TECCONECT FOR HELP. WE FIGURE THAT EGR VALVE WAS CAUSING ALL THE PROBLEM. REMOVED & REPLACED EGR VALVE. TEST DROVE. CAR RUNS NORMAL." THE COST WAS $452.43. MADE APPT. WI/CHRYSLER SERVICE HOME FOR RECALL WORK ONBALL JOINTS. 12/18-HUSBAND LEAVING FOR WORK CAR WOULDN'T GO IN GEAR AT 1ST. "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT BACK ON. THE CAR HESITATING BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR HAS OCCURRED 2 OR 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. TRIED TRADING VEHICLE. OWE APPROX $12,000 ON IT, TRADE IN VALUE ABOUT $5,000.DEALERS WANT $9,000-$10,000 DOWN PAYMENT.
NHTSA complaint #10050745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN IN THE PARK POSITION. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INDICATED THAT THE COMPONENT WAS RECALLED BUT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10012298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION HAD LOCKED UP, AND THE KEY WOULDN'T UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. TS THE SHIFTER WAS ABLE TO MOVED. SCC
NHTSA complaint #10006026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CRUISE CONTROL FROM PURCHASE DIDN'T WORK, SALESMAN TOLD ME I NEEDED TO BE TRAVELING 55 MPH FOR IT WORK. TURNED OUT, IT WAS BROKEN, COST ME $100 TO REPAIR. ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, CAR DEAD, TURNED OUT IT NEEDED A BATERY. DEALERSHIP PAID THE COST. 2ND MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, CHECK ENGING LIGHT CAME ON, CAR RUNNING SLUGGISH AND POPPING NOISE, TURNED OUT I NEEDED A SPARK PLUG. I REQUESTED THEY CHANGE THEM ALL. THEY WOULDN'T. 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE CHECK ENGING LIGHT ON AGAIN, CAR RUNNING VERY SLUGGISH, POPPING NOISE AGAIN, FILLED UP WITH GAS, CAR WOULDN'T START, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED IT. THIS IS REDICULOUS. I WANT TO FILE A LEMON. LAW. I CAN'T AFFORD A $400/MO PAYMNET AND PAY FOR MY CAR TO BE REPAIRED ON A MONTHLY BASIS. WHAT CAN I DO?
NHTSA complaint #754413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
CRUISE CONTROL FROM PURCHASE DIDN'T WORK, SALESMAN TOLD ME I NEEDED TO BE TRAVELING 55 MPH FOR IT WORK. TURNED OUT, IT WAS BROKEN, COST ME $100 TO REPAIR. ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, CAR DEAD, TURNED OUT IT NEEDED A BATERY. DEALERSHIP PAID THE COST. 2ND MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, CHECK ENGING LIGHT CAME ON, CAR RUNNING SLUGGISH AND POPPING NOISE, TURNED OUT I NEEDED A SPARK PLUG. I REQUESTED THEY CHANGE THEM ALL. THEY WOULDN'T. 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE CHECK ENGING LIGHT ON AGAIN, CAR RUNNING VERY SLUGGISH, POPPING NOISE AGAIN, FILLED UP WITH GAS, CAR WOULDN'T START, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED IT. THIS IS REDICULOUS. I WANT TO FILE A LEMON. LAW. I CAN'T AFFORD A $400/MO PAYMNET AND PAY FOR MY CAR TO BE REPAIRED ON A MONTHLY BASIS. WHAT CAN I DO?
NHTSA complaint #754413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
INTERMITTENTLY HORN ASSEMBLY IS INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #882543 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS CAR!! THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN CHARLOTTE, BUT I LIVE IN SPARTANBURG, SO ALL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED AT QUALITY CHRYSLER (1030 N. CHURCH ST., SPARTANBURG, SC 29303; PHONE: 864/596-4550). THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY IN 11/98, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THEY FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM IN 6/98. STARTED HAVING ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS IN 11/99, AND THEY STATED ONCE AGAIN THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM. - THE DOOR PANELS HAVE COME OFF OF BOTH DOORS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. BLEW A TIRE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25MPH. RIM APPEARS TO HAVE CUT THROUGH SIDE WALL. - HORN ON RIGHT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT I COULDN'T ALERT A VEHICLE THAT WAS ABOUT TO SHIFT INTO MY LANE. I HAD TO DRIVE ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. - I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT SAFETY ISSUES, INCLUDING : SPOTS IN PAINT ON SPOILER, ALARM SOUNDING WHEN UNLOCKING PASSENGER DOOR WITH KEY, SPOTS ON BACK WINDOW. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF THIS CAR, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS MY VERY FIRST NEW CAR.
NHTSA complaint #717496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER THE DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM THE CAR AGAIN WENT TOTALY DEAD, BUT THIS TIME WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON A MOUNTIN ROAD. TH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED, RESULTING IN NO HEADLIGHTS AS WELL AS NO ABS OR POWER STEERING AND MY EMPLOYEE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE.
NHTSA complaint #714936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL. HORN. BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #609803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
ELECTRICAL. HORN. BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #609803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #608528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE BATTERY REPLACEMENTS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #544964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #544964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #607638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
POWER LOCKS AND POWER TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON FAILED DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BODY CONTROL MODULE.
NHTSA complaint #543188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #536145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DUE TO DEFECTIVE PCV VALVE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE BOOT FOR THE CONVERTIBLE TOP AND IGNITION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #830768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.