1997 Chrysler CIRRUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
49 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
93,400 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 49 complaints (12.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 10 | 20.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 14.3% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 10.2% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 8.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 8.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 3 |
| Tires:Sidewall | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 2 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 3; Tires:Sidewall: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 33 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 9 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 9; 2001: 7; 2002: 5; 2003: 7; 2004: 5; 2005: 7; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2011: 1; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10022822 · 2003-08-22 (August 22, 2003)
BRAKE HOSE BLEWOUT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE HOSE BLEWOUT AND CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE FAILURE WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR, NO BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE OR ERRATIC BRAKING. FLUID COVERED THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND CALIPER. THE DEALER NOTICED EVIDENCE THAT THE BRAKE HOSE RUBBED ON THE CALIPER. *SCC *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 115,030 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10095438 · 2004-10-07 (October 7, 2004)
WHEN DRIVING AT STOP AND GO BRAKES WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO BLED THE BRAKES, AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE. TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE WASD NOTHING WRONG. LATER, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO GO TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER FELT INSECURE WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095438 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10095308 · 2004-09-30 (September 30, 2004)
EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. *BF THE A/C EVAPORATED COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER AFTER 42920 MILES. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING OIL. THE CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONSUMER PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE TO DRIVE AWAY AFTER BACKING AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC FOR SERVICE AN WAS FOUND THAT THE PIN IN THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD COME LOOSE PUNCTURING THE TRANSMISSION CASE CAUSING RAPID FLUID LOSS. THE ENTIRE TRANS…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,920 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095308 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10099940 · 2004-11-15 (November 15, 2004)
WHEN DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE CAME OUT OF GEAR. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032418 · 2003-08-07 (August 7, 2003)
THE TIE RODS WERE WORN OUT. THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *PH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032418 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289254 · 2009-10-21 (October 21, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. THE LIGHT ON THE ODOMETER GAUGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL STOPPED WORKING. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE ENTIRE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL FAILED. THE HORN ALSO BEGAN BLOWING WITHOUT APPLICATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN ALONG WITH THE HORN SWITCH. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR THE FUSE FAILED WHEN USING THE HORN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT UPON FURTHER INSPECTION SHE NOTICED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR HAD MELTED…
Owner-reported narrative. 99,877 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289254 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064497 · 2004-04-04 (April 4, 2004)
THE CAR HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS RACK AND PINION, TIRE RODS, FUEL SYSTEM, BUT THE MOST RECENT IS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IT STALLS OUT ANY TIME YOU DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064497 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167471 · 2006-09-06 (September 6, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER 3 TO 4 MINUTES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT CLEANED THE CRANKSHAFT IN A REPAIR ATTEMPT, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. UPDATED 10/25/06. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 70,560 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167471 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10109145 · 2005-03-08 (March 8, 2005)
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING GARAGE AND WITHOUT CAUSE THE VEHICLE BUSTED INTO FLAMES. THE PARKING ATTENDANT NOTIFIED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AFTER EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE CAUSE WAS ELECTRICAL. *AK *TT
Owner-reported narrative. 127,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10109145 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008088 · 2003-02-25 (February 25, 2003)
OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THE CAR WOULD RUN ROUGH WHEN SITTING IN TRAFFIC FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THEN I BEGAN TO SMELL GASOLINE FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING, AND ALSO OUTSIDE THE CAR AFTER GETTING OUT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC. HE STATED THAT THE FUEL RAIL SEAL IS LEAKING AT THE FUEL INJECTOR AND THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS FREQUENTLY BEFORE. THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON 1996 - 1999 AND SOME 2000 DODGE CARAVANS, BUT WHEN I …
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008088 at NHTSA ↗