U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Chrysler SEBRING problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

185 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

83,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 62 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Body:Door is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 185 complaints (10.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	23	12.4%
Steering behavior	15	8.1%
Transmission and shifting	8	4.3%
Engine operation	5	2.7%
Fuel system concerns	5	2.7%
Electrical and battery issues	1	0.5%

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.

Structure:Body:Door

Air Bags:Frontal

Wheels:Rim

Vehicle Speed Control

Suspension

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Wheels

Structure

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Structure:Body:Door	19
Air Bags:Frontal	14
Wheels:Rim	11
Vehicle Speed Control	10
Suspension	9
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	8
Wheels	8
Structure	7

Structure:Body:Door: 19; Air Bags:Frontal: 14; Wheels:Rim: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Suspension: 9; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 8; Wheels: 8; Structure: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 17; 150,000 and above: 6

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 123 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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2014

2015

2020

2000: 41; 2001: 34; 2002: 25; 2003: 23; 2004: 15; 2005: 13; 2006: 6; 2007: 4; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 4; 2011: 1; 2012: 5; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Structure:Body:Door leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 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 10052585 · 2004-01-07 (January 7, 2004)

TRANSMISSION AND BRAKES ARE TERRIBLE. BRAKES SHAKE AND SHUDDER AND BARELY STOP THE CAR. TRANSMISSION HUMSS AND SHIFTS BADLY

Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052585 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071108 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON NOV 2, 2003. WHEN I PURCHASED IT, THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE WHEN YOU GO OVER BUMPS, AND ALSO WHEN THE CAR GOES UP TO 70 YOU COULD HERE A GRINDING LIKE NOISE IN (WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ENGINE). THEY TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE CAR AND THEY SCHEDULED ME FOR SERVICE THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T WORK ON CHRYSLERS AND SENT THE CAR TO TUFFY. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO PICK UP THE CAR, THE GUY TORE UP THE BILL OF SERVICE AND SAID YOU'RE ALL SET, SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS DONE. WHE…

Owner-reported narrative. 66,944 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071108 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006026 · 2003-01-30 (January 30, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 54,020 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006026 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000331 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING, AND RECENTLY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION (AUTOMATIC) NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND THE SHOP SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THEY SAID THAT WHEN THE ECT MODULE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION GOES BAD, IT CAUSES THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION TO BURN OUT. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER TO GET A SECOND OPINION AND THEY TOO CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE BAD, DUE TO THE MODULE GOING OUT. MY BOYFRIEND WORKS IN THE A…

Owner-reported narrative. 112,325 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000331 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023991 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE DISTRIBUTOR GOING BAD. PART WAS REPLACED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023991 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044639 · 2003-10-23 (October 23, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH INDICATED THAT TIMING BELT AND ENGINE FAILED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044639 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10050745 · 2003-12-18 (December 18, 2003)

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 RICHM…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10050745 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10124798 · 2005-06-09 (June 9, 2005)

DT: VEHICLE HAS A HOLE BURNT IN THE GAS TANK FROM HEAT SHIELD/EXHAUST. COULD SMELL FUMES WHEN STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND COULD SEE THE HOLE. VEHICLE PARKED SINCE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124798 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10780992 · 2015-10-09 (October 9, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE COULD BE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 128,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10780992 at NHTSA ↗