U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Chrysler SEBRING: complaints, problems and recalls

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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

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 10001486 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)

WHILE IN MOTION THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED OUTWARD AND UPWARD. *JG *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001486 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005994 · 2003-01-30 (January 30, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. TS SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005994 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 10007004 · 2000-10-14 (October 14, 2000)

IMPROPER REGISTRATION OF FUEL GAUGE. FUEL GAUGE REGISTERS 1/4 FULL BUT TANK IS ACTUALLY EMPTY. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734329

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007004 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007427 · 2003-02-14 (February 14, 2003)

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, ALSO TURNED IN A 360 DEGREE ANGLE, AND BOUNCED OFF OF THE CONCRETE MEDIAN. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 67,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007427 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010536 · 2003-03-16 (March 16, 2003)

FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS , THERE HAS BEEN A GRADUAL ROAR FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. UPON A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION IT HAS BEEN SUMMIZED AS THE REAR WHEEL HUB BEARING/ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE. THIS STARTED AT 50K MILES. SINCE THIS IS A SEALED COMPONENT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010536 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012298 · 2003-03-24 (March 24, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012298 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

00V421002 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

Reported: 2000-12-18 (December 18, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

98V045002 · Vehicle Speed Control

Reported: 1998-03-03 (March 3, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DASH PANEL PAD CAN SHIFT INTERFERRING WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

Consequence: THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE A PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL PAD SO IT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

98V183000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch

Reported: 1998-08-06 (August 6, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE CABLE CONNECTING THE CONSOLE SHIFTER MECHANISM TO THE IGNITION KEY CAN CAUSE A TRAPPED KEY CONDITION WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOW FORCE REQUIRED TO DEPRESS THE SHIFT BUTTON. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED RELEASE BUTTON WITH A LOW FORCE ATTEMPT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITH THE KEY IN THE LOCKED POSITION, CAN BREAK THE CONNECTING PIN IN THE SHIFTER.

Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE "IGNITION-PARK" INTERLOCK SYSTEM WILL BE NONFUNCTIONAL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM. ANY VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL AFTER THE INSPECTION WILL HAVE THE SHIFT MECHANISM AND CABLE REPLACED WITH A "SELF-ADJUSTING" DESIGN.

NHTSA campaign record ↗