2008 Chrysler SEBRING: complaints, problems and recalls

CHRYSLER SEBRING 2002, 4-DOOR SEDAN, V6. BOTH UPPER REAR STRUT MOUNTS HAVE FAILED DURING DRIVING AND THE CAR IS NOW UNDRIVABLE. LOCAL DEALERSHIPS HAVE WAITING LIST FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED CANNOT GET PART FROM CHRYSLER NOR IS THERE AN AFTERMARKET PART AVAILABLE. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT OFFER RENTAL CAR OR REMEDY SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE ISSUING A RECALL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF DEALER VEHICLES WAITING FOR REPAIR!!! *TR UPDATED 02/19/10. *LJ UPDATED 07/19/10*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234549 at NHTSA ↗

BRAND NEW (2 MONTHS OLD) CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET. I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED OCTOBER 2007 FOR THIS BUT I WAS SOLD THE VEHICLE IN MAY 2008 AND NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE SAFETY RECALL. CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236437 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 4,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR MORE THAN FOUR TIMES. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RATTLING AND SHAKING DUE TO THE STEERING RACK AND PINION. THE RACK AND PINION WAS NOT BOLTED DOWN PROPERLY AFTER THE LAST REPAIR. SHE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT THEY REFUSED TO TAKE HER VEHICLE BACK. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 4,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239048 at NHTSA ↗

ON THE DATE MENTIONED, I WAS DRIVING AN ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR, 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING LX, FROM IDAHO FALLS, ID TO SALT LAKE CITY, UT. I WAS TRAVELING APPX. 73-75MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET FOR THE LAST 50 MILES. I WAS APPROACHING ASEMI TRUCK/TRAILER AND TAPPED THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. AT THAT TIME THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE, I TAPPED THE BRAKES TWO MORE TIMES TO TRY TO DISENGAGE THE CC AND THE CAR JUST CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED I NEED TO TAKE A MORE AGGRESSIVE APPROACH AND STARTED SLAMMING ON THE B…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250397 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD REV WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE BEHAVED AS IF IT WOULD ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THEY COULD NEVER DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR FIND CAUSE FOR CONCERN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V152000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING). TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253047 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AT 20-40 MPH. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AS WELL AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT. RECENTLY, WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED AND ALMOST CAUSED A R…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253341 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS CRUISING ON ROUTE 27 NORTH TOWARDS MOUNT AIRY AND MY 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING SUDDENLY STALLS AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER, I WAS TOLD THE NEXT MORNING THAT MY CAR RUN OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH THE FUEL GAGE STILL SHOWS THAT I HAVE QUARTER TANK AVAILABLE. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE SENDING UNIT IS BROKEN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 21,343 miles reported. Look up ODI 10258815 at NHTSA ↗

ON 01/30/09 MY 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND LOOSING POWER. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THE DEALER REPLACE ONE SPARK PLUG AND IGNITION COIL. THEN FEW DAYS LATER ON 2/3/09 THE SAME ENGINE LIGHT MALFUNCTION INDICATOR CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CAR STARTED ROUGH AND VIBRATING, RETURN TO CAR DEALERS FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC AND THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE CAR PCM WAS FAULTY. DEALER REPLACED DEFECTIVE PCM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 20,860 miles reported. Look up ODI 10258819 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-06-13 (June 13, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FRONT SEAT TRACK POSITION SENSORS UTILIZED FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

Consequence: THIS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS DURING CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT SEAT TRACK POSITION SENSORS AND REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALLBEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2007-09-12 (September 12, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE FRONT DOOR LATCH CABLE MAY BECOME PARTIALLY UNSEATED FROM THE INTERIOR RELEASE HANDLE HOUSING POSSIBLY CAUSING THE LATCH TO STICK IN THE UNLATCHED POSITION OR THE LOCK FUNCTION TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Consequence: DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH AN UNLATCHED DOOR CAN RESULT IN AN UNBELTED FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT FALLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE OR BEING EJECTED IN A CRASH, CAUSING INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A SECONDARY RETENTION FEATURE TO BOTH FRONT DOORS. THIS ACTION WILL SUPERSEDE AND EXPAND A PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL (PLEASE SEE 07V-104). THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2007-10-10 (October 10, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4 LITER ENGINES, THE ENGINE COOLANT MAY BE DRAWN INTO THE LEFT RADIATOR COOLING FAN MOTOR CONNECTOR.

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT AND RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CONNECTOR FOR CONTAMINATION OR DAMAGE, INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS OVERLAY, AND REPLACE THE FAN MOTOR FREE OR CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2008-04-02 (April 2, 2008)

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 180,963 MY 2007-2008 SEBRING AND DODGE AVENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A STANDARD TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS). UNUSED ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS FOR THE TPMS MAY BECOME CORRODED AND COULD SHORT CIRCUIT, WHICH CAN CAUSE A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS INCLUDING ENGINE NO-START, DEAD BATTERY, AN INOPERATIVE CRUISE CONTROL OR REMOTE START SYSTEM, AND/OR ENGINE STALLING.

Consequence: ENGINE STALLING COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL SEAL THE WIRES FOR THE TPMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 15, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.