1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

VEHICLE IS TOTALLY UNMODIFIED! WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT, I HEARD A POP (LIKE A BALLOON POPPING) AND SMOKE AND FLAME BURST FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT OBSERVED FIRE BEGAN IN THE AREA OF THE FUEL LINE AND SPREAD INTO THE DASHBOARD. POSSIBLE CAUSE WAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING ARC WHICH COMPROMISED THE RUBBER FUEL HOSE. *TR

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH TIE ROD ENDS FRACTURED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME, WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT TIRES WENT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. THE TIE ROD END WAS REPLACED. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE OTHER SIDE AND THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE SEALED PIVOT JOINTS WERE NOT LUBRICATED AND RESULTED IN THESE FAILURES. *JB

THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT ON MY 96 SEBRING HAS LOCKED UP AND CAN NO LONGER BE PULLED OUT OF THE SEAT AT ALL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT A RECALL, BUT WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE "AT LEAST TWO HOURS LABOR, NOT COUNTING PARTS AND WOULD BE OVER $200 TO FIX). TO ME, THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND A SAFETY ISSUE. I NORMALLY DRIVE ALONE, SO THE BELT GOT MINIMAL USE BEFORE BECOMING DEFECTIVE. I SENT A DETAILED LETTER TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER FROM THEIR WEB SITE AND GOT A VERY BRIEF REPLY OF "I'M SORRY." THERE WAS NO OFFER OF HELP OR SUGGESTIONS TO SPEAK OF. AT ANY RATE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO COST ME A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO GET THIS FIXED SO THAT PASSENGERS IN MY CAR CAN RIDE IN SAFETY ONCE AGAIN. *JB

I PRESENTLY OWN A 1996 CHRYSLER SERBRING CONVERTIBLE THAT WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1996. THE BATTERY FOR THIS VEHICLE IS LOCATED BEHIND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ORDER TO GAIN ACCESS THE BATTERY YOU MUST REMOVE THE FRONT TIRE AND THEN THE SHROUD THAT COVERS THE WHEEL WELL. MY BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON THE DAY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED; THE SECOND TIME WAS IN 1999 AND MOST RECENTLY TODAY; NOVEMBER 22, 2005. DURING THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE BATTERY ON 11/22 OUR MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE BATTERY CASING THAT HOLDS THE BATTERY IN PLACE WAS TOTALLY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THIS CORROSION (ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC) IS FROM BATTERY ACID AND OTHER ELEMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS ALSO DAMAGED/CORRODED DUE TO THE BATTERY ACID AND THAT THE FRAME WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED/REPAIRED AS WELL AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATION JUST PRIOR TO WRITING TO YOU AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE; DESPITE THE FACT THAT I TRULY BELIEVED THAT THIS SITUATION WAS CAUSED BY EXTREMELY POOR ENGINEERING OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE OF 1) I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OTHER CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE DRIVERS MAY BE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF AND 2) IF IN FACT THEY ARE OR COULD HAVE IN THE FUTURE A CORRODED BATTERY CASING AND MORE SO A CORRODED FRAME. THE POTENTIAL OF AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE ISSUES APPEARS TO BE INEVITABLE. YOUR HELP REGARDING THIS ISSUE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT COULD TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE OF A SAFETY DEFECT. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE RECALL HE GOT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE RECALL, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE SHIFT INTERLOCK WAS NOT AVAILABLE ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. UPDATED 11/16/05. *JB

ON JULY 11, 2005 I DROVE FROM MY HOME IN BOLIVIA, NC TO DUNN, NC (APPROX. 125 MI) TO PICK UP MY GRANDSON & A FRIEND. WHILE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CRACKERBARRELL RESTAURANT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RT 421 & I95, I STARTED THE ENGINE AND LEANED OUT THE WINDOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY DAUGHTER. SUDDENLY BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS EXPLODED FILLING THE CAR WITH SMOKE AND FUMES. ALL THREE OF US IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AUTOMOBILE. I SUFFERED A SEVERE BRUSED AND CUT RIGHT ARM AND BRUSING TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY NECK & SHOULDER AND A TWISTED RIGHT KNEE. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN DUNN BY THE PARAMEDICS & RELEASED. THE CHILDREN WERE NOT INJURED. HAD THE INCIDENT OCCURRED FIVE MINUTES LATER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING SOUTH ON #421, A 2 LANE HWY USED MOSTLY BY 18 WHEELERS AND OTHER LARGE TRUCKS. NO DOUBT I WOULD NOT BE HERE WRITING THIS REPORT. I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR IF THE AIRBAG HAD EXPLODED IN MY FACE WHILE TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE EXPLODED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIRBAG ON THE DIRVERS SIDE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE DUNN POLICE DEPARTMENT (CASE # OCA 2005 01833). THE CAR WAS LEFT IN THE PARKING LOT UNDISTURBED UNTIL WEDNESDAY THE 13TH, WHEN IT WAS TOWED TO MARTIN'S AUTO BODY SHOP ON BEACH ROAD IN SOUTHPORT, NC. IT REMAINS THERE UNDISTURBED. ON JULY 15TH A MR JAMES WILLIAMS, SENT BY CHRYSLER, INSPECTED THE CAR. (FILE # 13779399). ON JULY 19TH STATE FARM SENT AN INSPECTOR. (CLAIM # 330713425, TEAM #44). I AM AWAITING NEWS FROM CHRYSLER AS TO WHAT ACTION THEY WILL TAKE TO REPLACE, REPAIR OR OTHERWISE COMPENSATE ME FOR THE LOSS OF THIS VEHICLE AND TRAUMA TO ME AND THE CHILDREN.