IllustrationWHEN DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPORTED, THE ENGINE HARNESS WIRING HAD BURNED. *JB
1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 72.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sebring Convertible years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
425–50K
650–75K
675–100K
9100–150K
1150K+
27 reports with mileage · 41 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
68 reportsWHILE MERGING INTO THE INTERSTATE RIGHT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED OFF FROM THE A- FRAME. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO NO LUBRICATION/GREASE BETWEEN THE SEATING OF THE BALL JOINTS. *AK
ALARM SYSTEM WIRING SHORTED DUE TO IT RUBBING AGAINST THE CAR BODY. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE KILL MECHANISM TO ACTIVATE THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE ALARM COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF. REPAIR SHOP HAD TO CUT AND RESPLICE THE WIRES SO THAT CAR WOULD START.*AK
AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR SEIZED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING BELT TO BURN AND BREAK.*AK
FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. AS A RESULT, A GRINDING SOUND WAS PRODUCED. *AK
THE BALL JOINT LETTING GO . *AK
TIE ROD FELL OFF. STARTED ENGINE, PROCEEDED TO PULL OUT OF PARKING PLACE AND THE TIE ROD FELL OFF. SINCE CHRYSLER NOW MAKES TIE RODS SO THAT THEY CANNOT BE LUBRICATED, THEY DRY UP AND THE END JUST DROPS OFF. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY 50 MILES AN HOUR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FOR…
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TIE ROD FELL OFF. STARTED ENGINE, PROCEEDED TO PULL OUT OF PARKING PLACE AND THE TIE ROD FELL OFF. SINCE CHRYSLER NOW MAKES TIE RODS SO THAT THEY CANNOT BE LUBRICATED, THEY DRY UP AND THE END JUST DROPS OFF. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY 50 MILES AN HOUR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FOREWARNING OF A PROBLEM UNTIL IT HAPPENS. MY MECHANIC ALSO NOTICED THAT CHRYSLER HAS INSTALLED A HEAT SHIELD BETWEEN THE TIE RODS AND BRAKES. I HAVE SAVED THE PARTS AND I HAVE NOTIFIED CHRYSLER OF THIS SITUATION. I HAVE 78,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I TRULY FEEL THAT THE TIE ROD FELL OFF DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR FLAWED DESIGN -- I AM NOTIFYING YOU IN THE HOPES THAT THIS WILL BE LOOKED INTO SO THAT NO ONE GETS KILLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. AS I SAID I WAS VERY FORTUNATE, THE NEXT PERSON OR FAMILY MAY NOT. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SHIP THE PARTS -- I WILL BE GLAD TO. THANK YOU. *NM
FRONT SEAT BELTS LOCKED AND WONT WORK...THE DEALERSHIP THAT IM HAVING THIS WORKED ON WAS GOING TO CHARGE ME $756.00 TO FIX...CHRYSLER IS GOING TO PAY ALL BUT $200.00..SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I BELIEVE A DEFECT...I THINK THEY SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE....... *NM
MY NAME IS [XXX]. I HAVE A 1996 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE I PULLED INTO A FILLING STATION AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN I STARTED IT, IT REVVED UP AND ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. I PRESSED THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD BUT COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. I WENT THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE STATION AND FINALLY CAME TO A STOP IN THE COFFEE MACHINES. I WAS…
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MY NAME IS [XXX]. I HAVE A 1996 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE I PULLED INTO A FILLING STATION AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN I STARTED IT, IT REVVED UP AND ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. I PRESSED THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD BUT COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. I WENT THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE STATION AND FINALLY CAME TO A STOP IN THE COFFEE MACHINES. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. I WAS IN FLORIDA AT THE TIME AND I RECEIVED A TICKET FOR CARELESS DRIVING. THE POLICE OFFICER SAID NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR CAR. THERE WAS NO WAY TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE CAR. I HAD ONLY OWNED THIS CAR 5 MONTHS. IT SHOWS THAT THE CAR WAS IN FOR A RECALL IN AUG OF 2002 FOR THROTTLE REPAIR. ON MARCH 17 IN SAVANNAH GA THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO A 1996 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE AND HE HIT 9 PEOPLE. I HAVE TALKED TO THE GENTLEMAN. HIS SEBRING REVVED UP, ACCELERATED AND HE COULDN'T GET IT STOPPED. HIS HAD ALSO BEEN IN FOR RECALL IN 2002. MY CAR IS STILL IN THE DEALER SHIP IN FLORIDA AND IS BEING REPAIRED FOR THE DAMAGES CAUSED IN THE ACCIDENT. I DON'T THINK I COULD EVER DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN IN FEAR THAT IT WILL DO IT AGAIN AND MAYBE CAUSE A INJURY OR DEATH. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE ODOMETER AND RPM GAUGE WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE ABS LIGHT ALSO COMES ON THEN GOES OFF INTERMITTENTLY. HAVE CHANGED FUSES BUT STILLHAVE THE SAME RESULTS.*AK
Official recalls
104V021000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Jan 13, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: EITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA03011 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock
Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Jan 30, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.