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1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 72.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

44 reports with mileage · 33 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 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports

Power Train complaints

6 reports
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83,000 miles · Aug 12, 2005
Air BagsPower TrainSeat BeltsCrashInjury

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 3-15-05 CONCERNING THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK SHE CALLED AT THE END OF MARCH OR THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. ON 5-7-05, BEFORE THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT A POLE. AND THE E…

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DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 3-15-05 CONCERNING THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK SHE CALLED AT THE END OF MARCH OR THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. ON 5-7-05, BEFORE THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT A POLE. AND THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE WAS $8,700. ON 5-12-05 CHRYSLER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO CHECK THE VEHICLE . THE CONSUMER WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE INSPECTION, BUT SOMEONE ELSE WHO WAS AT THE INSPECTION CLAIMED THAT THE INVESTIGATOR TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. HE DID NOT THINK THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CRASH. THE CONSUMER DID NOT AGREE, STATING THAT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH. NEITHER THE SEAT BELTS NOR THE AIR BAGS WORKED IN THE CRASH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10132650

85,000 miles · Jul 15, 2005
Air BagsPower TrainSeat BeltsCrashInjury

DT: WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND PULLED IN FRONT OF A BOWLING ALLEY TO PICK UP ANOTHER PASSENGER. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN IGNITION, WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE CAR GAINED SPEED AND WAS TOO QUICK BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD GAIN CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN AN INCLINE AND …

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DT: WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND PULLED IN FRONT OF A BOWLING ALLEY TO PICK UP ANOTHER PASSENGER. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN IGNITION, WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE CAR GAINED SPEED AND WAS TOO QUICK BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD GAIN CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN AN INCLINE AND CRASHED INTO A PARKING LOT POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH PASSENGER HAD SEAT BELTS ON BUT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT REMAIN LOCKED AND PASSENGER STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD, THIS DID NOT UNLATCH BUT A GREAT DEAL SLACK CAME FROM THAT SEAT BELT. HAD RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE TRANSAXLES FLOOR SHIFT(NO NHTSA RECALL CAMP ID# AVAILABLE) THIS RECALL HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. A INSPECTOR FROM CHRYSLER CAME OUT TO IMPASSES VEHICLE WHO LATER NOTED THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT DUE THE RECALL BUT CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW HOW HE MADE THIS ASSUMPTION BECAUSE HE JUST LOOKED AT VEHICLE-THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED UP AT THE TIME. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. DEALER DID MAKE AWARE THERE WAS ALSO A RECALL ON THROTTLE AS WELL(NO NHTSA RECALL ID AT THIS TIME.) DEALER AND CHRYSLER ARE UNWILLING TO COVER DAMAGES AS WELL THE RECALL REPAIR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10128886

115,000 miles · Jul 13, 2005
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER MOTORIST. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO JUMPING OUT OF GEAR DUE TO THE RECALL ON THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER/IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10128560

114,000 miles · Apr 15, 2004
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 30 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. TOWED VEHICLE TO THE INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND TECHNICIAN DETERMINED A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067209

114,000 miles · Apr 15, 2004
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 30 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. TOWED VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE NEED FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION OR REBUILT THE OLD TRANSMISSION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10067207

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2003
Power TrainCrash

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CONSUMER'S SON KICKED THE GEAR SHIFT AND VEHICLE WENT INTO DRIVE, RESULTING IN A FRONT END COLLISION, VEHICLE HIT A TREE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10043984

Official recalls

1

04V021000 · 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

1

EA03011 · 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.