2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THREE YEARS LATER, THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE OIL SLUDGE ISSUE WITH THE CHRYSLER 2.7 L ENGINE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH LOW MILES, AND HAD MY TENSION ARM GO OUT A FEW MONTHS LATER DUE TO SLUDGE BUILDUP. THIS SECOND INSTANCE CAME UP PRETTY QUICKLY. THE STARTED KNOCKING ON HARD ACCELERATION, THEN 2 DAYS LATER STARTED MISSING BADLY GOING UPHILL ON MY WAY HOME FORM WORK. THE ENGINE DIES ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN PORTLAND (GERMANTOWN RD.). THIS IS A VERY STEEP EXTREMELY CURVY ROAD AND I CAME ALL TOO CLOSE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE FIRST TURN WITH NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. MAKING MY WAY DOWN THE REMAINDER OF THE HILL WAS A BIT FRIGHTENING, TO SAY THE LEAST. AFTER GETTING TOWED AND FINDING OUT THE DAMAGE WAS BLOWN BEARINGS AND REPLACE THE ENGINE, IT WAS SUGGESTED I LOOK ONLINE FOR CHRYSLER 2.7 L ENGINE TO FIND THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A DEFECT AND THE ENGINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED OR REPAIRED BY CHRYSLER, BUT CHRYSLER CLAIMS THE ENGINE IS FINE, IT'S THE OWNER'S FAULT.

HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/L.PHP?U=HTTP%3A%2F%2FWWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM%2FCHRYSLER%2FSEBRING%2F2001%2FENGINE%2FOIL_SLUDGE_RESULTING_IN_ENGINE_FAILURE.SHTML&H=08196 THIS HAPPENED TO MY SEBRING TWICE! IT FAILED THE FIRST TIME, AND WE PUT A NEW ENGINE IN IT, THEN THIS ENGINE FAILED. CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DEFECT IS THEIR ENGINE! I SPENT $8000 ON THE NEW ENGINE, NOW I AM IN DEBT FOR A NEW CAR BECAUSE IT FAILED AGAIN! PLEASE HELP! THERE ARE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS BUT NOT IN MY STATE - VA. THANKS YOU! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WENT TO THE LOCAL 7-11 LESS THEN 1 MIN. BY CAR TO GET SOMETHING. CAR WAS QUIET & SMOOTH RUNNING LIKE IT SHOULD BE - SINCE I MAINTAINED MY CAR & TOOK EXTRA SPECIAL CARE OF IT SINCE IT IS MY CAR & HAS MY HANDICAP PLATES ON IT. I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT OF THE 7-11 - CAME TO A RED LIGHT, WAS 1ST CAR AT RED LIGHT- LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN, WENT TO APPLY GAS, CAR STALLED - WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR RESTARTED- WHEN IT DID RESTART, THE CAR WAS NOW MAKING A FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. WENT TO APPLY GAS, COULD FEEL THAT THE CAR WANTED TO STALL AGAIN - WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY APPLY GAS, AND THEN BE ABLE TO COAST DOWN THE LITTLE HILL TO MY SIDE STREET & ABLE TO GET THE CAR SAFELY INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS VERY LUCKY I WASN'T REAR ENDED AT THE LIGHT- THE ROAD ON WHICH IT STALLED THEY HAVE A 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT- I WAS ALSO VERY LUCKY MY CHILD WASN'T IN THE CAR WITH ME. THE FAILURE OF THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE- BECAUSE THE CAR WAS TOWED FROM MY HOME TO THE DEALERSHIP - WHERE IT STILL SITS ALMOST 1 YEAR LATER - THIS ENGINE FAILURE IS A CHRYSLER ISSUE - THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THE CAR REPAIRS & REPLACE THE ENGINE - CONSIDERING THE FACT THEY HAVE KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR ENGINES FOR MANY MANY YEARS & STILL CONTINUE FROM WHAT I HAVE READ BY DOING GOOGLE SEARCHES ON THIS 2.7L V6 ENGINE. YOU ARE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC & SAFETY COMMISSION AND HAVE THE PWER TO RECALL THESE ENGINES BEFORE SOMEONE DIES FROM DRIVING THESE CARS WITH THESE ENGINES OR BEFORE A CHILD IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE-. *TR

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONV - LXI , 2.7 LITER 83,000 MILES , WATER PUMP QUIT AS WORKING ON IT REALIZED THE PUMP BLEW MOST OF THE WATER IN TO THE ENGINE , REPLACED THE TIMING IDLER , FLUSHED THE ENGINE OUT , REPLACED THE OIL , RAN THE ENGINE , THEN REPLACED TO FRESH OIL , FEW DAY LATER NOTICED THE CAR WAS SHOWING LOW OIL CAUSING THE LIGHT TO TURN ON , CHECKED THE OIL CAME OUT BEING FINE 5 QUARTS AS ITS SUPPOSED TO HAVE , REPLACED OIL AND FILTER TO BE SURE ALL WAS 100% FINE OIL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AT IDLE MOMENTS AFTER THE ENGINE BE GONE TO MAKE A VERY LOUD RATTLING SOUND ,CALLED CHRYSLER THEY SAID THIS IS A TYPICAL ISSUE WITH THE MODEL ENGINE AND SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE ENGINE AS I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET I NOTICE I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE THERE IS A VERY HIGH AMOUNT OF OWNERS OF THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE OF THE LOUD RATTLING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE , CHRYSLER CLAIMS IT'S DUE TO IMPROPER OIL CHANGES AND THE ENGINE BREAKS DOWN DUE TO SLUDGE , I WOULD LIKE TO LET MY CAR BE USED AS AN EXAMPLE FOR A FARE RECALL AS I HAVE NO ENGINE SLUDGE AND HAVE A VALID TRACK RECORD OF OIL CHANGES AT 3,000 OR BEFORE 3,000 MILES WITH WAL-MART HERE IN MY TOWN MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE USA AND NEVER ONCE HAD A MAJOR ISSUE OF ANY SORT TILL THE PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AS IT DOES IN MANY OTHER CARS OUT THERE BUT SINCE THIS ISSUE HAS COME TO THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED. *TR

ON 7/27 BEFORE LEAVING HOME, CAR WAS SERVICED BY PALMER DODGE (ROSWELL, GA ). EXPLAINED THAT I WAS GOING ON TRIP FROM ALPHARETTA, GA-OSSINING, NY (2000 MILES ROUNDTRIP). TOLD DEALER CAR HAD APPROX. 85,000 & WAS WILLING TO RENT A CAR. "PLEASE GO OVER CAR & TELL ME IF I WAS YOUR WIFE...WOULD YOU HAVE ME RENT A CAR OR TAKE MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE LTD. TO NY & BACK."LEFT THE DEALERSHIP WITH AN OIL CHANGE & A 24 POINT SAFETY CHECK W/NO CONCERNS ABOUT CAR. WE ARRIVED IN NY ON 7/29 SAFELY (9 YR. OLD TWINS & MALTESE ARRIVED IN NY). ON JULY 31 WE DROVE FROM THE HOTEL IN TARRYTOWN TO OSSINING VISITED MY MOTHER, FATHER GRAVES. WHILE AT THE LAST GRAVE THE OIL LIGHT FLICKERED WHILE THE CAR SAT RUNNING. I PRESSED GAS PEDAL IT WENT OUT. WE STARTED BACK TO HOTEL VIA ROUTE 9., A NARROW, 2 LANE HIGHWAY. GOT ABOUT 3 MILES TO BRIARCLIFF MANOR WHEN I HEARD THE CAR MAKE A TAPPING SOUND. DESPITE TRAFFIC AND NO WARNING...NO OIL LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT ETC. I MAKE A SHARP TURN TO SIDE STREET & TURNED OFF CAR. MY CHILDREN ARE CRYING, MY SISTER & DOG ARE FREAKED OUT & THERE WE ARE STRANDED WITH 1.5 HRS BEFORE MY NEPHEWS BABY DEDICATION. I START THE CAR BACK UP & PUT THE FLASHERS ON /DRIVE THE CAR MOSTLY IN NEUTRAL PRAYING ALL THE WAY TO THE ENTRANCE TO SLEEPY HOLLOW AUTOMOTIVE WHO QUICKLY TOLD ME THE ENGINE IS SHOT & THE CAR WHICH I THOUGHT WAS WORTH AT LEAST $5000 WAS NOT WORTH FIXING. I CALLED JENKIN ENGINES & WAS TOLD ME THERE ARE 3 MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CHRYSLER 2.7 ENGINE AND IT WOULD COST $3600 FOR A REMAN. ENGINE & $1800 FOR LABOR (MINIMUM)- 3 WEEKS TO FIX... I WAS NOW STRANDED IN NY, VACATION RUINED, CHILDREN FREAKED OUT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS. HOW IN 2010 CAN AN ENGINE "DIE" WITH NO WARNING? THIS IS RECALL CAND. & NHTSA SHOULD MAKE CHRYSLER REPAIR OR REIMBURSE CAR OWNERS. MY CAR IS STILL IN NY...GA DEALER NOT RETURNING CALLS. RECOM OIL TOO THIN? OIL SLUDGE? EASY TO BLAME OWNERS FOR OIL CHANGES WHEN CHRYSLER THIS IS YOUR FAULT. BE RESPONSIBLE. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2001 SEBRING LXI CONVERTIBLE IN DEC 2003, WITH JUST OVER 500 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT HAD SUFFERED A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT THE ORIGINAL DEALER, HAD NEVER BEEN SOLD TO A CUSTOMER, WAS RETURNED TO CHRYSLER FOR A REPLACEMENT, THEN SAT ON A BACK LOT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS BEFORE BEING RESOLD TO ANOTHER DEALER. I BOUGHT IT WITH A NEW CAR WARRANTY AND BOUGHT THE EXTENDED (7 YEAR/70,000 MILE) WARRANTY. AFTER INITIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, HEATER AND WARPED BRAKE ROTORS (ALL FIXED BY THE DEALER), THE CAR SERVED ME VERY WELL FOR 50,000 MILES--NO SERIOUS ISSUES AT ALL. AT EACH SERVICE AFTER ROUGHLY 20,000 MILES, I WOULD TELL THE CHRYSLER SERVICE DEPT THAT THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. THEY WOULD DULY CHECK THE OIL LEVEL AND TELL ME NOT TO WORRY. THEN I TOOK IT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER (ROSENTHAL, ARLINGTON, VA) FOR THE 50K SERVICE AND TOLD THEM THAT THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON FREQUENTLY AT IDLE OR VERY LOW RPMS FOR THE PAST 10,000 MILES OR SO, BUT THE OIL LEVEL WAS FINE, AND ALSO THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEGUN TO USE OIL AT ABOUT 1 QUART EVERY COUPLE OF THOUSAND MILES. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY, THAT THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE (2.7L) WITH THAT MUCH MILEAGE TENDED TO USE OIL. HE SAID JUST TO KEEP IT TOPPED UP. I KEPT CHECKING AND ADDING OIL FOR THE NEXT 5,000 MILES. JUST BEFORE I INTENDED TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR ANOTHER OIL CHANGE, THE ENGINE BLEW WITHOUT WARNING ON AN INTER-STATE HIGHWAY. I HAD IT HAULED TO THE NEAREST CHRYSLER DEALER AND PAID TO HAVE THE OIL PAN PULLED AND ASSESSED. THE MECHANIC SAID THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND THE CAUSE WAS SLUDGE BUILD-UP, AND THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THAT CAUSE FOR ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE 2.7 L, 89500 MILES, ENGINE LOOSES OF POWER AT 70 MPH ON I95 WITHOUT WARNING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, FORCING DRIVER TO MAKE A UNSAFE LANE CHANGES TO COAST OFF OF THE ROADWAY. INVESTIGATION ON INTERNET HAS RESULTED IN FIND OUT THAT CHRYSLER CORP HAS HAD A BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE FAILING BUT TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE AND CONTINUES TO BLAME IT ALL ON THE CONSUMER FOR IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, OIL CHANGES. THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED ONCE THE EXACT COMPONENT FAILURE MOST LIKELY A ROD BEARING IS FOUND, THIS WILL RESULT IN TOTAL REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $6,000 - $8,000 OR MORE AT MY EXPENSE WHEN IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE VEHICLE WARRANTY