2002 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE PARTIALLY DEFLATED. THE CONTACT ADDED AIR TO THE TIRES BUT FOUND THAT THE TIRES WERE EXHIBITING A SLOW LEAK. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE RIMS OF THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME PITTED OVER TIME AND WAS ALLOWING AIR TO LEAK. THE MECHANIC ALSO ADVISED REPLACING THE RIMS. THE RIMS WERE NOT REPLACED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

FORCED TO REPLACE ALL MY TIRES ONCE, AND BRING MY CAR INTO NTB MULTIPLE TIMES REGARDING MY TIRES GOING FLAT DESPITE THAT THE CAR COULD SIT IN MY GARAGE ALL WEEK, AFTER SPEAKING WITH NTB THEY SAID THEY DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME, A CHRYSLER PULLS IN AND HE CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THE WHEEL RIM ON THE CHROME ONES, ARE CORRODING CAUSING A RIM LEAK, THIS CAUSES MANY UNINFORMED CUSTOMERS TO GO OUT AND BUY BRAND NEW TIRES WHEN THIS IS NOT NECESSARY, IT ALSO FORCES CUSTOMERS TO WASTE TIME EITHER BY HAVING THEIR CAR CHECKED OUT EVERY MONTH B.C OF THESE LEAKS OR MAKE THEM STOP AT A GAS STATION AND FILL THEIR TIRES UP WITH AIR LIKE I DO. I PLEASE ASK YOU ALL WHO READ THIS TO WRITE TO CHRYSLER TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THIS POOR PERFORMANCE, I HAVE READ OTHERS COMPLAINTS WHICH COULD LEAD TO BLOW OUTS, AS FAR AS I LAST CHECKED THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND ADDRESSED NOW! THIS IS ONGOING FOR OVER A YEAR. *TR

CHROME ON RIMS OF 2002 SEBRING ARE FLAKING OFF. I HAVE HAD 6 FLAT TIRES IN THE 14 MONTHS I OWN THE CAR. I PUT AIR IN THE TIRES 2X WEEK. RIMS HAVE BEEN CLEANED BY A TIRE SHOP, BUT HE SAID THE CORROSION OF THE WHEELS ARE MAKING THE TIRES LEAK BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HOLD A SEAL. EACH TIME I HAVE THE CAR SERVICED (EVERY 3K MILES) I COMPLAIN THAT THE TIRES LEAK. DEALER SERVICE DEPT DOES NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH WHEELS, PUTS AIR IN THE TIRES. CAR HAS A FULL SIZE SPARE WITH SAME RIMS. WHEN I NEEDED TO FIX ONE OF THE FLATS AND PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON,THE SPARE WAS ALSO FLAT.. IT HAD BEEN RETURNED TO THE TRUNK AFTER BEING REPAIRED 6 MONTHS EARLIER, BUT IT HAD ALSO BEEN ON THE CAR, BECAME FLAT, WAS REPLACED BY THE SPARE, THAT WAS NOW FLAT AGAIN. *NM

I HAPPILY BOUGHT A NEW SEBRING CONVERTIBLE IN JULY 2002. I BOUGHT THE "COMPLETE" 7/70 EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE I AM A SINGLE WOMAN AND DO NOT WANT TO WORRY ABOUT REPAIRS. DURING 2003 AND 2004, I EXPERIENCED FREQUENT "SOFT" TIRES. DURING A RAIN STORM, I HYDROPLANED ON HIGHWAY 41 AND LOST CONTROL. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ANYONE OR THE CAR. ONLY MY NERVES. I WOULD TEST AND FILL THE TIRES FREQUENTLY. I WAS FRIGHTENED TO DRIVE DURING RAIN/SNOW BECAUSE I DID NOT FEEL CONTROL DUE TO THE TIRES NOT GRIPPING THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW TIRES AND THAT THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES IN DEC. 2005 AT SEARS, HAD THE ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. I CONTINUED TO HAVE SOFT TIRES. SEARS REPLACED THE TIRE VALVES, AND HAD TO SMOOTH THE RIMS TWICE. I NOW HAVE TO CHECK AND FILL THE TIRES WITH AIR 2 - 3 TIMES A WEEK. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD "THIS IS A FREQUENT COMPLAINT OF THE SEBRING CONVERTIBLE RIMS)AND WAS TOLD TO CALL CHRYSLER. AFTER BEING ON HOLD 30 MINUTES, I GOT THROUGH TO CHRYSLER, AND WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH CHRYSLER RECOGNIZES THIS DEFICIENCY IN THE RIMS, THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS BECAUSE I DID NOT REPORT THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD. HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE RIMS AND NOT THE TIRES? I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TIRES!!! PLEASE CHECK THE ACCIDENT RECORD OF CHRYSLER SEBRINGS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *JB

I WAS DRIVING RESIDENTIAL STREETS WHEN I SUDDENLY HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WHEN THE CAR WENT OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 20-25 MPH. BUT I DIDN'T FEEL ANY COMPROMISE IN VEHICLE HANDLING. I PULLED OVER, VISUALLY INSPECTED THE TIRE AND TRIED TO BOUNCE THE CAR FRONT TO REPLICATE THE SOUND WITH NO SUCCESS. I DECIDED TO PROCEED ON AND ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 60-65 MPH. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD CLANKING SOUND AND THE CAR BEGAN VIBRATING. I MOVED OFF THE ROAD, TO THE RIGHT AND STOPPED WITH A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY BOTH IN BRAKING AND STEERING. UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD SINGLE BANG NOISE AND BLACK SMOKE ROSE UP FROM THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MOVED FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER REPAIR SHOP. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT A BOLT FELL OFF OF A SUPPORT ARM THAT HOLDS THE RIGHT BRAKE CALIPER IN PLACE. THE SUPPORT ARM HAD BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE RIM AND LOCKED THE TIRE. I REPLACED THE PREMIUM RIM, SUPPORT ARM, BOLT AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE BRAKE CALIPER. MY BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED, MY CAR IS 3 YRS OLD AND HAS 27,000 MILES AND IS IN OTHERWISE PERFECT CONDITION. *NM