2001 Chrysler Sebring

VEHILCE IS A CHYRSLER SEABRING CONVERTIBLE (2001). CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE. WHILE DRIVING, CAR DIED WITHOUT WARNING. CLANKING NOISE HAPPENED UNDER HOOD AND CAR STALLED APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER.*AK TWO MECHANICS HAVE DIAGNOSED THE NEED TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. QUOTES TO REPAIR RANGE FROM $3,700 TO $8,700. CALLED CHYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE. WAS TOLD THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SENT LETTER TO CEO OF CHRYSLER USA AND HAVE NOT REC'D RESPONSE TO DATE.

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI 2.7L V6. VEHICLE PURCHASED APRIL 2002 AS CERTIFIED 8/80. LOUD KNOCKING FROM ENGINE. ENGINE SIEZED UP ON FREEWAY AND DIED. DEALER FOUND TIMING CHAINS BROKEN, THEW A ROD, ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING LACK OF OWNER MAINT. RECORDS. HAD ENGINE REPLACED FOR $7500.00.

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING IT IN. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE CHRYSLER TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE ALL THE OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. *TC

THE ENGINE ON MY CHRYSLER SEBRING (2.7) QUIT DUE TO EXCESS SLUDGE FROM A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME ANY COSTS. I HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY HAVE TO REPAIR 6 OR 7 CARS A YEAR DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT AT A COST OF NEARLY $2,500. IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD PERFORMED THE WORK IT WOULD HAVE COST NEARLY $7,000 AND THEY WOULD HAVE PUT A NEW, BUT THE SAME DEFECTIVE ENGINE IN MY CAR. A JASPER ENGINE EMPLOYEE DOCUMENTED THAT CHRYSLER HAS NEVER DONE THE UPDATES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROBLEM. *AK

OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY TYPE OF WARNING WHEN MY ENGINE FAILED AFTER ONLY 43,000 MILES. IT IS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEDAN. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT THESE ENGINES 2.7 LITER FOUND IN THE SEBRING AND INTREPID ARE PRONE TO SLUDGE AND PREMATURE FAILURE. MY WARRANTY WAS UP AT 36,000 MILES AND I AM GOING BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO GET SOME HELP WITH THESE REPAIRS CONSISTING OF $4988.45. A NEW ENGINE SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED IN A VEHICLE WITH 43,000 MILES. (AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE) I HAVE SPOKEN TO 5 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY ARE ALL AWARE OF THESE ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WAS STRANDED 150 MILES FROM HOME, IT WAS GRADUATION WK-END SO NO HOTEL ROOMS AND NO RENTAL CARS AVAILABLE. I WAS OUTSIDE OF KIRKSVILLE MO. AND HAD TO RIDE WITH A STRANGER TO GET TO SOMEWHERE THAT I COULD PHONE SINCE MY CELL PHONE WAS OUT OF RADUIS. *AK

ON OR ABOUT MARCH 30, 2004 MY CAR DEVELOPED A TICKING NOISE. I DISCOVERED THE NOISE WHEN ORDERING FOOD AT A DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW. THE NOISE WAS ONLY EVIDENT WHEN I HAD MY WINDOW DOWN. MY CAR ALSO HAD NO HEAT BY THIS TIME. OVER THE LAST TWO WINTERS I WOULD NOT HAVE HEAT WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLE, BUT THIS YEAR IT HAD GRADUALLY DETERIORATED TO NO HEAT WHEN IDLE OR UPON ACCELARATION. ACCORDING TO THE OWER'S MANUAL NO ANTIFREEZE WOULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS LOW ON OIL AND HAD NO ANTIFREEZE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TO CHECK THE ANTIFREEZE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED YOU NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL TO ADD ANTIFREEZE, BUT THE MANUAL FAIL TO TELL YOU WHAT THAT SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS. THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND THE ANTIFREEZE WAS FILLED. THE TICKING NOISE PERSISTED AND THEN THE RED OIL LAMP CAME ON ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING THIS SERVICE PERFORMED. I MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE TICKING NOISE. AFTER CHECKING MY CAR OVER I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING THAT IT APPEARED I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE, THE ANITFREEZE THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN TWO WEEKS PRIOR WAS COMPLETELY GONE. MY CAR HAD NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKAGE. WHERE DID THE ANTIFREEZE GO? WHY IS MY LOW OIL LIGHT COMING ON AS WELL? IT APPEARS THAT THE 2.7L ENGINE FAILS REGARDLESS OF MAINTENANCE DUE TO DESIGN OF THE ENGINE (LIMITING PASSAGE OF OIL) AND THIS FAILURE IS ALSO LINKED TO THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKAGE OVER TIME, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT AND BUILD UP SLUDGE. THE DEALER THEN TELLS YOU THAT ENGINE PROBLEM IS DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD-UP OR RATHER POOR MAINTENANCE ON YOUR PART AND VOIDS THE WARRANTY OR REFUSES ANY ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR EXPENSE. MY ENGINE FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 52,000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM IS COSTING CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.*AK