2001 Chrysler Sebring

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE LUBE SPECIALISTS HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND AND SUGGESTED THAT VEHICLE BE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS FAILING AND THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALERS FOR THE PARTS TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT VIEWED ONLINE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR SYMPTOMS OF RECALL.

I HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK END OF MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. I NEEDED TO PICK UP CHILDREN AND INTENDED TO LOOK INTO NOISE WHEN I GOT HOME. ABOUT A MILE FROM HOME ON A BUMPY COUNTRY ROAD, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. WHILE CHANGING THE TIRE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE STRUT SUPPORT HAD CORRODED AND BROKEN, THROWING THE SHOCK INTO MY TIRE. TIRE IS DESTROYED AND STRUT/SHOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC LOOKS AT THE OTHER SIDE AND FINDS THAT IT TOO IS CORRODED AND READY TO BREAK. A FRIEND IS A MECHANIC FOR A CHRYSLER DEALER AND SAYS HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE AND CHRYSLER KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. THIS MALFUNCTION SENT MY CAR INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE, AND I WAS JUST LUCKY THAT I WAS IN THE COUNTRY AND NO ONE WAS COMING THE OTHER WAY! THE WARRANTY ON MY CAR EXPIRED 2 MONTHS AGO. IS CHRYSLER IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS? *JB

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING 4 DOOR SEDAN. SINCE THE PURCHASING THE NEW CAR DIRECTLY FROM THE DEALER THE CAR HAS FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. I FORTUNATELY HAVE NOT BE INJURED AS A RESULT HOWEVER, THIS IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM AS MY PREVIOUS CHRYSLER DID THIS AS WELL. IT WILL HAPPEN WHILE SITTING AT A STAND STILL THE CAR WILL PROPEL ITSELF FORWARD AND IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT ON THE BRAKE IT WILL TAKE OFF. *NM

I BOUGHT A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH A 2.7 L ENGINE IN NOVEMBER 2005. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE 59 FROM LOUISIANA TO ALABAMA ON JAN. 2, 2006 MY ENGINE SEIZED AND STOPPED. I HAD TO PULL OFF OF THE INTERSTATE IMMEDIATELY TO KEEP FROM GETTING HIT. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY FOUND IT HAD SLUDGE ALL OVER THE ENGINE. I HAVE KEPT MY CAR MAINTAINED AND HAD AN OIL CHANGE THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. THIS LEFT ME VULNERABLE TO HAVE INJURED MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. I WAS OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, BUT WAS TOLD SLUDGE WAS NOT COVERED. I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *JB

ON TURNING INTO A MAIN STREET IN OUR TOWN FROM A DRIVEWAY, THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ON MY CAR PULLED APART, RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. DUE TO THE LOW SPEED INVOLVED, I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE CAR TO THE CURB WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I-89 EARLIER, AND HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED THEN, COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL, AND THE POSSIBLE DEATH OR INJURY TO MY WIFE AND I WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO VERMONT TIRE, HERE IN SOUTH BURLINGTON, WHERE THE TIE ROD ENDS (401-1704 & 401-1737) WERE REPLACED AND THE FRONT END WAS RE-ALIGNED. I HAVE THE OLD PARTS FOR INSPECTION, IF DESIRED. TOTAL MILEAGE ON THE CAR WAS 62285. NOTE, THE TIE ROD ENDS NORMALLY THREAD TOGETHER. IN THIS CASE CORROSION ALLOWED THESE PARTS TO PULL APART COMPLETELY. EXCEPT FOR ABOUT A HALF INCH AT THE VERY TOP OF THE THREADED END OF THE ROD, THE ROD COULD BE INSERTED AND WITHDRAWN WITH LITTLE OR NO RESISTANCE, AND THIS IS HOW THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO WARNING IN THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE CAR TO INDICATE THE FAILURE WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. *JB

PURCHASED A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING NEW WITH 101 MILES IN AUG 2001. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 42,000 MILES AND THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THE CHRYSLER'S 2.7L ENGINE HAS MANY INTERNET DOCUMENTS SHOWING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. NOT COVERED BY CHRYSLER OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. WAS DRIVING VEHICLE 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY AT 8:00 AM WHEN THE CAR JUST DIED. FORTUNATELY (ALTHOUGH RUSH HOUR) NO ONE WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE VEHICLE. CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS CHRYSLER WANTS $6,000 TO FIX THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH $8,800. CAR IS STILL SITTING AT DEALERSHIP. CHRYSLER HAS NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO THIS ENGINE SO EVEN IF REPAIRS ARE MADE THIS PROBLEM WILL KEEP OCCURRING. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A PUDDLE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE COOLER HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V011002, REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 8/14/2006 - THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE WORN. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SMOKE. THE TRANSMISSION HOSE AND THE SOLENOID PACK WERE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V011002, REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION LINES. THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM