RoadVitals

1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
68
Latest Nov 23, 2018
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Dec 27, 2010
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
9
8 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 68 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible, most frequently naming the electrical, driver assistance and body & structure categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 38 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
10E059000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

Dec 27, 2010
22,689 units potentially affected
The defect: FEDERAL-MOGUL IS RECALLING CERTAIN REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES, PART NUMBERS K7425, 10945, FA4510X, K7427, 10946, AND FA4611X, SOLD FOR USE ON VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE BALL JOINT ON THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL CAUSING THE BALL STUD TO WEAR THROUGH THE CONTROL ARM HOUSING RESULTING IN NOISE AND/OR SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE HOUSING.
The risk: IF THERE IS A SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE HOUSING, THE DRIVER CAN LOOSE STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED CONTROL ARMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 1-877-489-6659.
FEDERAL-MOGUL CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov
09E056000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

Oct 9, 2009
5,787 units potentially affected
The defect: QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVELY HARDENED WHICH COULD CAUSE IT TO CRACK NEAR THE RETAINING RING GROOVE ALLOWING THE BALL STUD TO SEPARATE UNDER IMPACT LOAD. THE SUBJECT BALL JOINTS WERE SOLD AS FOUR PART NUMBERS, D10945, D10946, G10945, AND G10946. THE AFFECTED CONTROL ARMS, D10945 AND D10946, ARE STAMPED WITH THE FOLLOWING DATES ON THE BALL JOINTS: 134308, 135708, 100109, 102709, 104109, 105509, 107609, 108909, 110309, 113209, AND 116609. THE G10945 AND G10946 ARE THE SAME PART AS THE D10945 AND D10946 RESPECTIVELY. THEY ARE LABELED DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON THE AFTERMARKET CUSTOMER.
The risk: SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE SOCKET OF THE BALL JOINT HOUSING WOULD ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO COLLAPSE AND THE WHEEL TO FOLD IN CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
The remedy: QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE WILL REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 9, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE AT 1-800-493-4128.
QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE LLCView on NHTSA.gov
04V021000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

Jan 13, 2004
2,315,768 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: EITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.
The 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.
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATIONManufacturer number C45View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA03011ClosedEngineering Analysis

AUTO TRANS IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK

Opened Jul 17, 2003
Closed Jan 30, 2004

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 TRANSMISSIONLed to recall 04V021000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 68
BrakesDriver assistanceSuspension
Filed Nov 23, 2018

THE SHIFTER IS NOT WORKING

NHTSA ID
11153406
Incident
Jul 28, 2018
Electrical
Filed Feb 9, 2015

I JUST SPENT 12.95 ON GETTING A CAR HISTORY REPORT BECAUSE MY TITLE SAYS THE CAR IS A RECONSTRUCTED,TOTALED TITLE,BUT RECEIVING YOUR REPORT IT SAYS THEY CAN'T EVEN FIND TITLE AND LOW AND BEHOLD IT ISN'T A RECONSTRUCTED CAR????I'M CONFUSED ...WHAT THE HELL DID I PAY FOR..THE FAMILY DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS,IT'S THERE DECEASED MOM'S CAR..I'M WRITING YOU AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SITE,EITHER I GET THE RIGHT REPORT SINCE I'M HOLDING THE TITLE IN MY HAND THAT SAYS OPPOSITE OF YOUR FINDINGS,OR MY MONEY BACK? I REALLY WANTED TO FIND OUT WHY THE CAR IS RECONSTRUCTED TOTALED TITLE YOUR SITE DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE ANY OTHER PLACE TO GET AHOLD OF YOUR SCAM ,WHEN SOMEONE HAS BEEN TOOK FOR THERE MONEY AND GIVING NO INFORMATION... *TR

NHTSA ID
10682043
Incident
Feb 8, 2015
Mileage
63,900 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 18, 2013

BRAKES FAILED AND IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN BRAKING SOMEWHAT HARD WHILE HWY TRAFFIC WAS SLOWING QUICKLY. IF I HADN'T PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE QUICKLY, THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY AND I. BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH. *LN

NHTSA ID
10544185
Incident
Sep 8, 2013
Mileage
42,500 mi
Seat belts
Filed Nov 4, 2010

I HAVE A 96 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE JXI AND THE SEATBELTS "LOCK" IN THE RETRACTED STAGE AT VARIOUS TIMES. BOTH BELTS LOCK AND UNLOCK AT THE SAME TIME. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED NEW SEAT BELTS BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT BOTH BELTS WENT BAD AT THE EXACT SAME TIME, AND THAT THE RELEASE AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF THE SEBRING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10364079
Incident
Oct 29, 2010
Mileage
117,000 mi
Body & structureExterior lighting
Filed May 20, 2010

THIS CAR IS A NIGHTMARE WHEN IT RAINS. I TRAVELED ONE AND A HALF HOURS IN A STORM. THE WATER ON THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR WHERE I HAD CLOTHES IN A SMALL PILE..THEY WERE LITERALLY FLOATING FROM SO MUCH WATER THAT WAS POURING IN. AT ANY TIME THAT I HAD TO STOP AT A LIGHT THE WATER WOULD THEN COME TO THE FRONT IN A HUGE WAVE OF WATER. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? *TR

NHTSA ID
10331333
Incident
May 18, 2010
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+2 more
Filed Mar 24, 2010

WELL WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE BACK WINDOW WAS FULLY OUT, ALSO WHEN IM DRIVING IT SEEMS AS THO IM GOING SLOWER THAN WHAT MY SPEEDOMITER SAYS. THE ALARM DOESNT WORK AT ALL. MY BREAKS BONT FULLY BREAK ON TIME SO I HAVE TO STOP EARLYER THAN USUAL.ALSO ONE DAY I WAS IN THE CAR AND I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACK SLOWLY ALSO THE STERING WHEEL LOCKED.ALSO WHEN I PUT GAS IN IT , IT SAYS ITS HALF EMPTY FAST WHEN I ONLY DRIVE AROUND THE CORNER,BUT WHEN I TURN IT OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR A WHILE THE MEETER GOES UP.

NHTSA ID
10321795
Incident
Mar 22, 2010
Electrical
Filed Dec 1, 2009

THE ODOMETER AND RPM GAUGE WORK INTERMITTENTLY LIKE IN COMPLAINT 10061946. THOUGH THE FUSES LOOK GOOD, THE FOG LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAM FLASH DO NOT WORK NOW SINCE THE ABOVE HAS BEEN OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10294208
Incident
Sep 1, 2009
SteeringSuspension
Filed Dec 1, 2009

RECALL #750 FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ALLEGED REPAIRED 02-10-98. THIS IS A NEW (10-08-09) RECALL. DUE TO MY VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER, IT WAS ASKED IF THE NUMBERS OF THE BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS NUMBERS COULD BE CHECKED TO SEE IF ORIGINAL CHRYSLER OR AFTERMARKET QUALITY PARTS WERE USED. THOUGH THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, LOSS OF STEERING, THE SERVICE ADVISOR ADVISED I'D NEED TO CHECK THE ORIGINAL REPAIR ORDER (02-10-98). THE ORIGINAL OWNER IS DECEASED. SO I GUESS I SHOULD CRAWL UNDER THE CAR AND LOOK FOR WHEREVER THESE PARTS ARE, LET ALONE THE NUMBERS, OR PAY SOMEONE ELSE TO CHECK THEM, OR JUST HOPE CHRYSLER HAD AND USED THEIR OWN PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10294207
Incident
Oct 8, 2009

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

08-049-20

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT

Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.

3100319

STRUCTURE

Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.

3100619

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

31-003-19

EQUIPMENT

Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.

31-006-19

STRUCTURE

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

3100519

STRUCTURE

Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chrysler Sebring Convertible by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2005392049.9
2004622053.1
2003243039.1
20021213048.7
20011203050.6
2000782048.7
1999923259.5
1998523154.0
1997773157.9
1996Viewing683158.0

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.