1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

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.

SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT "PULL OUT". AT FIRST IT ONLY HAPPENED SPORADICALLY AND FOR SHORT DURATION. PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE OFTEN UNTIL BELTS HAVE NOT WORKED AT ALL FOR PAST 2-3 WEEKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10465362

Incident

May 3, 2011

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT DETACHED FROM THE SOCKET WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09E056000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT), BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER PROPOSED THAT THE CONTACT PAY 50 PERCENT OF THE COST OF THE REPAIRS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10432941

Incident

Oct 12, 2011

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT REMAINED STUCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION AND HE WAS UNABLE TO USE THE SEATBELT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,320 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,300.

NHTSA ID

10425315

Incident

Sep 13, 2011

Mileage

111,300 mi

I HAVE A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING JXI CONVERTIBLE, THAT THE SEATBELT ARE GENERALLY USELESS. BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEAT BELTS LOCK AND WILL NOT RETRACK, THEREFORE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THEM. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY IN A CONVERTIBLE. I LIVE IN A STATE WHERE SEATBELTS ARE REQUIRES, BUT WHEN THEY ARE LOCKED I CAN NOT USE THEM. I HAVE NOT FOUND WHERE THE SEATBELTS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, SHOULDN'T THERE BE A LIFETIME GUARANTEE ON SEATBELTS SINCE THEY ARE A SAFETY DEVICE? I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND IT IS AN ONGOING SITUATION WITH THE MOST RECENT BEING YESTERDAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10409017

Incident

Jun 25, 2011

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A FRIENDS DRIVEWAY IN MY 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND A GRINDING SOUND. WHEN I GOT OUT TO LOOK, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY BROKE IN HALF BY THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY. I THEN CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED AND WHEN THE TOW COMPANY CAME THEY INFORMED ME THIS WAS THE 4TH CHRYSLER CONVERTIBLE IN TWO MONTHS THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO TOW WITH THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT BREAKING. I THEN DECIDED TO CHECK FOR RECALLS AND IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE 2 RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE BUT WHEN I CONTACTED THE LOCCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP THEY INFORM ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. HOW CAN THAT BE WHEN YOU LIST THE FOLLOWING RECALLS 04V021000, 09E056000 AND 10E059000 ON YOUR WEBSITE. I AM JUST VERY THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS, LIKE TWO OF THE OTHER ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SHARED WITH ME. TWO OF THE OTHER VEHICLES HE TOWED, THE DRIVERS WERE INJURED WHEN THE BALL JOINT BROKE AND THEY CRASHED.

NHTSA ID

10380819

Incident

Jan 4, 2011

Mileage

15,000 mi

MY 1997 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAIN DURING RUSH HOUR. AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT AT A MAJOR HIGHWAY INTERSECTION, MY CAR DIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. MY OIL PRESSURE SENSOR WIRING IS THE CAUSE FOR MY FUEL PUMP TO CUT OFF AS A SAFETY MEASURE FOR THE CARS PROTECTION BUT ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE. AFTER SEEING THE DEALER AND LOOKING AT ONLINE FORUMS, I HAVE FOUND THIS IS COMMON FOR THE 2.7L ENGINE IN MY CAR AND MANY OTHER AUTOS MADE BY DAMLIER CHRYSLER. IF THE 18 WHEELER WOULD HAVE NOT CHANGED LANES I WOULD HAVE DIED. I AM WAITING TO REPLACE THE WIRING BECAUSE THIS IS SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS OF WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358919

Incident

Jul 13, 2010

WHILE DRIVING A1997 CHRYS. SEBRING CONVERTIBLE ACROSS A BRIDGE OVER A LAKE, THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. I ALMOST DIDN'T STOP BEFORE GOING IN THE WATER. CAR BLOCKED THE HIGHWAY AND A PATROLMAN STAYED WITH ME UNTIL WRECKER ARRIVED . IT DID MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT FENDER, PLASTIC BUMPER BRAKES AND WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10343086

Incident

Feb 20, 2010

Mileage

172,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING JXI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER AND GEAR LIGHTING INDICATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A LOOSE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION CAUSED THE ODOMETER AND GEAR LIGHT INDICATOR TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE ODOMETER WORKED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10330340

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi

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.

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.

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