1996 Chrysler Sebring Coupe Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Chrysler Sebring Coupe, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Suspension770.0%
- Driver assistance110.0%
- Other / unspecified110.0%
- Transmission110.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPE. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE LUNCH BREAK ACTIVITIES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED MECHANICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT SUDDENLY SEPARATED AND JAMMED THE TIRE UP INTO THE FENDER WELL AT AN AWKWARD ANGLE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT COST OVER $800 TO REPLACE THE SUSPENSION PARTS ON BOTH SIDES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE, WAS DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION, BECAUSE YEARS AGO, MANUFACTURERS CHOSE TO DELETE THE INEXPENSIVE GREASE FITTING ON SUSPENSION PARTS AND INSTEAD CHOSE SUBSTITUTED SEALED BALL JOINTS THAT WERE SUBJECT TO FAILURE. *JB UPDATED 04/26/11.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK, WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE RUBBER ON THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD SPLIT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 99V066003 WHICH PERTAINED TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPLE LX. THE THROTTLE CONTROL IS STICKING. IF COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE ON AT A FULL THROTTLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT RECALLS, AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE MAIN COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT THAT REPLACEMENT WAS NOT RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE FALSE SIGNALS FROM THE IDLE AIR CONTROL SOLENOID TO THE MAIN COMPUTER, CAUSING THE THROTTLE CONTROL TO STICK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP YET. HE WANTED TO CONTACT NHTSA FIRST. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN NINE MONTHS AGO, AND OCCURRED SIX TIMES, GENERALLY AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. *AK *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON DECEMBER 2000, THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS OF THE SUSPENSION OF MY 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING WERE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT WAS DUE TO NOISE AND STEERING PROBLEMS OF THE CAR. THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE THEN REPLACED DUE TO THE COMPLAINT AND A RECALL ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. ON 26 JANUARY 2004, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR FAILED AS I DROVE IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CV AXLE TO DISLODGE FROM THE ENGINE AND DAMAGE THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND BODY OF THE CAR. I THE PROCEEDED TO CONTACT CHRYSLER FOR AN INVESTIGATION. THE CASE # IS 120-241-89. THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED 9 FEBRUARY 2004. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE VEHICLE IS PARKED IS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .