Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chrysler Sebring submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE VEHICLE'S RH TIE ROD WAS EXTREMELY RUSTED AND PITTED. AS A RESULT THE TIE ROD FAILED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. *NM THE CONSUMER HAD BOTH TIE RODS REPLACED. *TC *JB
CONSUMER LOSS THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A WALL.*JB
LOSS OF CONTROL/STEERING ON CAR. FIRST INCIDENT WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY APPROX. 45 MPH AND NEEDED TO BREAK SUDDENLY. CAR LOST CONTROL AND BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. SECOND INSTANCE WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 65MPH WENT TO MERGE INTO RIGHT LANE AND NOTICED A VEHICLE THERE. JERKED THE CAR BACK INTO MY LANE (NO BRAKES APPLIED AT THAT TIME) AND THE CAR LOST CONTROL AGAIN AND BEGAN FISHTAILING UNCONTROLLABLY. . COULD NOT GAIN CONTROL THIS TIME AND ENDED UP HITTING THE MIDDLE BARRIER OF THE EXPRESSWAY RESULTING IN ANOTHER CAR HITTING MINE. CRASH COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. AM NOW WAITING FOR CHRYSLER INVESTIGATOR TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS A RESULT OF A RECALL. BUT, WILL BRING TO INDEPENDANT MECHANIC FOR THEIR OPINION FIRST. JUST CURIOUS IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE.*AK
THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN RIGHT AND THE CAR MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL NOR WILL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE FAILED PARTS OR DISCUSS THE PROBLEM. BEGNAL MOTORS HAS BEEN HOSTILE AND HAS CLAIMED THE VEHICLE RIDES AS IT SHOULD, THE STEERING SHAKING IS NORMAL, ETC.
AFTER DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR PREVIOUS SUSPENSION RECALLS AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG ON VEHICLE IN 1999, CONSUMER WAS STARTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP SIGN AND TURNING RIGHT. FRONT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE, AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL KICKED OUT FROM VEHICLE ALSO, TIE ROD SEPARATED, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AXLE BECAME DISLODGED FROM TRANSAXLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
FRONT SUSPENSION WOULD WEAROUT EXCESSIVELY. FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, LOWER LEFT BALL JOINT/ OUTER TIE ROD END/ SWAY BAR LINK, AND BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED BY MECHANIC. IN ADDITION, HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING WATER AND OIL, AND THEY WERE REPLACED.*AK *SLC
LOWER COLUMN SHAFT DESIGN DOES NOT HAVE A COVER OVER OPENING IN FLOOR BOARD AND AS A RESULT THE CARPET GOT STUCK IN OPENING, LOCKING STEERING AND CONSUMER HIT A TREE. NLM
WHEN WINDOWS ARE ROLLED UP, EITHER FRONT OR BACK WINDOW WILL GET CAUGHT BEHIND THE OTHER, NOT ALLOWING THE OCCUPANTS TO EXIT. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK WINDOWS LEAK, BRAKES MAKE NOISE AND SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THEY CATCH, ELECTRIC MIRRORS INOPERATIVE, WATER STANDING IN THE DRIVERS REAR TAILLIGHT COVER, ALARM SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. NLM
1. STRUCTURE/FRAME/BODY -- WATER GETS INTO THE CAR AND COLLECTS UNDER THE BACK SEAT CUSHION AND ON THE FLOOR. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER AND ATTEMPTS TO FIX HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE WATER GETS IN AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS AND HAS BEEN OBSERVED RUNNING OVER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND SWITCHES. THERE IS ALSO A CONCERN ABOUT EVENTUAL CORROSION AND RUST DAMAGE THAT COULD COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF THE SEATBELT BOLTS BECAUSE OF THE WATER. THIS PROBLEM WAS DETECTED ABOUT NINE MONTHS AGO -- BUT THERE IS NO DETERMINATION AS TO HOW LONG BEFORE THAT PERIOD IT HAD BEEN OCCURRING. 2. BRAKES/SHOES (PADS)/ROTORS -- THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED EVERY 6,000 - 12,000 MILES SINCE ABOUT 17,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IT CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 58,000 MILES ON IT. THE RECOMMENDED CHRYSLER MOPAR PADS SEPARATE AND FAIL. THEY HAVE LITERALLY FALLEN OFF OF THE METAL HOLDER THAT IS A PART OF THE BRAKE PAD, DAMAGING THE ROTORS AS WELL. THERE IS NO WARNING THAT THE PAD IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF OR HAS BEEN SEPARATING. LUCKILY, THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE STOP AND, DUE TO THE METAL ON METAL SOUND WHEN I WAS BRAKING, PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TELEPHONED FOR HELP. THIS IS NOT ONLY A RISK WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, BUT A POTENTIAL RISK BECAUSE I COULD BE STRANDED IN UNFAVORABLE LOCATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, WITHOUT ACCESS TO TELEPHONE FOR HELP. 3. RACK AND PINION STEERING -- THE GEAR ASSEMBLY, POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED IN JANUARY 1998. I NOTICED A PROBLEM BEFORE IT WAS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE.
RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED.
RIGHT FRONT SPINDLE BROKE, CAUSING RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO BENT/FLAT TIRE/VEHICLE ROLLED OVER/INJURY.
SPINDLE BROKE, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.
ROD IN TRANSMISSION IS BREAKING.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .