RoadVitals

2004 Chrysler Sebring Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints 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.
8
Latest Feb 5, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 220 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chrysler Sebring submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

SteeringSuspension
Filed Feb 5, 2019

AS I DRIVE MY SEBRING, EVERY DIP, HOLE OR CREVASSE MY CAR HITS(GOING 30 AND UP ITS DANGEROUS) SENDS IT WAY TO THE SIDE, DOESN'T HAVE AN EXACT SIDE EITHER. DOES IT BOTH WAYS. I BELIEVE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY LOWER BALL JOINTS SO POSSIBLY MY CONTROL ARMS AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THIS SPECIFIC CAR HAD ISSUES WITH THE CONTROL ARMS. THE WAY THE CAR DRIVES RIGHT NOW IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THIS CAR DID ACTUALLY HAVE A RECALL OR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

NHTSA ID
11174398
Incident
Jan 20, 2019
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Aug 20, 2015

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD COMING TO A STOP LIGHT WHEN I NOTICED MY CAR HAD JUST TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. LUCKILY THERE WAS A TURN LANE AND THE LIGHT WAS RED SO I DIDN'T CAUSE ANY ACCIDENT. AFTER THAT I TOOK MY CAR TO SEE WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE CODE STATED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE OXYGEN SENSOR. I REPLACED THE PART AND THE CAR RAN OK UNTIL ANOTHER TIME I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND THE CAR TURNED OFF AGAIN. I'VE NOTICED THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN GOES OFF AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS. I WAS TOLD I PROBABLY NEED TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH I BOUGHT BUT HAVEN'T REPLACED BECAUSE SOMEONE TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL OF OTHER SEBRINGS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH NO WARNING. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SAME COMPLAINTS OF THE ENGINE STALLING AS ONE IS DRIVING. THE CODE GIVEN WAS H07. I AM DISABLED AND CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE A RISK TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE I SHOULD TAKE MY CAR TO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART REPLACED. I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW COMING OFF TRACK AND GOING THROUGH THE RUBBER AND I AM AFRAID THE WINDOW WILL SHATTER BECAUSE IT WON'T STOP GOING UP. I GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID
10749941
Incident
Jun 13, 2013
Mileage
75,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 13, 2015

THHE STEARING WILL LOCK UP AND BELT WILL SQEEL EVEN WHEN THE BELT IS TIGHT GOT WORSE TILL LINE BLEW WIDE OPEN NOT GOOD WHEN HAVING KIDS THANK GOD NOT IN CAR WHEN IT HAPPEN.ALMOST LOST IT.THIS IS NOT A NORMAL THING IVE LOOKED ALOT UP ON THIS.

NHTSA ID
10748592
Incident
Jun 9, 2015
Mileage
123,400 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Jan 2, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E059000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID
10669622
Incident
Jan 1, 2014
Mileage
80,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 24, 2014

ME AND MY KIDS WAS LEAVING OUR HOUSE AND DRIVING DOWN THE STREET I RODE ABOUT 5MILES AND THEN MY CAR START TO SWIRL THEN IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO STEER. SO I GOT OUT THE CAR AND NOTICE MY FRONT TIRE HAD WENT IN. AND I HAD TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK TAKE MY CAR BACK TO THE HOUSE. AND COME TO FIND OUT THE BALL JOINT HAD BROKE. BUT BEFORE ALL OF THIS I HAD NEVER RECEIVE NO RECALL TO BRING MY CAR IN TO GET THIS CHECK AND I'M DOING RESEARCH AND IT STATES THAT THEY HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THIS BUT I NEVER RECEIVE NO INFORMATION. TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF ME AND MY KIDS LIVES IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605518
Incident
May 24, 2014
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Apr 6, 2014

MY 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING LT STALLED OUT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF IN INTERSECTION IN A LEFT TURN LANE. COULD NOT GET CAR RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY AND WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ONCE I HAD RESTARTED THE VEHICLE I MOVED OVER TO THE SHOULDER WHERE IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND THIS ALSO HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. THIS IS DANGEROUS. IF STALL WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 2 SECONDS LATER I WOULD'VE BEEN T-BONED BY A PICKUP TRUCK. UPON STALL THE CAR ENGAGED THE E-BRAKE AND ALSO LIT UP THE FOLLOWING WARNING LIGHTS : ENGAGED EBRAKE, OIL, BATTERY, AND ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10577776
Incident
Apr 5, 2014
Mileage
165,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 9, 2012

AFTER TURNING AROUND IN A TRAILER PARK PARKING LOT JUST STARTED GOING FORWARD WHEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TO COLLAPSE FROM UNDER THE CAR AND DISABLING THE STEERING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE STREET AT NORMAL SPEEDS IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10470050
Incident
Aug 5, 2012
Mileage
97,238 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 8, 2003

PURCHASED 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING FROM ED TOMKO DEALERSHIP IN AVON LAKE, OH ON SEPT 23RD. AFTER 270 MILES (9-29-03) THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO SHAKE WHILE IDLING AT STOP LIGHTS (VISIBLY SHAKING AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AS MY ENTIRE UPPER BODY FEELS THE AFFECTS). I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE ED TOMKO DEALERSHIP ON OCT 6TH AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A 4 CYLINDER (I HAVE OWNED 4 CYLINDER CHRYSLER VEHICLES FOR 14 YEARS AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS DEFECT). I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING AND SPOKE TO THE GM WHO PASSED ME OFF TO THE SERVICE MANAGER (LATER I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NO LONGER THE SALES DEPT'S CONCERN-IT WAS NOW A SERVICE ISSUE). THE SERVICE MGR, DAVE TOMKO, TOLD ME HE WAS INVOLVED WITH THE CAR THE PREVIOUS DAY AND SAW NO PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK ON OCT 9TH FOR DAVE TOMKO TO VISUALLY CONFIRM THE DEFECT VIA A ROAD TEST. HE TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL AND I HAD NO OTHER RECOURSE THAN TO SEEK ARBITRATION. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (REFERENCE # 11733597) AND HAVE BEEN BRUSHED OFF. THEY SIDED WITH DAVE TOMKO AND SEVERAL E-MAILS LATER, TOLD ME IF I DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS NORMAL TO GO TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP (OCT 20TH). THEY AGREED IT WAS NOT NORMAL AND UPPED THE CURB IDLE SPEED (AS THE SHAKING BECAME MORE PROMINENT WHEN THE IDLE SPEED DROPPED). THE PROBLEM HAS RE-SURFACED AND THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NOV 6TH. THEY HAVE FAXED THE SENSOR READINGS TO CHRYSLER. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING AS OF TODAY, NOV 8TH, AND THE CAR REMAINS DEFECTIVE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE WHILE IDLING AT INTERSECTIONS, SINCE IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE TO KEEP MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE IDLING.*AK

NHTSA ID
10045743
Incident
Sep 29, 2003
Mileage
270 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .