2006 Chrysler Sebring Owner Complaints

My passenger airbag spontaneously deployed without an impact when it was parked. This shattered the windshield and expelled plastic dashboard pieces and glass everywhere. My daughter and I had just exited the car so there were no injuries. Had we not stopped this may have deployed on the road or if my passenger had waited in the car caused serious injuries. I contacted Chrystler to report this safety issue and they said this is no longer their responsibility due to my cars age and environmental factors. This happened 7/9/25 and the damages and airbag system is available to inspect. I have witnesses to seeing the deployment without impact and awaiting video footage from the business. No warning lights on the dashboard occurred. This is a very well maintained vehicle with very low miles.

NHTSA ID

11672600

Incident

Jul 9, 2025

This is part of complaint 11630942. The incident on Nov 25, 2024. These are two separate complaints which occurred in the same crash that resulted in serious injuries. In the event of the crash the seatbelt failed to restrain me. Allowing my head to collide into the windshield and my chest to forcefully hit the steering wheel. I have serious injuries to many body parts as result of this incident. The vehicle is available for inspection and I have photos and medical reports available upon request.

NHTSA ID

11632864

Incident

Nov 25, 2024

At the time of collision the airbags did not deploy correctly. The airbag seems to have burst at the seams and projectlies of debris and chemicals came from the air bag instead. I hit my head on the windshield and hit my chest on steering wheel. I was burned on my arms, hands and ribs/chest. I have pulmonary and neurological injury. as well as changes to my sight and hearing. My car filled with thick "smoke" that was hot and made us choke and gasp for air. We breathed in these chemicals. My two disabled children were also injured by the chemicals.

NHTSA ID

11630942

Incident

Nov 25, 2024

The contact owned a 2006 Chrysler Sebring. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact vehicle was involved in a crash. The contact rear-ended the vehicle that was in front of the contact vehicle. The contact's vehicle was damaged to the front driver's side of the vehicle. In addition, the air bags were deployed. The contact stated that the vehicle had a burning odor and lots of smoke. The Police and paramedics were at the crash scene. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned to total loss by the insurance company. The contact's two minor children were occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash. The contact was transported to the local hospital. The contact sustained burns to both left and right forearms, her right thumb, nerve damage to her left forearm, and bruised ribs. In addition, the chemical from the air bags entered the contact's nose and the contact had a continuous cough. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

NHTSA ID

11628343

Incident

Nov 25, 2024

Mileage

96,000 mi

Mt ball joint separated from control arm housing

NHTSA ID

11521964

Incident

May 13, 2023

The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler Sebring. The contact stated the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal were significantly close to each other causing him to depress both pedals at the same time. The contact stated while driving at 3 MPH and attempting to make a stop, his foot inadvertently depressed both the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was filed. The contact stated the failure reoccurred while he was at a drive-through. He attempted to depress the brake pedal but depressed both the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal at the same time, causing the vehicle to lightly crashed into another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

NHTSA ID

11435429

Incident

Aug 4, 2021

Mileage

145,000 mi

Front ball joint came off and caused car to come to crash into road. It is now in a repair shop where I had it towed as it was causing problems sitting on road. If I had been going faster I m not sure how serious a problem to me or others on road it would cause. Possible death. It is being inspected by Advanced Automotive, 503-364-2046. The car has less than 50,000 miles on it and I don't understand how a front end (ball Joint) can go wrong that quickly. The only warning I had was a squeaking in the front end. Is this something normal? The mechanic said that there was a RECALL on this problem. Since I bought it used from a Chrysler dealer you would think they would clue me to the problems. HA HA.

NHTSA ID

11433510

Incident

Sep 19, 2021

Drivers side seat belt Does Not Retract. Engine Piston Rod Bearings are defective heat up melt and may cause an Engine Fire like in Hyundai Rod Bearing Recall. Common on Chrysler V6 Engine. May cause Blown engine, snapped Piston Rods, Heat and Engine Fire.

NHTSA ID

11423573

Incident

May 5, 2021

TURN SIGNALS, WIPERS AND RADIO STOPPED WORKING BUT INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

11383629

Incident

Nov 25, 2020

Mileage

68,000 mi

FRONT DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326529

Incident

Jan 12, 2019

Mileage

119,000 mi

MY ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO A WATER PUMP LEAK. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REMAINED IN THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE DURING MY TRIP WHICH WAS ABOUT 30 MILES OF MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. I HAD NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR UNTIL IT SHUT OFF AT A STOP LIGHT.

NHTSA ID

11309315

Incident

Feb 11, 2020

Mileage

162,800 mi

WE WERE IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND ALTHOUGH WE WERE HIT IN THE FRONT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

11096845

Incident

Apr 22, 2018

Mileage

180,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING I WAS HEARING NOISE UNDER CAR. THEN FRONT DRIVERS WHEEL CAME OFF DAMAGING CAR ABOVE THE TIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET AT ABOUT 35 MILES. CAR WAS TOWED IN TO FIRESTONE WHERE THEY HAD TO REPLACE BALL JOINT AND ARM. AMONG THE MAINTENANCE AFTER THAT I WAS THEN TOLD ON PASSENGERS SIDE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF.

NHTSA ID

11055279

Incident

Apr 10, 2017

Mileage

10,005 mi

HORN GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED.

NHTSA ID

11031756

Incident

Oct 3, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND AND SUSTAINED DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000.

NHTSA ID

10983052

Incident

May 2, 2017

Mileage

94,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL INADVERTENTLY FLUCTUATED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. ...UPDATED 03/13/17 *BF *CN

NHTSA ID

10945210

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

ENGINE LIGHT STAY ON ALL THE TIME ALWAYS SERVICED AND CHANGED OILS ON TIME OR BEFORE, REPLACED ALL SENSORS, PLUGS, ENGINE DOES SHAKE ON IDLE AND SHUT ITSELF OFF EVEN WHILE DRIVING AND/OR IN MOVING MOTION, ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS ON.

NHTSA ID

10885146

Incident

Mar 2, 2016

Mileage

139,000 mi

HORN GOES OFF ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. SAME SOMETIMES WHEN IT'S PARKED UNATTENDED. THIS RECURS ONCE A WEEK OR SO.

NHTSA ID

10861213

Incident

Apr 23, 2016

Mileage

103,000 mi

HORN GOES OFF ALL BY IT'S SELF WHEN CAR IS OFF ANY TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT ONLY WAY I COULD GET IT TO STOP WAS TO PULL HORN FUSE WITCH MAY DISABLE AIRBAG .POSSIBLE CAUSE IS A CLOCK SPRING IN WITCH DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE BUT WHEN TYPED ON LINE ABOUT IT THE PROBLEM IT FINISHES YOUR SENTENCE. SOUNDS PRETTY COMMON TO ME.THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO FAIL AND CAUSE INJURY TO THE DRIVER OR DEATH

NHTSA ID

10860436

Incident

Sep 20, 2015

Mileage

106,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WITHOUT WARNING, THE HORN CONTINUED TO SOUND AND THE NOISE CONTINUED RANDOMLY FOR WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ID

10837131

Incident

Jan 15, 2016

Mileage

61,000 mi

THE HORN GOES OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRST TIME IS HAPPENED WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WHILE DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AT 6:10AM (TAKING MY CHILD TO SCHOOL). THE HORN WENT OFF A VARIOUS TIMES (WHILE DRIVING DOWN MAJOR CITY STREETS) FOR A FEW DAYS. ON SATURDAY 1/2/16 I STARTED (IN MY DRIVEWAY) THE CAR AND THE HORN WENT OFF. I PUSHED THE STEERING WHEEL THE HORN STAYED ON, NEXT I PUSHED THE PANIC BUTTON, IT STAYED ON UNTIL I PUSHED THE PANIC BUTTON A SECOND TIME ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER. THEN ON THE SAME DAY WHILE DRIVING ON A (MAIN CITY STREET) THE HORN WENT OFF FOUR TIMES WITHIN FIVE MINUTES. HOWEVER, EACH TIME IT THE HORN TURNED OFF WHEN I PUSHED THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS MORNING 1/4/16 THE HORN WENT OFF SEVERAL TIMES BACK TO BACK FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, ONLY TURNING OFF WHEN I PUSHED THE STEERING WHEEL. DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND 57 COMPLAINTS (COMPLAINT.COM) ABOUT THE SAME HORN PROBLEM. SUGGESTED I ADD MY VOICE TO WHAT IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10817655

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

Mileage

110,289 mi

MY HORN GOES OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT GOES OFF AND TO GET IT TO STOP I HAD TO HOLD MY HAND LIGHTLY OVER THE AIR BAG AND HORN BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

10816198

Incident

Dec 9, 2015

Mileage

47,000 mi

I AM WRITING TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE FIAT-CHRYSLER COMPANY. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY 2015, MY HORN HAS BEEN GOING OFF WHEN MY IS PARKED AT NIGHT TIME, AND THEREFORE MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY MY NEIGHBORS, WHEN MY HORN AUTOMATICALLY GOES ON DURING THE HOURS OF THE NIGHT, IT IS VERY UPSETTING HAVING TO EXPLAIN MY SITUATION TO THE NEIGHBORS. A TECHNICIAN AT ONE OF THE FIAT-CHRYSLER REPAIR CENTERS DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE DUE TO A BAD SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG AND HORN, AND THAT WOULD COST OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T RECALL ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I AM ON PERMANENT DISABILITY AND ON A VERY LOW INCOME, I AM UNABLE TO AFFORD TO REPAIR IT. AFTER REALIZING THAT THERE IS NO LIGHT IN SIGHT, I BEGAN TO RESEARCH AS TO HOW MANY OTHER CONSUMERS/OR CHRYSLER SEBRING OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I AM PRESENTLY EXPERIENCING. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 52 COMPLAINTS FROM SEBRING CAR OWNERS LISTED IN THE FOLLOWING SITE: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHRYSLER/SEBRING/2006/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/HORN_GOES_OFF_BY_ITSELF. SHTML THUS I MUST REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA'S LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION AGAINST THE FIAT-CHRYSLER COMPANY BY SETTING FORTH A RECALL TO THIS SUBJECT MATTER. I AM REQUESTING A PROMPT REPLY FOR AN IMMEDIATE RESOLUTION TO MY SITUATION, HOPING THE NHTSA CAN TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY BEFORE FATALITIES DO OCCUR ON MY BEHALF. PLEASE CONTACT ME ON MY EMAIL AT [XXX]@GMAIL.COM OF BY PHONE [XXX]. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB

NHTSA ID

10787531

Incident

Feb 1, 2015

Mileage

176,500 mi

BALL JOINT CRACKED BADLY WHICH IS CAUSING THE BALL STUD TO WEAR THROUGH THE CONTROL ARM HOUSING RESULTING IN NOISE AND/OR SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE HOUSING.

NHTSA ID

10760648

Incident

May 29, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

2006 CHRYSLER SEBRING. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO OIL LEAK IN VEHICLE ENGINE AREA. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED ON JANUARY 27, 2015 AFTER WHICH, AN OIL LEAK DEVELOPED. AFTER TWO CRANKSHAFT OIL SEAL REPLACEMENTS THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM APPEARED SERIOUS ENOUGH TO CONTACT CHRYSLER ABOUT A FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY A PROBLEM WHICH RESULTED IN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AS CRANKSHAFT END PLAY RESULTING IN OIL SEAL PERFORMANCE AND LEAKAGE. THE RECOMMENDED ACTION WAS TO INSTALL A SECOND THRUST BEARING TO ELIMINATE CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION/MOVEMENT. *JB UPDATED 09/21/15*LJ UPDATED 12/06/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10743257

Incident

Jan 27, 2015