RoadVitals

2008 Chrysler Sebring Transmission Problems

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

Data refreshed

Transmission 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.
13
Latest Aug 16, 2011
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.
5%
of 238 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 automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

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

Transmission
Filed Aug 16, 2011

2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING IS STUCK IN PARK. GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. WAS WORKING FINE YESTERDAY. CAME OUT THIS MORNING STARTED MY CAR AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF PARK. CAR IS TAKEN WELL CAR OF. WAITING FOR A TOW TO GET REPAIRED. *KB

NHTSA ID
10419611
Incident
Aug 16, 2011
Mileage
50,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 23, 2011

CAR IS STUCK IN PARK. GEAR SHIFTER WILL NOT MOVE. WAS WORKING FINE YESTERDAY WHEN I PARKED IT. GOT UP TO GO TO WORK THIS MORNING AND SHIFTER WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. CAR ONLY HAS 33,000 MILES ON IT AND IS TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10402372
Incident
May 23, 2008
Transmission
Filed Sep 13, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED STUCK IN THE PARK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID
10355153
Incident
Sep 12, 2010
Mileage
50,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 6, 2010

MY 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING'S GEAR SHIFTER GOT STUCK IN THE PARK POSITION OVER NIGHT. IT WON'T MOVE TO ALLOW ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE READ THAT MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10354011
Incident
Sep 6, 2010
Mileage
47,658 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 30, 2010

2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING STUCK IN PARK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10352778
Incident
Aug 27, 2010
Mileage
57,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 15, 2010

MY 2008 SEBRING SHIFTER IS STUCK IN PARK; THE CAR CANNOT BE MOVED. A DEALERSHIP SERVICE MECHANIC SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON SEVERAL CHRYSLER AND DODGE MODELS DUE TO A BROKEN PLASTIC PIECE ON THE 'BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK'. THE ENTIRE SHIFTER UNIT MUST BE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT PART. IT WILL COST $150-$200 SINCE MY SEBRING IS 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY (30,000 MILES). ON THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY THERE IS A BRIGHT PINK PLASTIC PIECE THAT HAS A SMALL 2/8" HOOK. THIS 2/8" SMALL PLASTIC HOOK IS ABOUT AS ROUND AS A SMALL PAPER CLIP. ONE END OF A SMALL 3/4" SPRING ATTACHES TO THIS PLASTIC HOOK AND THE OTHER END OF THE SPRING ATTACHES TO A HOOK ON THE SHIFTER HOUSING. THIS SPRING ALLOWS THE BRIGHT PINK PIECE TO MOVE WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED, WHICH DISENGAGES THE INTERLOCK ALLOWING THE SHIFTER TO MOVE OUT OF PARK. A BROKEN 2/8" PIECE OF CHEAP PLASTIC THAT CAN DISABLE AN ENTIRE CAR IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A POOR DESIGN AND A MANUFACTURING FLAW! IF YOU DO A WEB SEARCH ("CHRYSLER STUCK IN PARK" OR "DODGE STUCK IN PARK") YOU WILL FIND THOUSANDS OF HITS. BETTER YET, LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE YOU WILL SEE IT IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM THAT IS REPORTED IN 2007-2008 DODGE (AVENGER) AND CHRYSLER (SEBRING & 300) PRODUCTS. IT IS NEEDLESSLY COSTING THE OWNERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO DO AN OUT-OF-WARRANTY REPAIR ON AN UNDER-DESIGNED PART. A CHRONIC DESIGN FLAW THAT SPANS MULTIPLE YEARS ON MULTIPLE PRODUCT LINES DEMANDS A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10349480
Incident
Aug 14, 2010
Mileage
30,800 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 13, 2010

STARTED THE CAR PUSHED IN ON THE BRAKE AS USUAL TO RELEASE THE SAFETY ON THE GEAR SHIFTER SO IT'D GO IN REVERSE AND IT WOULDN'T GO IN GEAR. I MASHED THE BRAKE HARDER & STILL NOTHING. I TRIED TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THINKING MAYBE IT WAS THE SAFETY THING LOCKING UP IN THAT BUT IT WAS REAL LOOSE! BY NOW MY KIDS WERE LATE FOR THERE APPTMENTS SO I GAVE UP AND WENT INSIDE AND STARTED CALLING AROUND. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A LINE RUNNING FROM MY SHIFTER TO MY BRAKE UP TO THE STEERING I NEEDED TO TOW IT IN COST MY $50-300. MY HUSBAND TOOK MY CONSOLE APART THAT EVENING AND FOUND THAT THE SHIFTER IS LOCKED IN PLACE BY A SMALL PINK PLASTIC DEVICE WITH A WIRE RUNNING THROUGH IT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO YOUR BRAKING SYSTEM SOMEHOW ON ONE END YET ON THE OTHER END ITS ATTACHED TO SOME KIND OF SPRING WHICH IS ATTACHED TO YET GET THIS, ANOTHER PIECE OF PLASTIC! WELL MY SPRING BROKE AND THE PINK PLASTIC THING CRACKED!!! I FIND THIS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE HAVING TO DEAL WITH AND FIX THESE ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10349234
Incident
Aug 11, 2010
Mileage
56,975 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 9, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME STUCK IN THE PARK POSITION AND WOULD NOT MOVE. SHE TRIED ALL OF THE HELPFUL HINTS THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD GIVEN HER BUT NONE OF THEM WORKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,000.

NHTSA ID
10348128
Incident
Aug 7, 2010
Mileage
57,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 6, 2010

2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. ON AUGUST 6TH, THE CAR GEAR SHIFTER KNOB WAS SEIZED IN THE PARK POSITION. UPON READING THE INTERNET, IT BECAME VERY APPARENT THAT THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT ON CHRYSLER'S PART. THE SHIFT KNOB IS ATTACHED TO A SMALL PLASTIC PINK "FLIPPER" TYPE PART, THAT EASILY BECOMES DETACHED FROM THE SPRING. THE ONLY FIX BY PROFESSIONALS IS A $400.00 REPAIR. THE SAD REALITY IS THAT THE ACTUAL FIX IS A $5.00 PART... *TR

NHTSA ID
10347867
Incident
Aug 6, 2010
Mileage
49,728 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 6, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED HE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR FROM THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO MOVE THE SELECTOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 71,058. UPDATED 12/08/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE FROM PARK TO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE NECESSARY REPAIRS WERE MADE. UPDATED 12/13/10*JB

NHTSA ID
10347763
Incident
Aug 4, 2010
Mileage
71,058 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 5, 2010

JUST HAD GOT OFF WORK AND CAR HAS BEEN PARK FOR OVER 6 HOURS. WHEN I GOT INSIDE OF THE CAR I WENT TO CRANK IT UP AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. AFTER I TRIED TO SWITCH TO REVERSE TO BACK UP THE GEAR WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO PULL IT BACK OUT OF PARK. TRIED TURNING IT OFF AND ON BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10347381
Incident
Aug 4, 2010
Mileage
7,100 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 2010

2008 CHRYSLER SEBRING PINK PLASTIC LEVER BROKE INSIDE SHIFTER CAUSING CAR TO STAY IN PARK, UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10336550
Incident
May 31, 2008
Transmission
Filed Jun 4, 2010

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CONNECTION IS PLASTIC AND CRACKED. ONCE THIS PIECE CRACKS, THE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT ENGAGE. I PARKED MY CAR, AND THE NEXT TIME I TRIED TO LEAVE, THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE PART HAS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART. *TR

NHTSA ID
10334622
Incident
Jun 1, 2010
Mileage
41,022 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 .