Illustration1997 SEBRING PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED. *TS *JB
1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chrysler Sebring Convertible do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 72.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sebring Convertible years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
625–50K
850–75K
975–100K
13100–150K
3150K+
44 reports with mileage · 33 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
5 reportsDT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 3-15-05 CONCERNING THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK SHE CALLED AT THE END OF MARCH OR THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. ON 5-7-05, BEFORE THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT A POLE. AND THE E…
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DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 3-15-05 CONCERNING THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK SHE CALLED AT THE END OF MARCH OR THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. ON 5-7-05, BEFORE THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT A POLE. AND THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE WAS $8,700. ON 5-12-05 CHRYSLER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO CHECK THE VEHICLE . THE CONSUMER WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE INSPECTION, BUT SOMEONE ELSE WHO WAS AT THE INSPECTION CLAIMED THAT THE INVESTIGATOR TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. HE DID NOT THINK THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CRASH. THE CONSUMER DID NOT AGREE, STATING THAT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH. NEITHER THE SEAT BELTS NOR THE AIR BAGS WORKED IN THE CRASH.*AK
DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V021000, ON MARCH 15, 2005. SHE HAD CALLED DEALER TO ARRANGE FOR REPAIRS, BUT THEY TOLD HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AT HER CONVENIENCE. THE RECALL WORK WAS NEVER PERFORMED. ON MAY 7, 2005 SHE WAS PICKING HER DAUGHTER AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT WENT DOWN A SMALL HILL IN A PARKING LOT…
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DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V021000, ON MARCH 15, 2005. SHE HAD CALLED DEALER TO ARRANGE FOR REPAIRS, BUT THEY TOLD HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AT HER CONVENIENCE. THE RECALL WORK WAS NEVER PERFORMED. ON MAY 7, 2005 SHE WAS PICKING HER DAUGHTER AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT WENT DOWN A SMALL HILL IN A PARKING LOT AND TRAVELED AT LEAST 200-300 FEET. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TURNED OFF. THIS HAPPENED SO FAST SHE COULD NOT REMEMBER WHETHER THE BRAKES WORKED AT THAT TIME. THERE WAS A TELEPHONE POLE THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN THE PASSENGERS. THE PASSENGERS HEAD WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND HER KNEES HIT THE DASH BOARD. THE DRIVER'S RIGHT ROTOR CUFF AND NECK WERE INJURED. THERE WAS $8700 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. A INSPECTOR FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER INSPECTED VEHICLE ON MAY 12, 2005 AT 2 PM. HE NEVER SPOKE TO THE CONSUMER, BUT THE MANUFACTURER SENT A REPORT.*AK
DT: WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND PULLED IN FRONT OF A BOWLING ALLEY TO PICK UP ANOTHER PASSENGER. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN IGNITION, WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE CAR GAINED SPEED AND WAS TOO QUICK BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD GAIN CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN AN INCLINE AND …
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DT: WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND PULLED IN FRONT OF A BOWLING ALLEY TO PICK UP ANOTHER PASSENGER. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN IGNITION, WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE CAR GAINED SPEED AND WAS TOO QUICK BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD GAIN CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN AN INCLINE AND CRASHED INTO A PARKING LOT POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH PASSENGER HAD SEAT BELTS ON BUT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT REMAIN LOCKED AND PASSENGER STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD, THIS DID NOT UNLATCH BUT A GREAT DEAL SLACK CAME FROM THAT SEAT BELT. HAD RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE TRANSAXLES FLOOR SHIFT(NO NHTSA RECALL CAMP ID# AVAILABLE) THIS RECALL HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. A INSPECTOR FROM CHRYSLER CAME OUT TO IMPASSES VEHICLE WHO LATER NOTED THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT DUE THE RECALL BUT CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW HOW HE MADE THIS ASSUMPTION BECAUSE HE JUST LOOKED AT VEHICLE-THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED UP AT THE TIME. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. DEALER DID MAKE AWARE THERE WAS ALSO A RECALL ON THROTTLE AS WELL(NO NHTSA RECALL ID AT THIS TIME.) DEALER AND CHRYSLER ARE UNWILLING TO COVER DAMAGES AS WELL THE RECALL REPAIR.*AK
WHILE DRIVING HORN FAILED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 2004. DEALERSHIP FIXED IT, BUT THREE DAYS LATER HORN FAILED AGAIN. TECHNICIAN DISCONNECTED THE HORN, AND STATED THERE WAS SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE FRONT AIR BAGS. TO FIX THE HORN DEALER NEEDED TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG MECHANISM AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE O…
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WHILE DRIVING HORN FAILED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 2004. DEALERSHIP FIXED IT, BUT THREE DAYS LATER HORN FAILED AGAIN. TECHNICIAN DISCONNECTED THE HORN, AND STATED THERE WAS SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE FRONT AIR BAGS. TO FIX THE HORN DEALER NEEDED TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG MECHANISM AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $1,700. *AK
Official recalls
104V021000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Jan 13, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: EITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA03011 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock
Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Jan 30, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.