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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.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Seats complaints

3 reports
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50,000 miles · Apr 1, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsSeats

STRONG GASOLINE ODORS CAME INTO VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS DOWN. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK.....PAINT ON VEHICLE WAS FADING-TURNING BLACK TO WHITE. FROM INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE BA…

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STRONG GASOLINE ODORS CAME INTO VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS DOWN. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK.....PAINT ON VEHICLE WAS FADING-TURNING BLACK TO WHITE. FROM INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE BACK OF VEHICLE. SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD A BROKEN SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. IN ADDITION, PASSENGER'S LEATHER SEAT WAS CRACKING, AND STITCHING ON CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS COMING OUT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10117277

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2004
Seats

I HAVE A 97 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE JX. RECENTLY THE THREADING HAD BEEN PEELING AWAY AROUND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. I SUBMITTED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE NET, LOCAL NEWS STATION, AND WITH DAIMLERCHRYSLER. IN THOSE COMPLAINTS I HAD MENTIONED CONCERN OF MY BACK WINDOW POSSIBLY FLYING OUT THE BACK OR WORSE YET, FALLING IN ON MY 2…

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I HAVE A 97 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE JX. RECENTLY THE THREADING HAD BEEN PEELING AWAY AROUND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. I SUBMITTED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE NET, LOCAL NEWS STATION, AND WITH DAIMLERCHRYSLER. IN THOSE COMPLAINTS I HAD MENTIONED CONCERN OF MY BACK WINDOW POSSIBLY FLYING OUT THE BACK OR WORSE YET, FALLING IN ON MY 2 YEAR OLD SON IN HIS CAR SEAT!!!! ABOUT 3 OR 4 WEEKS LATER, MY HUSBAND WAS GETTING IN THE CAR AFTER WORK AND IN A PARKED POSITION DECIDED TO PUT THE TOP DOWN (SINCE THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT A YEAR PRIOR) TO THE CONVERTIBLE, HE THEN HEARD A CRACK AND AS SOON AS LOOKING BACK THE WHOLE WINDOW SHATTERED IN OVER 1000 PIECES ALL IN THE BACKSEAT AND THE HUB TRUCK AREA AND MY SON'S CARSEAT!!!! MY WORST NIGHTMARE HAD COME TRUE. I HAD NEARLY BRAINSTORMED THAT THE WINDOW WOULD FLY OUT THE BACK OR THAT IT COULD FALL IN! THANK YOU JESUS, MY SON WAS NOT IN THE CAR!!!! I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER WICH DID NOTHING BUT CHARTED MY COMPLAINT AND IS PROBABLY SETTING IN THE DATABASE WITH NO ACTION... THIS REALLY CONCERNS ME... I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN. MY INSURANCE SAID THAT I NEEDED TO MEET MY 500 DOLLAR DEDUCTIBLE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THE REST OF THE BILL, WHICH WILL ONLY APPLY TO A BACK WINDOW... NOT A CONVERTIBLE TOP... HELLO, SINCE THE TOP IS STILL UNRAVELING THIS NEW BACK WINDOW THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ONLY HAS A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THE SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN! MY GUESS, SINCE THE THREADING WAS ALREADY COMING LOOSE IT CAUSED THE BACK WINDOW TO GO OFF TRACK UNKNOWINGLY... THEN WHEN MY HUSBAND PUT THE TOP DOWN IT WAS NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY CAUSING THE WINDOW TO BE IN THE WAY OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RECLINING. PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT JADEROMPF@AOL.COM IF YOU HAVE ANY HELP TO GIVE OR HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10074454

28,000 miles · Aug 15, 2003
SeatsStructureVisibility

THE INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR IMAGE WERE COMPLETELY DISTORTED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO VIEW ANY OBJECTS THROUGH IT. *AK THE TRUNK LID HAD FALLEN ON THE CONSUMERS HEAD, THE LEATHER SEATS CRACKED, AND THE STITCHING ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD COME UNDONE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10029877

Official recalls

1

04V021000 · 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

1

EA03011 · 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.