IllustrationCAR SHAKES AT 75 MILES PER HOUR..FROM THE FRONT END.
1999 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
1025–50K
1450–75K
1075–100K
14100–150K
7150K+
60 reports with mileage · 32 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.
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
21 reportsFRONT SEAT BELTS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER LOCK UP AND WILL NOT RELEASE. IT IS GETTING WORSE, IN THE LAST 3 DAYS, IT HAS LOCKED UP TWICE AND CURRENTLY THEY ARE LOCK AND WILL NOT RELEASE FROM THE SEATS TO BE USED *TR
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS LOCK UP AND DO NOT RELEASE. IT DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY BUT MOSTLY DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY TIGHTEN & TIGHTEN TO THE POINT OF ALMOST BEING PAINFUL. MECHANICS DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS SHOULD HAPPEN UNLESS IT IS THE SEAT BELT CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAN ONLY BE DONE BY A DEALER. ONE WORD "EXPE…
Read full complaint
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS LOCK UP AND DO NOT RELEASE. IT DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY BUT MOSTLY DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY TIGHTEN & TIGHTEN TO THE POINT OF ALMOST BEING PAINFUL. MECHANICS DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS SHOULD HAPPEN UNLESS IT IS THE SEAT BELT CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAN ONLY BE DONE BY A DEALER. ONE WORD "EXPENSIVE!" THIS IS A SAFETY & LAW ISSUE AND SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER FOR FAULTY SAFETY PRODUCT AND OPERATION. AFTER MY RESEARCH I SEE MANY OF THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE SEAT BELTS OVER AND OVER. THIS IS A REPETITIVE PROBLEM. *TR
INTERMITTENTLY BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED INTO THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND CAN NOT BE USED. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT. THE CAR IS A CONVERTIBLE AND SHOULD NEVER BE DRIVEN WITHOUT PROPER RESTRAINTS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, THE SHOULDER BELT AND LAP BELT WEBBING WOULD NOT EXTRACT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BELT EXHIBITED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY SECURE THE SEAT BELT WITH TAP…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, THE SHOULDER BELT AND LAP BELT WEBBING WOULD NOT EXTRACT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BELT EXHIBITED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY SECURE THE SEAT BELT WITH TAPE AND A CLIP. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE TIMING MODULE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000. UPDATED 09/22/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/23/10
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE SEAT BELT ROLLERS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WERE LOCKED UP AND THE BELTS COULD NOT BE EXTENDED TO SECURE AN OCCUPANT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURR…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE SEAT BELT ROLLERS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WERE LOCKED UP AND THE BELTS COULD NOT BE EXTENDED TO SECURE AN OCCUPANT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGERS SEAT BELTS WOULD RETRACT BUT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
SEAT BELT SAFETY LOCK STICKING. THE FRONT SEAT BELT ON BOTH SIDES HAVE A RETRACTING MECHANISM. IT ALLOWS THE SEAT BELT TO RETRACT INTO THE SHOULDER WHEN NOT IN USE. IT ALSO LOCKS IN PLACE TO SECURE THE PASSENGER. SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT GETS STUCK AND WON'T RELEASE. THIS PREVENTS THE USE OF THE SEAT BELT. THIS IS BOTH UNSAFE AND…
Read full complaint
SEAT BELT SAFETY LOCK STICKING. THE FRONT SEAT BELT ON BOTH SIDES HAVE A RETRACTING MECHANISM. IT ALLOWS THE SEAT BELT TO RETRACT INTO THE SHOULDER WHEN NOT IN USE. IT ALSO LOCKS IN PLACE TO SECURE THE PASSENGER. SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT GETS STUCK AND WON'T RELEASE. THIS PREVENTS THE USE OF THE SEAT BELT. THIS IS BOTH UNSAFE AND IN SOME STATES, ILLEGAL. *TR
1999 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.BOTH SEAT BELTS WILL NOT COME OUT TO BE BUCKELED. COULD BE SEAT BELT TIMING MODULE LOCATED UNDER CENTER CONSOLE. *TR
I OWN A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE THAT ALL THE SEAT BELTS LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND LASTS FOR A WEEK OR MORE AT A TIME. I USE THE CAR VERY LITTLE BECAUSE OF THIS. THE LOCAL DEALER MIKE FAMOUS (NOW CLOSED) SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT $700 TO REPAIR. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPT…
Read full complaint
I OWN A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE THAT ALL THE SEAT BELTS LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND LASTS FOR A WEEK OR MORE AT A TIME. I USE THE CAR VERY LITTLE BECAUSE OF THIS. THE LOCAL DEALER MIKE FAMOUS (NOW CLOSED) SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT $700 TO REPAIR. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE SINCE THIS IS OF SAFETY IN NATURE. I CONSIDER SEAT BELTS A VALUABLE PROTECTIVE DEVICE THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL LIKE THIS EVER. I DON'T HAVE ANY CHANCE OF USING SEAT BELTS WHEN I WANT TO USE THE CAR. IF I GO OUT TO USE THE VEHICLE AND THE BELTS ARE LOCKED I DON'T USE IT. NOT TO MENTION SEAT BELT LAWS AND THE TICKET I WOULD GET . *TR
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
2EA03011 · 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.
RQ03005 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock
Opened Apr 8, 2003 · Closed Jul 16, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THREE OF THE MANFACTURER COMPLAINTS AND TWO OF THE MANUFACTURER CRASHES REPORTED ABOVE WERE DUPLICATES OF ODI REPORTS.THE MAJORITY OF CRASHES OCCURRED AFTER OPERATORS PARKED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ENGAGING PARK GEAR POSITION; A NON-FUNCTIONAL IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK SYSTEM SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO PREVENT KEY REMOVAL BEFORE THE OPERATORS EXITED THE VEHICLE.MOST OF THE CRASHES WERE MINOR AND INVOLVED MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE.FOUR OF THE INJURY INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN UNATTENDED CHILDREN MOVED THE GEARSHIFT FROM THE PARK POSITION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY, ONE INJURY OCCURRED WHEN THE OPERATOR WAS STRUCK BY A ROLL-AWAY VEHICLE AFTER PARKING AND EXITING.ALL INJURIES WERE RELATIVELY MINOR.A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILURES APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO DISENGAGEMENT OF THE INTERLOCK PIN THAT RIDES IN THE INTERLOCK LEVER SLOT WITHIN THE SHIFT MECHANISM.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WILL BE OPENED TO FURTHER STUDY INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILURES.