IllustrationTHE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, IT WENT AIRBORNE AND CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE, AND KILLED THE DRIVER. *JB
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
What owners actually said
92 reportsI HAD A FAMILY MEMBER PICKUP UP MY VEHICLE FROM THE AIRPORT PARKING LOT ONE TIME I WAS AWAY. THEY USED MY SPARE KEY. AFTER THE VEHICLE STARTED IT DIED AND WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALER. THEY TOLD ME I WAS USING A KEY THAT FRIED A COMPUTER CHIP. IT WAS A KEY I RECEIVED FROM THE DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR.…
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I HAD A FAMILY MEMBER PICKUP UP MY VEHICLE FROM THE AIRPORT PARKING LOT ONE TIME I WAS AWAY. THEY USED MY SPARE KEY. AFTER THE VEHICLE STARTED IT DIED AND WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALER. THEY TOLD ME I WAS USING A KEY THAT FRIED A COMPUTER CHIP. IT WAS A KEY I RECEIVED FROM THE DEALER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAD USED THAT SPARE KEY BEFORE. NOW ON OCCASION THE ENGINE WILL JUST SHUT OFF, NOT STALL OR ANYTHING. IT HAS HAPPENED AS I WAS STARTING FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, AT A STOP LIGHT OR AS I AM TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TRY TO RESTART. SOMETIMES IT WILL START RIGHT UP AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WILL START 10 MINUTES LATER.*JB
DOORS AND BODY DENT VERY EASILY. THIS IS MY SECOND SEBRING CONVERTABLE, AND MY LAST, SAD TO SAY, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE SHEET METAL IS THICK ENOUGH. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL CAR, SO FUN TO DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN BUT THE DINGS AND DENTS ARE EVERYWHERE! LOOKS LIKE A WASHBOARD! ALSO, SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL …
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DOORS AND BODY DENT VERY EASILY. THIS IS MY SECOND SEBRING CONVERTABLE, AND MY LAST, SAD TO SAY, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE SHEET METAL IS THICK ENOUGH. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL CAR, SO FUN TO DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN BUT THE DINGS AND DENTS ARE EVERYWHERE! LOOKS LIKE A WASHBOARD! ALSO, SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH IT! TRY TELLING THAT TO THE PERSON YOU'RE SELLING THE CAR TOO! ALSO, FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR, YOU'D THINK THEY'D MAKE THE CONVERTABLE TOP TO LAST LONGER. IN BOTH OF THE SEBRINGS I OWNED THE CLOTH TOP HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST 3 YEARS!
REAR SEAT BELT INERTIAL LOCK DOES NOT WORK. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS A 1999, IT ONLY HAS 17K MILES. THIS DEFECT PRECLUDES SAFE AND PROPER PLACEMENT OF A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT --> PLACING THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN SINCE THERE IS NO "OFF" SWITCH FOR THE SRS. I AM ALSO CONCERN…
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REAR SEAT BELT INERTIAL LOCK DOES NOT WORK. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS A 1999, IT ONLY HAS 17K MILES. THIS DEFECT PRECLUDES SAFE AND PROPER PLACEMENT OF A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT --> PLACING THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN SINCE THERE IS NO "OFF" SWITCH FOR THE SRS. I AM ALSO CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT; IF THE SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT LOCK IN AN ACCIDENT, FORWARD MOTION KINETIC INJURY IS SURE TO RESULT AND WILL BE GREATER THAN IF THE SHOULDER BELT WORKED.
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACE TWICE ON THE VEHICLE ON LESS OF A YEAR. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. TS
AFTER SHIFING GEAR OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK OFF AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER AND MANUFACTRER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*JB
CAR SURGED BACKWARD AND CRASHED INTO A TRUCK. *AK
WHEN FIRST TAKING OFF VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY PULL TO THE RIGHT. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE IN MOTION THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, NEARLY CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. AFTER INSTALLATION OF THE PUMP, IT WOULD ONLY STEER TO ONE SIDE. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION WAS ALSO BROKEN. *JG *CB
THE CAR IS STARTED AND ACCELERATION BEGINS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THEN WITHIN A FAIRLY SHORT TIME THE CAR BEGINS TO DECELERATE AND SOMETIME COMPLETELY STOPS. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN IT JERKED FORWARD AS THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. IT IS CURRENTLY AT ITS 4TH LOCATION WHICH IS ALSO THE 2ND DEALERSHIP IN TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PRO…
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THE CAR IS STARTED AND ACCELERATION BEGINS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THEN WITHIN A FAIRLY SHORT TIME THE CAR BEGINS TO DECELERATE AND SOMETIME COMPLETELY STOPS. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN IT JERKED FORWARD AS THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. IT IS CURRENTLY AT ITS 4TH LOCATION WHICH IS ALSO THE 2ND DEALERSHIP IN TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. LAST WEEK THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WERE 100% SURE THEY KNEW THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT. AFTER THEY DID THE REPAIR THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. I AM WAITING FOR THEM TO CONTACT CHRYSLER ENGINEERS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECASUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL CUT OUT AND THIS COULD PUT ME AND MY CHILDREN IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THE CAR AND EXPECTED IT TO LAST ME ANOTHER 1-2 YEARS. THIS HAS BEEN VERY UPSETTING AS I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER TRANSPORTATION AND AM A SINGLE PARENT.*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
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.