2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 00V299002 CONCERNING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE ENGINE STALLED AT SLOW SPEEDS. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE COULD BE RESTARTED SOMETIMES THE ENGINE DIED WHILE IDLING. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH PRODUCED A CODE INDICATING AND ENGINE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

I BOUGHT A USED CAR FROM HYANNIS HONDA, WEST MAIN ST., HYANNIS, MA THE LAST WEEK IN MAY 2005. RECENTLY, I GOT A NAIL IN MY BACK REAR TIRE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CAPE AND ISLAND TIRE IN FALMOUTH, MA. AFTER EXAMINING THE TIRE, THE MANAGER SAID THAT THEY COULD FIX THE TIRE BUT IT WOULD BE USELESS BECAUSE ALL FOUR OF MY TIRES WOULD NEVER PASS THE STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE MY TIRES WERE TO BALD. AFTER PAYING FOR 2 NEW REAR TIRES($250), I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO HYANNIS HONDA. THE SALES MANAGER AGREED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE FRONT 2 TIRE FOR FREE. A WEEK LATER, AFTER RETURNING FOR A TRIP TO CA AT 10:30 P.M., THE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT BECAUSE HYANNIS HONDA DIDN'T SEAL THE TIRE PROPERLY AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. THE NEXT DAY I RETURNED TO HYANNIS HONDA WHO AGREED TO FIX THE TIRE BUT SAID THAT MY BATTERY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CHARGE TO START THE CAR IN THE WINTER. I COULD PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY FOR $110. I DISCUSSED MY SITUATION WITH BRIAN PERRY IN HYANNIS, A CERTIFIED INSPECTION REPRESENTATIVE. HE SAID THAT IF HE INSPECTS A CAR AND NOTICES THAT THE TIRES ARE UNSAFE, EVEN IF THEY ARE BARELY WITHIN STATE GUIDELINES, HE WOULD WARN THE DRIVER OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF DRIVING ON UNSAFE TIRE ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. I REALLY FEEL AS THOUGH HYANNIS HONDA DEFINITELY HAS A "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" IN BEING ABLE TO INSPECT THEIR OWN USED CAR. THE CAR THEY SOLD ME MIGHT HAVE PASSED THE TIRE REQUIREMENTS BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME THAT I WAS RIDING ON ALMOST BALD TIRE AND THAT THE BATTERY WAS SO OLD THAT IT WOULDN'T WORK IN THE WINTER. I FEEL THAT THEIR UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR ENDANGERED MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY. I KNOW THE OLD ADAGE"BUYER BEWARE" BUT THIS IS TERRIBLE BEHAVIOR FROM A REPUTABLE HONDA DEALERSHIP. *JB

ABSOLUTELY NO SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLOWING 2 HEAD GASKETS. AT A PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE, I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT I HAD SOME SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE AND ASKED WOULD I LIKE TO PURCHASE AN ADDITIVE FOR IT? SINCE I HAD READ MY OWNER'S MANUAL WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, I KNEW THAT CHRYSLER DID NOT RECOMMEND ADDING ANYTHING TO THE ENGINE, SO I SAID NO. I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST A SALES PLOY BY THE OIL CHANGE OUTLET ANYWAY. AFTER HAVING JUST EXITED A FREEWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHTS COMING ON. AFTER THE CAR DIED, I OPENED THE HOOD AND HAD OIL EVERYWHERE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC OF 15 YEARS WHO TOLD ME THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN, THE WATER PUMP HAD GONE AND THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF MY ENGINE. HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT AND THINKS IT IS THE WORST DESIGNED ENGINE IMAGINABLE. THE WATER PUMP IS LOCATED INSIDE THE ENGINE. AFTER SPENDING $2600, THE TOP HALF OF MY ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE BOTTOM HALF STILL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $5300. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 12 HIGHWAY MILES, MY CAR CANNOT MAINTAIN OIL PRESSURE WHILE IDLING AND I HAVE TO KEEP THE IDLE UP MANUALLY SO I DON'T HARM THE WORK WE HAVE ALREADY DONE. WE REPLACED 24 LIFTERS, 2 HEAD GASKETS, THE WATER PUMP, 3 OIL SENDING UNITS AND VARIOUS MISCELLANEOUS PARTS. MY OTHER CAR HAS 300,000 MILES ON IT. I KNOW HOW TO MAINTAIN A CAR. I AM GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T LOSE POWER ON THE FREEWAY I HAD JUST EXITED. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY AND THE MEDIATION GROUP HANDLING THIS FOR CHRYSLER. I AM AWAITING PAPERWORK FROM THEM AT THE PRESENT TIME. *JB

DT: CALLER SAID 3 TIMES HER AIR BAG LIGHT COME ON, AND HAD IT FIXED TWICE. SHE DID NOT REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN AUGUST 2004 ,AND THE LAST TIME WAS ON JULY 24, 2005. CALLER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON JULY 14, 2005. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT ON. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED YET. MANUFACTURER SAID WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

2001 V-6 2.7 ENGINE FAILURE WITH 37,900 MILES. DEALER STATES THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILDUP DISPITE OIL CHANGES AT EVERY 6,000 MILES. THEIR IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS ENGINE RESTRICTING OIL FLOW TO VITAL ENGINE PARTS. I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR CLAIMS ON THE INTERNET. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FORCE CHRYSLER TO RECALL OR COMPENSATE THE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECTIVE ENGINE. I TRIED TO GET CHRYSLER TO HELP BUT ALL I GET IS STONE WALLLED AND FUSTRATED.*AK