1999 Chrysler Sebring

CAR HAD BEEN CUTTING OUT WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF. TODAY WHILE DRIVING ON A 4-LANE VERY BUSY DIVIDED HIGHWAY ABOUT 55 MPH, CAR SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. THEN WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO TURN AND CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC THROUGH MEDIAN TURN-OFF, CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. CAR WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LUCKILY A FRIEND CAME BY AND PUSHED CAR OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY TO A SAFE AREA. I CALLED THE TOWING COMPANY AND THEN TRIED TO START THE CAR. IT HAD BEEN APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MINUTES AND CAR RESTARTED. I GOT THE CAR HOME AND PARKED IT. I WILL BE HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. I HAVE LOOKED UP INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE AND HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN 1996-1999 SEBRINGS. MOST OWNERS HAVE PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO GET THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. SOME OWNERS NEVER COULD GET THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. FROM THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE GATHERED, IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR OR THE EGC SENSOR. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ITEM AS THE VEHICLE DIES WHILE DRIVING. IT IS JUST BY LUCK THAT THE CAR RESTARTED WHILE DRIVING AND DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART IN THE MEDIAN. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. THE CAR HAS A LITTLE OVER 107,000 MILES AND I EXPECT THINGS TO GO WRONG WITH IT MECHANICALLY, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AS A NORMAL MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, NOR DO I WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY REPAIRING THINGS THAT DO NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ THAT PLUGS,FUEL PUMPS, SENSORS, ETC. HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED UNTIL PROBLEM IS CORRECTED. I FEEL CHRYSLER NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE SIMILAR TO THAT OF A TIRE FAILURE AND THEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. SHE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GAS STATION. THE MECHANIC OBSERVED THAT THERE WERE METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE OIL PAN. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED REFERENCE NUMBER 16870242 AND STATED THAT BECAUSE SHE IS THE THIRD OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND HAS NO WARRANTY, THEY COULD NOT BE OF ASSISTANCE. THE FUEL SYSTEM AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000.

WHERE DO I BEGIN? I PURCHASED THIS 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI USED IN 2006. IT HAD OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT, BUT APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON WHEN I PURCHASED IT AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS AN O2 SENSOR. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE FINE, SO I BOUGHT THE CAR. SILLY ME! AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, I'VE HAD A TOTAL OF 3 DISTRIBUTORS PUT ON, CONSTANT HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AND VEHICLE DYING OUT. I ALSO HAD A FUEL PUMP REPLACED AND NOW THE RADIATOR FAN IS GOING OUT AND MAKING A LOUD TERRIBLE NOISE. I CANNOT ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH WITHOUT THE CAR CUTTING OFF AND IT WILL BE PAID FOR IN ABOUT 8 MONTHS. TALKING WISHFUL THINKING!?? THE RIMS BEND EASY, THE AIR ALWAYS LEAKS FROM MY TIRES AND NOW THERE'S ALSO A BAD OIL LEAK. CHRYSLER MAKES A BEAUTIFUL CAR, BUT IT'S A PIECE OF JUNK AFTER THE FIRST YEAR I SEE! CHRYSLER'S SHOULD BE LEASED SO THAT WAY YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING STUCK WITH IT. *JB

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE(00V421002) LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT. AFTER THE WORK WAS DONE THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CURB. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DRIVER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL ON HIS OWN. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. CHRYSLER SERVICE MANAGER FAULKNER. *JB THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. PER INSPECTION, THE STEERING WAS FOUND DAMAGED. REFER TO RECALL#01I012000. *SC

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ON ICY ROAD CONDITION VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND LANDED FACING WEST, WHEN A 18 WHEELER HIT CONSUMER AT ABOUT 65 MPH, AND NONE OF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK THE AIR BAGS FAILED ON HEAD COLLISION PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE HAD OVER HEATED AND WOULD NOT START. DOOR WON'T OPEN DUE TO POWER LOCKS FAILURE. *YH