2001 Chrysler Sebring

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI 2.7L V6. VEHICLE PURCHASED APRIL 2002 AS CERTIFIED 8/80. LOUD KNOCKING FROM ENGINE. ENGINE SIEZED UP ON FREEWAY AND DIED. DEALER FOUND TIMING CHAINS BROKEN, THEW A ROD, ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING LACK OF OWNER MAINT. RECORDS. HAD ENGINE REPLACED FOR $7500.00.

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING IT IN. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE CHRYSLER TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE ALL THE OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. *TC

AIRBAG/CLOCKSPRING FAILURE. WAS IN FRONT END CRASH AT 25-30MPH AND AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. THIS WAS ON 06-26-04 GOT THE CAR FIX AT EARNHARDT AUTO BODY A FIVE STAR DEALER. ON 10-09-04 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. SO I TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL MY INSURANCE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE WORK. THEY WOULD IF IT WAS FROM THE CRASH. THE COMPUTER SHOWED NO ERROR CODE SO I HAD TO PAY. BODY SHOP SAID THEY CAN'T FIX I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE TO SERVICE.BUT THE TECH AT BODY SAID IT WAS A BAD CLOCKSPRING. SO ON 10-11-04 I TOOK TO SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC WHICH I HAD JUST PAID FOR AT THERE BODY SHOP. I TOLD THEM THIS BUT THIS DID'NT MATTER.BUT I NEED MY CAR GETTING TO WORK. SO I LET THEM KEEP IT FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. A FEW HOURS LATER THEY CALLED AND SAID IT WAS A BAD CLOCKSPRING AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $481.00. BECAUSE MY WARRANTY WAS UP IN TIME NOT MILES. WAS UP BY ABOT A MONTH AND WEEK OR TWO. I ASK THEM IF THIS WAS A SAFETY CONCERN AND THEY NO. CALL FOR MORE INFO ON THIS STORY.*AK

AT ABOUT 51,000 MILES MY CAR BEGAN MAKING LOUD SQUEAKING NOISES FROM THE FRONT END EVERY TIME YOU PASS OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT ALSO DEVELOPED MAJOR VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE CAR WAS SLOWING UP TO STOP. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHRYLSER DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE INNER TIE RODS WERE METAL TO METAL AND IT ALSO NEEDED NEW RACK AND PINION STEERING. THIS AMOUNTS TO NEARLY $1,000 EXPENSE ON A CAR JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN ONE YEAR FROM THE TIME THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SINCE THE STEERING CAN GO OUT. I HAD VERY LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING OF THIS PROBLEM AND AM NOT PREPARED TO INVEST THIS KIND OF MONEY IN ORDER TO HAVE A SAFE CAR FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. WE HAD PLANNED TO DRIVE THIS CAR ON VACATION IN THREE WEEKS. IF I HAD NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE, IT VERY WELL MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A FATAL CRASH WITH MY TWO SONS IN THE CAR. *AK

THE ENGINE ON MY CHRYSLER SEBRING (2.7) QUIT DUE TO EXCESS SLUDGE FROM A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME ANY COSTS. I HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY HAVE TO REPAIR 6 OR 7 CARS A YEAR DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT AT A COST OF NEARLY $2,500. IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD PERFORMED THE WORK IT WOULD HAVE COST NEARLY $7,000 AND THEY WOULD HAVE PUT A NEW, BUT THE SAME DEFECTIVE ENGINE IN MY CAR. A JASPER ENGINE EMPLOYEE DOCUMENTED THAT CHRYSLER HAS NEVER DONE THE UPDATES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROBLEM. *AK

OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY TYPE OF WARNING WHEN MY ENGINE FAILED AFTER ONLY 43,000 MILES. IT IS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEDAN. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT THESE ENGINES 2.7 LITER FOUND IN THE SEBRING AND INTREPID ARE PRONE TO SLUDGE AND PREMATURE FAILURE. MY WARRANTY WAS UP AT 36,000 MILES AND I AM GOING BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO GET SOME HELP WITH THESE REPAIRS CONSISTING OF $4988.45. A NEW ENGINE SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED IN A VEHICLE WITH 43,000 MILES. (AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE) I HAVE SPOKEN TO 5 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY ARE ALL AWARE OF THESE ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WAS STRANDED 150 MILES FROM HOME, IT WAS GRADUATION WK-END SO NO HOTEL ROOMS AND NO RENTAL CARS AVAILABLE. I WAS OUTSIDE OF KIRKSVILLE MO. AND HAD TO RIDE WITH A STRANGER TO GET TO SOMEWHERE THAT I COULD PHONE SINCE MY CELL PHONE WAS OUT OF RADUIS. *AK