2002 Chrysler Sebring

ON FEBRUARY 10,2012 I JUST GOT OFF THE EXPRESS WAY AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND UP FRONT. I GOT OUT TO LOOK AND FOUND THAT MY WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT. AFTER I HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE CONTROL ARM BROKE. I HAD TO PAY $450 TO GET IT REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD, ABNORMAL POP FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE THEN COLLAPSED AS THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED, INDEPENDENTLY STEERING RIGHT. THE VEHICLE SKIDDED AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THERE WERE THREE PERSONS REPORTED INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A FIELD INSPECTOR WAS SENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE UPPER CONTROL ARM AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AS THEY DID NOT CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE OR THE CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. UPDATED 05/16/11 *BF UPDATED 2/8/12 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL SEEMED TO CAVE IN. THE WHEEL COLLAPSED AND FOLDED INWARD. SHE LOST ALL STEERING CAPABILITIES THE FAILURE DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED THAT THE BALL JOINT WERE BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL 09E056000, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 96,000.

IN MAY, WHILE DRIVING MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR STRUT MOUNT ON MY 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING BROKE. I TOOK MY CAR IN AND HAD IT FIXED AND HAD TO LEAVE IT AS THE DEALERSHIP (GOLLING CHRYSLER) ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE WITH THE BROKEN STRUT MOUNT. ON 06/29/08, MY DRIVER SIDE REAR STRUT MOUNT BROKE. THIS TIME, THE DEALERSHIP (CLARKSTON CHRYSLER) STATED THAT THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT PARTS AS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE PART AND THEY HAD TO BE REENGINEERED. SO, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR SINCE 06/29/08. MY CAR ONLY HAD 65,000 MILES BUT IT IS PARKED AND UNUSABLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THERE IS A BACKLOG OF 10,000 PARTS ON ORDER. CHRYSLER CALLED TO STATE THAT THEY ESTIMATE THAT THE PARTS WOULD BE IN ON AUGUST 11TH. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD - OR AT LEAST THAT WHAT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME AND I CANT IMAGINE THAT VERY MANY PEOPLE CAN SHELVE THEIR CAR FOR 6 WEEKS AND INSTEAD - LIKE ME, HAVE HAD TO DRIVE THERE CAR ON OCCASION. I WAS ABLE TO BURROW SOMEONE'S VEHICLE BUT THERE WERE STILL TIMES WHEN I DID HAVE TO DRIVE MY SEBRING WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WASN'T AVAILABLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OF THOSE 65000 MILES, WELL OVER 99 % WERE ON HIGHWAY AND PAVED ROADS. THERE ARE NO DIRT ROADS IN THE AREA AND IT IS RARE THAT I EVER DRIVE ON ONE. *TR

ON JULY 10TH,2008 I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING 4DR SEDAN. I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THE REAR PASSENGER STRUT HAD FALLEN FROM THE MOUNTING BRACKET. I TOOK THE CAR ON JULY 11TH TO GET IT FIXED. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE BRACKET REQUIRED (4879072AD) IS ON EXTREME BACKORDER AND IT COULDN'T BE FIXED. I CALLED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY SEARCHING FOR THIS PART. IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALERS. THERE IS NO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT. ALL DEALERS EVERYWHERE ARE OUT AND HAVE ORDERS PLACED ON CHRYSLER BUT NEVER GET THE PARTS. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ACTED AS IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER BEING PERSISTENT, I FOUND THAT THERE ARE OVER 10,200 ON BACKORDER IN THE US AS OF 7/17. ASSUMING 2 PER CAR AND SOME DEALER "SAFETY STOCK", THIS COULD ADD UP TO 4000 CARS WHICH ARE NOT BEING DRIVEN BECAUSE OF THE PARTS AVAILABILITY OR ARE BEING DRIVEN UNSAFE. EVERY CHRYSLER PARTS DEALER I CALLED SAID THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF WITHOUT THE STRUT ATTACHED. IT ALSO CAUSES DAMAGE TO TIRES AND OTHER COMPONENTS. I CHECKED WITH JUNK YARDS HOPING TO FIND A SET. I DID FIND THEM AND THEY ARE IN THE SAME CONDITION AS MINE. IF THE CARPET IN THE TRUNK IS PULLED BACK YOU WILL SEE WHITE DUST AND CORROSION EVERYWHERE. I HEARD FROM A DEALER THAT THE PARTS COME FROM MEXICO AND THE PLANT IS ON STRIKE, THERE HAVE BEEN CARS SITTING AND WAITING FOR THIS PART FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS, BEST CASE I CAN GET PARTS IN 1 MONTH. FROM A PARTS, SAFETY AND AWARENESS STANDPOINT, CHRYSLER HAS DROPPED THE BALL ON THIS ONE. UNACCEPTABLE. I AM OUT CAR RENTAL FEES AND HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE FOR DAYS! THEY COULD AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM! I AM CERTAIN THEY KNOW OF IT. *TR

WAS DRIVING HOME AND HEAR LOUD NOISE GOT OUT AND CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE STRUT BRACKET HAD BROKEN ON THE REAR OF MY 2002 CHRYSLER SEABRING. I GOT HOME AND CALLED THE DEALER TO GET A NEW ONE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER AND THAT THERE WAS AROUND 8000 ON BACKORDER SO I CALLED CHRYSLER AND ASKED WHY THEY HAVEN'T RECALLED THIS PART YET WITH 8000 PARTS NEEDED THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WASN'T ANY OF THESE PARTS IN THE USA. NOW WHY IS THIS? THIS PART IS KNOWN TO GO BAD THEY TOLD ME. THEN WHY CAN'T THEY ISSUE A RECALL AND GET THESE PARTS MADE SO THESE CARS CAN BE FIXED.