1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E059000 (SUSPENSION). WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY FRACTURED AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS BENT INWARDS TOWARDS THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 208,000.

Mileage: 208,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPAIRED IN 1998 ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V201000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V421002 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT) IN 2000. THE CONTACT DID NOT REMEMBER THE FIRST RECALL REPAIR; HOWEVER, IT IS IN THE SYSTEM AS BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. HE BELIEVES THAT THE REPAIR WAS NEVER PERFORMED, BUT WAS DOCUMENTED AS COMPLETED IN ORDER TO GET PAID BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE ROAD AT 15 MPH, AFTER GOING THROUGH THE 2ND OF 2 SMALL DIPS, THE FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE ON THE 1997 SEBRING AND THE CAR STOPPED. WE GOT OUT, SAW FRONT WHEEL TURNED OUT AT SHARP ANGLE, THE RIGHT FRONT OF CAR DROPPED. SHERIDAN POLICE DROVE BY,WE MADE AN ACCIDENT REPORT. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED 2 BLOCKS, THE INS. CO. WAS CALLED WE CONTACTED PHIL LONG CHRYSLER IN LITTLETON CO. TO FIND PRICE ON THE PART. THEY ASKED FOR VIN NUMBER AND DETERMINED THERE WAS RECALL ON THAT VEHICLE. THEY SAID CAR WAS FIXED ONCE UNDER RECALL, THEY WANTED TO SEE IT. WE HAD IT TOWED THERE. BERNIE SAID THEY WOULD AT LEAST FIX THE BALL JOINT. THEY ESTIMATED THE DAMAGE AND CALLED DISTRICT REP TO COME SEE THE CAR. WE WERE CALLED AND TOLD DISTRICT REP SAID NO, THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE CAR UNDER THE RECALL. WE ALSO OWED THEM $100 (DIAGNOSTICS).WE WERE TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER, SCOTT VANSICKLE, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD, HAD 160,000 MILES. [RECALLED PART WAS FIXED AT 20,000 MILES IN 1998.] DECISION WAS MADE BY THE DISTRICT REP. AND, BESIDES, THOSE PARTS WEAR OUT. I ASKED FOR NAME AND NUMBER OF DISTRICT REP - CHRIS G. AT 1-800-992-1997. I CALLED, WAS TOLD BY ALEX, AFTER MUCH REFERRAL WITH HIS SUPERVISOR, THAT CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH DISTRICT REP, CHRIS G, HE SAID HE WAS NOT AT THAT NUMBER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A DISTRICT REP THERE, I NEEDED TO GO THROUGH DEALER FOR THAT. I ASKED HIM FOR HIS NAME, ALEX, AND SUPERVISOR'S NAME,RYAN.CHRYSLER'S REP, ( CHRIS G.) HAS OFFERED TO DO ABSOLUTELEY NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM AND IS UNWILLLING TO DO ANYTHING. I AM LUCKY I WAS GOING SLOW AND NOONE WAS HURT.THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND THE 3 OF US COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I FIND IT APPALLING THAT CHRYSLER CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULT OF THIS PART.

Mileage: 161,325

DT: CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, 967 ISSUED ON MAY 16, 2001. CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS RECALL REPAIRS WERE NEVER DONE. ON JUNE 23, 2005 SHE WAS TRAVELING, THROUGH SAINT CLARESHORES, MICHIGAN ON I94, GOT OFF AT EXIT AND MADE A RIGHT TURN AND VEHICLE CAME TO A DEAD STOP. RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT INTO WHEEL WELL, WHICH DID A LOT OF BODY DAMAGE. FROM THERE MECHANIC HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE AT WATERFORD AUTO, IN WATERFORD, MICHIGAN. MECHANIC THEN CALLED CHRYSLER TO FIND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL 967 ON PART THAT BROKE. CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE, HER EX-HUSBAND RECEIVED THE NOTICE. MECHANIC HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO CLARKSTON CHRYSLER 8105 BIG LAKE ROAD, PO BOX 1015, CLARKSTON, MICHIGAN 48347. DEALER LOOKED AT VEHICLE AND SAID THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THEY NEEDED AN INVESTIGATOR FROM CHRYSLER TO LOOK AT VEHICLE. INVESTIGATOR CAME OUT ON JULY 6, 2005. CONSUMER HEARD FROM MANUFACTURER ON JULY 19, 2005. THEY DENIED RECALL REPAIRS BECAUSE THE PART HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BY SOMEONE ELSE. HOWEVER THEY DID NOT HAVE A RECORD OF IT.*AK

Mileage: 73,000

ON APRIL 23, 2005, MY SON WAS TRAVELING TO WORK, ABOUT 12:30 IN THE AFTERNOON, TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE 210 FREEWAY. AT SOME POINT, HIS LEFT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT. HIS CAR LOST CONTROL AND SPUN COUNTERCLOCKWISE, ACROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC, AND HEAD ON INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER. HIS CAR CONTINUED TO SPIN IN THE SAME DIRRECTION AND IMPACTED AGAIN AT THE RIGHT REAR QUARTERPANEL, AND THE RIGHT REAR BUMPER. MY SON GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND THE CHP ARRIVED WITHIN TEN MINUTES TO HAVE HIS CAR TOWED. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN. THEY SENT AN INSPECTOR TO THE SALVAGE YARD. TWO WEEKS LATER I GOT A LETTER FROM CHRYSLER SAYING THAT THEIR RECALLED UPPER BALL JOINT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRASH. I HAD A MECHANIC EXAMINE THE VEHICLE, HE HAD IT LIFTED UP WITH A FORKLIFT, AND SHOWED ME THE RACK AND PINION THAT WAS DANGLING DOWN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HE SAID THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRAIGE, THE BROKEN STEERING WAS WHAT CAUSED MY SON'S CAR TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, AND CRASH INTO THE MEDIAN, INJURING HIM, AND THREATENING THE OTHER COMMUTERS.

Mileage: 81,350

WHILE PULLING INSIDE THE PARKING LOT VEHICLE COLLASPSED TO THE GROUND. DRIVER NOTICED THAT RIGHT SIDE COLLASPED,BUT THE LEFT SIDE WAS NORMAL. DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE, AND THEN CONTACTED A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK

WHILE TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED THAT RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS LOOSE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND MADE A STRANGE NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THA T LOWER LATERAL BALL JOINT FAILED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT LEFT BALL JOINT SEPARATED CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND THE VEHICLE TO FALL ON FRONT BUMPER AND FRONT RIGHT FENDER. BOTH THE BUMPER AND THE FENDER WERE DAMAGED. *YH

GRINDING NOISES IN THE STEERIING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. *AK

SWAY BAR LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO TIRE THAT KEEPS BACK END STABLE. BACK TIRES RUB AGAINST SWAY ARM. ALSO, CAN'T PUT FINGER BETWEEN SWAY BAR AND TIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD TO BRING VEHICLE IN.*AK

CONTROL ARM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER HEARD A CREEKING NOISE AND A LOUD BUMP WHEN TURNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL NOTICE 00V421002000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 967. VEHICLE WAS STARTING TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE, AND CONSUMER DECIDED TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM, AND STATED THAT BALL JOINTS WERE OKAY, AND DIDN'T NEED TO BE REPAIRED. RATTLING NOISE GOT WORSE, AND CONSUMER WENT TO A MECHANIC WHO WOULD NOT LET VEHICLE LEAVE THE LOT BECAUSE BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE, AND VEHICLE COULD EASILY LOSE STEERING. CONSUMER HAS BEEN WAITING FOR CONTACT SINCE JULY FROM MANUFACTURER. *AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL (00V421002) NOTICE REGARDING BALL JOINTS AND TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE RECALL COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE THE PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. *YH

WHEN DRIVING AT 65MPH THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF NOISE. VEHICLE NOT CONTROLLABLE; WOULD DRIF, AN D PULL TO RIGHT ONLY. *AK

STEERING WOULD MAKE LOUD NOISES WHEN TURNING AND WOULD JERK VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE BALL JOINTS WHICH WERE RUSTED AND WERE REPLACED. *AK

FRONT END WAS NOT RIDING RIGHT, IFTURN STEERING WHEEL SOMETHING IN FRONT WOULD POP.*AK

RECALL 97V201000; LOWER BALL JOINT WITH CONTROL ON BOTH SIDES, DEALER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE'S VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. ROTORS, BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS NEEDED REPLACED. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN OIL LEAK. LOCKS DO NOT WORK. *SLC

1997 SEBRING'S RECALLED FOR THIS REASON. WHEN I CONTACTED CHRYSLER THEY SAID THIS PARTICULAR CAR DID NOT HAVE A RECALL. WHY, THEN, DID THIS HAPPEN TO MY CAR. I REPORTED THE FRONT END OF THE CAR TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THE SECOND TIME, NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THERE WAS 3,500 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE DEALER TOLD CHRYSLER IT WAS CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT. I NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THIS CAR. *AKPERHAPS, BEFORE I OWNED IT?

BACK LATERAL WENT OUT, IT SNAPPED IN HALF. THE DEFECT MADE CONSUMER LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL AND RUN INTO A DITCH. DEALER REFERRED CONSUMER TO CALL HOTLINE. *AK

AFTER ACCIDENT CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS ON RECALL (97V-201). YH

WHILE DRIVING DOWN TOWN INSIDE STEERING WHEEL WAS SQUAEKING REALLY BADLY, MECHANIC SAID FRONT LEFT BALL JOINT HAS GONE BAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER WAS VERY RUDE AND COULD NOT HELP. *AK

WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE IN USE THE CALIPERS FAILED TO OPEN. VEHICLE WOULD STOP UNTIL NOISE INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH BRAKES. WOULD TAKE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REPLACED BRAKES. THE BRAKE PROBLEM HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES SO FAR. LAST TIME BRAKES JUST GAVE WAY & NEEDED TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE. ON 5TH SET OF BRAKES. ALSO, REMOTE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK/ BOTH FRONT WINDOWS GLASS DISTORTED/REPLACED SPARK PLUGS/REPLACED TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM/REPLACED NOISY FRONT END/REPLACED STARTER, AND REALIGNED DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE.

ONGOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE WHENEVER VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP OR AT A SLOW SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. *AK

LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED.

FRONT END SUSPENSION RATTLES AND SQUEAKS.

VEHICLE SHIMMIES CONSTANTLY, THE INTENSITY VARIES THE THE RATE OF SPEED AND ROAD CONDITIONS. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES CONSTANTLY AND JERKS RIGHT AND LEFT WHEN VEHICLE HITS BUMPS. THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SHAKE WHEN VEHICLE TRAVELS ON ANY NON-SMOOTH ROAD CONDITIONS.