Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Chrysler Cirrus problems

Owners filed 72 complaints about the 1999 Chrysler Cirrus with NHTSA between Oct 1998 and Oct 2022. The most-cited component is power train (14).

Complaints
72
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train14
  2. Engine and engine cooling9
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic8
  4. Fuel system, gasoline8
  5. Steering7
  6. Electrical system7
  7. Vehicle speed control6
  8. Air bags5
  9. Suspension3
  10. Exterior lighting3
  11. Fuel system, other2
  12. Visibility2
  13. Structure2
  14. Tires2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19981
19999
20008
200112
20028
20035
20049
20056
20062
20073
20084
20093
20100
20110
20120
20130
20141
20150
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

14 reports1 related recall
“ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO, MY CAR BEGAN STUTTERING AND STALLING OUT WITH NO WARNING. THE OIL LIGHT REPEATED FLASHES ON, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES AND THEN STAYS ON, AND THE CAR WONT START OR JUST CUTS OFF. THE TRANSMISSION SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE OIL WAS CHANGED. THIS PAST 3 MONTHS ALONE, IT HAS BEEN AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT 6 TIMES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOW BEING TOLD THAT I NEED A TUNE-UP, WHICH WILL COST $700, THEN THE EGR NEEDS REPLACED, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS. HOWEVER, WHEN THE MECHANIC HAD IT LAST WEEK, HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE CIRRUS VEHICLES HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE MALL VIA THE PARKWAY WHEN THE CAR STALLED OUT. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS SLOW BECAUSE IF I WAS ON THE PARKWAY AND IT STALLED OUT, MY SISTER AND I COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED. THERE IS NO PREDETERMINED TIME WHEN THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 89500 MILES ON IT. I HAVE ALL OF MY ORIGINAL REPAIR PAPERS. PROPER MAINTENANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR. WHEN IT WORKS, IT IS GREAT. UNFORTUNATELY, I JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO NOT START. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10259302

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports
“THE DISTRIBUTOR HAS GONE OUT TWICE (2X) ON MY 1999 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2007 WHILE I WAS SITTING IN A CAR WASH. I THOUGHT PERHAPS SOME WATER HAD SPLASHED IN AND SHORTED SOMETHING OUT. SO I DIDN'T REPORT IT. BUT THE SECOND TIME WAS ON FRIDAY, MAY 29TH. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE I-210 FREEWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE - NEAR AZUSA, CA. SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND I HAD TO PULL ACROSS 5 LANES OF TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO SAFELY GET OFF THE FREEWAY. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND VERY DANGEROUS. IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER, THE CAR WOULD JUST HAVE STOPPED DEAD ON A BUSY FREEWAY ON THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON OF THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. I ASKED THE MECHANIC AT CLIPPINGER CHRYSLER IN COVINA WHERE WE HAD THE CAR TOWED IF THE DISTRIBUTOR WENT OUT OFTEN ON THEIR CARS. HE SAID IT WAS "RARE." I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT IT HAS GONE OUT TWICE ON MY CAR IN THE PAST 2 YEARS IS VERY STRANGE AND COULD CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS DEFECT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10273813

Service brakes, hydraulic

8 reports1 crash1 related recall
“I HAVE A 1999 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR FOR THE DAY 10/15/08, SHE CALLED ME AT WORK TO SAY THE BRAKES WERE MAKING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE NEXT DAY I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKES SERVICED. ON THE WAY OVER, THE BRAKE PADS COMPLETELY STOPPED FUNCTIONING. I HAD TO DOWN SHIFT TO STOP. I DROVE AT 10 MPH OR SLOWER THE LAST MILE TO THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE BRAKES. THIS CAR HAD NO BRAKES. WHAT TROUBLES ME, IS THAT THE BRAKE PADS HAD NO WEAR INDICATORS ON THEM. HAD I HEARD THE SCREECHING OF THE INDICATORS, I WOULD HAVE HAD THE PADS REPLACED SOONER. I HAD NO IDEA THE PADS WAS THAT BAD. A FEW DAYS EARLIER, I WAS IN RHODE ISLAND TO VISIT MY DAUGHTERS. I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT HAD THE BRAKES FAILED THEN. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NOT ALL BRAKE PADS HAVE THESE WEAR INDICATORS. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. THE COST OF INCLUDING THESE ON ALL BRAKE PADS COULDN'T BE THAT MUCH. PASS THE COST ON IF THEY HAVE TO. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10245700

Fuel system, gasoline

8 reports1 related recall
“(1)A 1999 CHYSLER CIRRUS WAS RUN TO NEAR EMPTY ON GAS. THE GAUGE READ BETWEEN A QUARTER TANK AND EMPTY ON THE WAY TO THE GAS STATION. UPON ARRIVING AT THE GAS STATION THE TANK WAS FILLED. AFTER FILLING WITH GAS, I PROCEEDED TO TRY AFTER START MY CAR AND IT FAILED TO FUNCTION. MY HUSBAND WHO IS A SELF-EMPLOYEED MECHANIC THOUGHT IT TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. (2)UPON REMOVAL OF THE GAS TANK UNIT AND THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, WE FOUND THERE TO BE A POSSIBLE HAZARD WITH THE WIRING HARNESS LOCATED INSIDE OF THE GAS TANK UNIT ITSELF. THE WIRES ACTUALLY BEGAN TO MELTS TOGETHER INSTEAD OF DISTURBING THE FUEL PUMP FUSE LOCATED NUETRALLY ON THE FUSE PANEL IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE CAR. WE FEEL THAT IF THE MELTING OF THE WIRES HAD BEEN MORE INTENSE THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN EXPLOSION DUE TO THE MIXTURE OF HEAT AND COMBUSTABLE GASES/FUMES. (3)THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT AND INSTALLED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2005Fuel system, gasolineODI 10125244

Steering

7 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER LHS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE TIRES CHANGED. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING TOO QUICKLY AND STATED THAT THE BOLTS INTER-RACK WAS A QUARTER OF AN INCH UNSCREWED. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT IS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY IN TWO MINOR CRASHES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 124,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS IS THE 3RD RACK AND PINION INSTALLED ON THIS VEHICLE IN A 3 YEAR PERIOD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RACK AND PINION IS REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 19, 2007Steering, SuspensionODI 10196839

Electrical system

7 reports1 fire
“THIS IS SECOND TIME MY BATTERY HAS DIED AND L AM STILL UNABLE TO JUMP THE THING. SOMETHING IS WRONG THAT THE MECHANICS OR DEALERSHIPS AREN'T TELLING ME . *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 10, 2014Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10621179
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.