Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Chrysler Sebring problems
Owners filed 294 complaints about the 1997 Chrysler Sebring with NHTSA between Mar 1997 and Oct 2022. The most-cited component is seat belts (38).
Complaints
294
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
44
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
33
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Seat belts38
- Suspension35
- Electrical system35
- Power train34
- Service brakes, hydraulic30
- Air bags28
- Engine and engine cooling26
- Structure23
- Vehicle speed control23
- Visibility19
- Steering15
- Wheels13
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Seats5
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
7
31
40
32
26
37
35
24
26
2
5
10
3
4
4
1
2
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 31 |
| 1999 | 40 |
| 2000 | 32 |
| 2001 | 26 |
| 2002 | 37 |
| 2003 | 35 |
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 26 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Seat belts
38 reports5 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT ON THE SEAT BELT, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RELEASE AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. ....UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SOLENOID WAS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED 07/14/16.*JB”
Suspension
35 reports5 crashes2 related recalls
“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.”
Electrical system
35 reports2 crashes3 fires
“MY 1997 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAIN DURING RUSH HOUR. AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT AT A MAJOR HIGHWAY INTERSECTION, MY CAR DIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. MY OIL PRESSURE SENSOR WIRING IS THE CAUSE FOR MY FUEL PUMP TO CUT OFF AS A SAFETY MEASURE FOR THE CARS PROTECTION BUT ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE. AFTER SEEING THE DEALER AND LOOKING AT ONLINE FORUMS, I HAVE FOUND THIS IS COMMON FOR THE 2.7L ENGINE IN MY CAR AND MANY OTHER AUTOS MADE BY DAMLIER CHRYSLER. IF THE 18 WHEELER WOULD HAVE NOT CHANGED LANES I WOULD HAVE DIED. I AM WAITING TO REPLACE THE WIRING BECAUSE THIS IS SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS OF WORK. *TR”
Power train
34 reports6 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“WHILE DRIVING MY 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING THE CAR FELT AS IF FELL OUT OF CAR AND TURNED COMPLETELY OFF. THIS HAPPENED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN NOTHERN NEW JERSEY AND COST SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO BE TOWED BACK TO PHILADELPHIA. THE PROBLEM IS BELIEVED TO BE WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THERE WERE NO WORNIGN SIGNS AND THE CAR ONLY HAS A LITTLE OVER 76,000 MILES ON IT. MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF THE PASSENGERS WERE VERY MUCH IN DANGER SINCE WE WERE STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS UNTIL A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. *NM”
Service brakes, hydraulic
30 reports7 crashes1 fire
“DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER MOTORIST. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO JUMPING OUT OF GEAR DUE TO THE RECALL ON THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER/IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK. *JB”
Air bags
28 reports23 crashes
“FIRE IN RIGHT FRONT DASH AREA( PASSENGER SIDE) TO THE RIGHT OF THE AIR BAG. BROKE/MELTED FRONT WINDOW/WIPER BLADE, BURNED A 12" SQUARE HOLE IN THE DASH. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER SMELT SOMETHING BURNING--NO SIGNS OF SMOKE, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED OVER NIGHT. THE DAMAGE WAS NOTICED THE NEXT MORNING.”
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.