Problems · by component
1997 Chrysler Sebring air bags problems
28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Chrysler Sebring cite air bags, 10% of all 294 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
28
10% of all complaints
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“I PURCHASED THE 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING IN NOVEMBER OF 2014. I DID NOTICE THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS SLIGHTLY EJECTED. I HAVE GONE TO AUTOMOTIVE SHOPS AND EVEN A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, AND BOTH INFORM ME THAT THE AIRBAGS FOR THIS PARTICULAR CAR ARE NO LONGER MADE. I NEED HELP ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SPIN SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER BLACKED OUT DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION. IN DOING SO, HE UNKNOWINGLY DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. UPON IMPACT, THE REAR WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE CRASH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED ACCORDINGLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS HOME. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE FURTHER AND UPON DOING SO, FOUND IT UNUSUAL THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF FRONT-END DAMAGE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.”
“I WAS DRIVING IN A 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI, WHEN I BEGAN GETTING LIGHT-HEADED, AND KNEW THAT I WAS ABOUT TO PASS OUT. I TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT TO GET OFF THE ROADWAY, AND THE LAST THING THAT I REMEMBER WAS TURNING INTO THE LOT (BECAUSE I INDEED DID PASS OUT, DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION). MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, I STRUCK A RAISED CONCRETE SIDEWALK (AT A STORE FRONT) THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 INCHES HIGH, THEN STRUCK THE BRICK WALL AND STORE FRONT WINDOW, ENTERED THE BUILDING AND STRUCK DISPLAY CASES, FURNITURE, ETC. UPON ENTERING THE BUILDING. WHEN I CAME TO, I WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, AND THE AIRBAGS (NEITHER ONE) HAD DEPLOYED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 9-1-1 FROM MY CELL PHONE TO SUMMON POLICE, FIRE & EMS. THE INVESTIGATORS FROM THE LOCAL POLICE INDICATED THAT WHEN I PASSED OUT MY FOOT HAD TO HAVE HIT THE VEHICLES ACCELERATOR TO CAUSE ME TO TRAVEL THE DISTANCE, HIT THE SIDEWALK, AND CONTINUE INTO THE STRUCTURE (BUILDING). I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE SAFETY FEATURES (AIR BAGS) DID NOT DEPLOY! *TR”
“DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 3-15-05 CONCERNING THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK SHE CALLED AT THE END OF MARCH OR THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. ON 5-7-05, BEFORE THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT A POLE. AND THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE WAS $8,700. ON 5-12-05 CHRYSLER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO CHECK THE VEHICLE . THE CONSUMER WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE INSPECTION, BUT SOMEONE ELSE WHO WAS AT THE INSPECTION CLAIMED THAT THE INVESTIGATOR TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. HE DID NOT THINK THE TRANS AXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CRASH. THE CONSUMER DID NOT AGREE, STATING THAT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH. NEITHER THE SEAT BELTS NOR THE AIR BAGS WORKED IN THE CRASH.*AK”
Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.