1997 Chrysler Sebring engine and engine cooling problems

“KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH CHRYSLERS 2.4L - 4 CYLINDER ENGINES - DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. WE PURCHASED A NEW 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING JX W/ 2.4L DOHC 4 CYLINDER ENGINE IN MARCH OF 1998. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW AND MAINTAINED BY NALLEY CHRYSLER IN ROSWELL. VEHICLE HAS A LITTLE OVER 19,000 ACTUAL MILES AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE OR USE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR LEAKING COOLANT/OIL MIXTURE COMPLAINED OF LEAKS TO SERVICE REPS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, NOTHING FOUND. AT LAST RECALL - SHIFTER LINKAGE, ASKED SERVICE TECHNICIAN TO CHECK FOR COOLANT LEAKS WAS INFORMED THAT 2.4L ENGINE WILL NEED A NEW HEAD GASKET. INTERNET SEARCHES SHOW MANY OCCURRENCES OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS 2.4L ENGINE AS HEADS ARE MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIAL THAN BLOCK AND THEY COOL AND HEAT AT DIFFERING RATES CAUSING EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT AND FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. CHRYSLER HAS SILENTLY WARRANTED MANY OF THESE ENGINES BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET FAILURES AND KNOWN PROBLEMS AND DEFECTS. WOULD REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT OR REPAIR. CHRYSLER REP HAD DENIED REPAIR. CLASS ACTION STATUS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR THESE KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEMS. *JB”

“STRONG GASOLINE ODORS CAME INTO VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS DOWN. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK.....PAINT ON VEHICLE WAS FADING-TURNING BLACK TO WHITE. FROM INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE BACK OF VEHICLE. SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD A BROKEN SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. IN ADDITION, PASSENGER'S LEATHER SEAT WAS CRACKING, AND STITCHING ON CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS COMING OUT. *AK”

“ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN.DEALER REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAD THE OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED AGAIN ALONG WITH A EXHAUST MANIFOLD- STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN! DRIVING AT ABOUT 65MPH ON BUSY HIGHWAYS THE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL. *AK”

“WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER MADE A TURN AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. AFTER BEING TOWED DEALER STATED THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WANTED THE CONSUMER TO PROVIDE OIL CHANGE RECORDS.*AK”

“WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. PULLED VEHICLE OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING OIL FROM THE ENGINE. DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC CONFIRMED WHAT PROBLEM WAS. HAD NOT HAD HEAD GASKETS REPAIRED. *AK”

“WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND STALLED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OUT OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER HAS NOT FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION. *NLM”