Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Chrysler Sebring problems

Owners filed 319 complaints about the 1998 Chrysler Sebring with NHTSA between May 1998 and Dec 2020. The most-cited component is structure (71).

Complaints
319
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
36
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure71
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic37
  3. Suspension35
  4. Power train30
  5. Vehicle speed control23
  6. Wheels23
  7. Air bags21
  8. Electrical system21
  9. Engine and engine cooling20
  10. Steering20
  11. Visibility18
  12. Tires14
  13. Seat belts13
  14. Fuel system, gasoline7

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 28, 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
199817
199965
200043
200137
200228
200330
200430
200520
20067
20076
20084
20093
20106
20112
20127
20134
20145
20153
20160
20171
20180
20190
20201

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

Structure

71 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER LEAKING ONTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. ADDITIONALLY, THE DISTRIBUTOR FAILED TWICE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND AN INCREASE IN THE VEHICLE TEMPERATURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2012Structure, EngineODI 10483486

Service brakes, hydraulic

37 reports3 crashes
“THIS COMPLAINT IS THE SAME AS THE ONE FILED ON MARCH 12TH OF 01. PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR. ON MY MAKE AND MODEL CHRYSLER SEBRING CONV. THERE ARE NO WEAR SENSORS ON THE INSIDE BRAKE PADS. ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE DO THEY HAVE THE REQUIRED HARDWARE TO DETECT BRAKE WEAR. ON MY CAR THE RIGHT INSIDE BRAKE PAD ALWAYS WEARS OUT FIRST. I HAVE HAD TO COMPLETELY REPLACE MY BRAKES AT ALMOST THE EXACT SAME MILEAGE AS THE FIRST TIME. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION IF REQUIRED TO VERIFY COMPLAINT IF NECESSARY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS COMPLAINT. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10058648

Suspension

35 reports6 crashes3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE LOWER BALL JOINT AND AXLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER ARM CONTROL, LOWER BALL JOINT, TIE ROD, AND AXLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2015SuspensionODI 10735188

Power train

30 reports4 crashes1 fire2 related recalls
“1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSAXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK RECALL REPAIR HISTORY. *SMD THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW, IF THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED PROPERLY, DUE TO THE FACT THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED AND THE RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2005. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 6, 2017Power trainODI 10948248

Vehicle speed control

23 reports6 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“ON HIGHWAY 69 I PROCEEDED TO PASSING A SEMI NEAR CRAFT ROAD. AFTER PASSING THE SEMI I RELEASE MY FOOT OFF OF THE THROTTLE, BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. FINALLY AT 102 MPH BOUNCING MY FOOT ON AND OFF THE PEDAL WITH NO CHANGE. WHEN GOING INTO THE CORNER I THEN BUMPED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE KEY OFF. I POPPED THE HOOD, GOT OUT AND COULD SEE NO ISSUE WITH THE CABLE, STILL IN IT'S FACTORY LOCATION. NO BINDS OR KINKS I THEN PUSHED DOWN ON THE THROTTLE LINKAGE ON THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT POPPED LOOSE. I GOT BACK IN AND HAVEN'T HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM SINCE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2020Vehicle speed controlODI 11377278

Wheels

23 reports1 crash
“I HAVE A CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI 1998 WITH 17 IN. LOW PROFILE WHEELS CURRENTLY 64,000. I NOTICE THAT CITY DRIVING HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HARD ON MY WHEELS. THE FIRST YEAR THAT I HAD IT, THE RIMS BENT UNDER REGULAR ROAD TRAVEL. THE INABILITY TO HANDLE REGULAR DRIVING APPEARS TO BE TO UNCOMMON AND I FELT THAT I MUST FILE A COMPLAINT BEFORE THIS GOES UNNOTICED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2006WheelsODI 10150600
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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