NHTSA Complaint #10139102 — 2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING

2002 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONV. EXPERIENCED COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND ENGINE SHUT-OFF. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, TESTED, BUT NO REPEAT OF SYMPTOMS. OWNER REQUESTED CHRYSLER REPAIR PERSONNEL ACTUALLY DRIVE CAR. UPON DOING SO, ALL SYMPTOMS APPEARED WITH TOTAL LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND NON-STARTING ENGINE. EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM PRESENTED ITSELF TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. DEALER (HARBOR CHRYSLER, VENTURA, CA) HAD CAR FOR 18 DAYS. CAR RELEASED IN NON-REPAIRED CONDITION. UPON PICKING-UP THE CAR, THE OWNER ATTACHED WRITTEN STATEMENT OF CONCERN TO THE DEALER REGARDING THE SAFETY OF OPERATING A VEHICLE THAT CAN SUDDENLY STOP OPERATING WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED SYSTEMS INCLUDING BRAKE LIGHTS, SIGNALS, FLASHERS, WIPERS, AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SENSORS, HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS, ETC., AS WELL AS A NON-RUNNING/NON STARTABLE ENGINE. CHRYSLER DEALER ADVISED OWNER TO DRIVE VEHICLE UNTIL THE FAILING COMPONENT(S) EXPERIENCED COMPLETE FAILURE, AT WHICH TIME THE PROBLEM COULD BE ACCURATELY DIAGNOSED. THIS TRANSLATES INTO AN OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF THE OWNER TO OPERATE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO HELP THE DEALER DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS EFFECTIVELY UNUSABLE, AS STRONG SAFETY AND LIABILITY ISSUES CONTINUE TO CONCERN DR. ROLFF, THE OWNER/DRIVER. *JB