NHTSA Complaint #10197747 — 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE

I BOUGHT A USED 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH A 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINE FROM AN INDEPENDENT CAR LOT AROUND MAY 2006. THE CAR WAS VERY CLEAN AND HAD THE ORIGINAL MANUALS IN THE GLOVEBOX BUT NO SERVICE RECORDS FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER (THERE WAS ONLY ONE OWNER ACCORDING TO CARFAX). THE CAR HAD 99K MILES ON IT AND RAN WELL WHEN I TEST DROVE IT. I MOVED TO TN AND DID ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR - AN ALIGNMENT, NEW TIRES, AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES WITH SYNTHETIC OIL AT JIFFY LUBE. THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE RATTLING NOISES WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, WHEN ACCELERATING AND WHEN GOING UP HILLS IN EARLY JULY 2007. THE SOUND GOT WORSE AS TIME PROGRESSED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FIRESTONE AUTO CENTER IN MID-JULY 2007. THE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T FIX THE ENGINE AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE IT. I HAD ONLY PUT 11K MILES ON IT SINCE I OWNED IT AND I WAS STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR. I ASKED THEM HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE PUT IN. THEY LOOKED UP THE PRICE FOR A REBUILT ENGINE AND WITH LABOR AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $7200. THEN THE MECHANIC TOLD ME PRIVATELY THAT HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS WORTH IT TO FIX THE CAR. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE ENGINE COULD FAIL AT ANY MINUTE AND POSSIBLY LEAVE ME STRANDED OR IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I LOOKED UP THE VALUE OF THE CAR - IT WAS ONLY WORTH $6000 (I STILL OWED ABOUT $6500 IN PAYMENTS). I THEN WENT ONTO ONLINE CAR FORUMS TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS ENGINE TO SEE WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE. THERE I FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE FAILING AND THAT SOME WHO HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE HAD THE SECOND ENGINE EVENTUALLY FAIL ALSO. SO I WENT SHOPPING FOR A NEW CAR USING THE SEBRING AS A TRADE-IN. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE ENGINE (THE REST OF THE CAR WAS IN GREAT CONDITION). I GOT $1000 FOR THE TRADE AND BASICALLY LOST $5000 BECAUSE OF THE BAD ENGINE. I WORK IN A HELPING PROFESSION SO THIS LOSS WAS A CONSIDERABLE SET-BACK FOR ME. *TR