NHTSA Complaint #10585075 — 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WHILE OUT OF STATE ON A SUMMER TRIP IN JULY 2010 WHEN THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. IT HAS STAYED THAT WAY FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS. SHORTLY AFTER I RETURNED FROM THIS TRIP I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP (07-29-2010) WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2001. I WAS TOLD (1) THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND (2) TO FIX IT WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO SELDOM USED PARTS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED AND WHICH TOGETHER WOULD COST ME AROUND $800. I DECLINED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AS (1) IT IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND (2) I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT I CERTAINLY DID NOT CAUSE, THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS, AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY CHRYSLER AT NO CHARGE TO ME. I CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN THIS WEEK AND WAS TOLD THERE STILL IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD JUST UNDER 70,000 MILES WHEN THE PROBLEM APPEARED AND IT CURRENTLY HAS JUST UNDER 97,000 MILES. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR NEARLY 30,000 MILES WITHOUT AIR BAG PROTECTION. *TR