1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPE. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING CHRYSLER EMPLOYEE LUNCH BREAK ACTIVITIES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED MECHANICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT SUDDENLY SEPARATED AND JAMMED THE TIRE UP INTO THE FENDER WELL AT AN AWKWARD ANGLE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT COST OVER $800 TO REPLACE THE SUSPENSION PARTS ON BOTH SIDES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE, WAS DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION, BECAUSE YEARS AGO, MANUFACTURERS CHOSE TO DELETE THE INEXPENSIVE GREASE FITTING ON SUSPENSION PARTS AND INSTEAD CHOSE SUBSTITUTED SEALED BALL JOINTS THAT WERE SUBJECT TO FAILURE. *JB UPDATED 04/26/11.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK, WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE RUBBER ON THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD SPLIT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 99V066003 WHICH PERTAINED TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPLE LX. THE THROTTLE CONTROL IS STICKING. IF COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE ON AT A FULL THROTTLE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT RECALLS, AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE MAIN COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT THAT REPLACEMENT WAS NOT RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE FALSE SIGNALS FROM THE IDLE AIR CONTROL SOLENOID TO THE MAIN COMPUTER, CAUSING THE THROTTLE CONTROL TO STICK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP YET. HE WANTED TO CONTACT NHTSA FIRST. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN NINE MONTHS AGO, AND OCCURRED SIX TIMES, GENERALLY AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. *AK *NM

ON MAY 5, 2005 WHILE ON INTERSTATE 95 IN VIRGINIA THE LOW BALL JOINT ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF MY 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEPERATED FROM MY VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE AND STOPPING IN THE FAST LANE ON THE BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY UNABLE TO MOVE IT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION, THE YEAR BEFORE THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE DUE TO A RECALL ON THE BALL JOINTS AND IT WAS REPLACED IN A RUSH BY A CHRYSLER DEALER, WHEN IT HAPPENED IN MAY CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE RECALL AND REFUSED TO PAY FOR MY RENTAL CAR FEES AND I COULD NOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE OR PAY FOR THE RENTAL CAR AND NOW I HAVE NO VEHICLE ALL BECAUSE OF SHOTY WORK DONE BY CHRYSLER.

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY GOING 65 MPH. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE, CAUSING THE WHOLE FRONT OF VEHICLE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. SLIDE A CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC AND 1 BLOCK LATER VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH REAR STRUTS. I HAVE HAD ALL PARTS REPLACED. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO VEHICLE IS THE PAINT SCRAPES TO THE FRONT LOWER PART. *JB