Chrysler Sebring 1998 - Steering - car safety information, failing parts, recalls, bulletins, complaints

Chrysler Sebring 1998

Recalls
Technical Service Bulletins
Defect investigations
Consumer Complaints

Recalls

Campaign	Manufacturer	Manufacturing date	Type	# of units affected	Date Owner notified Mfg	Recall Initiated by	Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products	Report Recieved Date	Record Creation Date
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
01I012000	DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION	to 01/22/1999	I	9800	08/08/2001	ODI	CHRYSLER GROUP LLC	07/05/2001	01/07/2002
Defect Summary	This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. however, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. vehicle description: 1998-1999 chrysler sebring jxi limited convertibles. the steering column intermediate shaft coupler pinch bolt retaining pin could snag and/or fray the edge of the driver's side floor mat.
Consequence Summary	This could interfere with the steering control of the vehicle.
Corrective Summary	Dealer will replace the steering column intermediate shaft coupler pinch bolt and retaining pin. in addition, the front floor mats will be replaced.
Notes	Daimlerchrysler has decided to conduct a customer satisfaction campaign to replace the steering column intermediate shaft coupler pinch bolt,retaining pin, e-clip and the front floor mats.owners can contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403, concerning this program.

Bulletins

Bulletin	Bulletin date	Replacement Bulletin	Item no.	Summary	Added
STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
080598	02/06/1998		600393	Discussion: containing after market steering column mounted anti-theft devices. *ak	05/12/1998
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
190199	01/22/1999	190597	604311	Procedures on aligning the power steering belt. *tt	04/22/1999
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
190398	06/11/1998		600899	Power steering system noise following cold engine starts in low ambient temperatures. *yc	06/11/1998
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
190198	02/06/1998		600302	Condition with clunking or rattling in steering/wheel column. *yc	05/06/1998

Investigations

NHTSA ID	Manufacturer	Date open	Date close	Subject	Recall campaign
STEERING
PE99030	CHRYSLER GROUP LLC	05/03/1999	09/10/1999	STEERING SHAFT BINDING
	Alleged that the carpeting interferes with steering column, resulting in a loss of steering
EA99028	CHRYSLER GROUP LLC	09/10/1999	07/26/2001	STEERING SHAFT BINDING	01I012000
	Alleged that the floor mat material becomes entangled int he steering column, resulting in a steering impediment

Consumer Complaints

Fail date	miles	occurences	Purchase date
STEERING
10/15/2003	66944
	I purchased this car on nov 2, 2003. when i purchased it, there was a rattling noise when you go over bumps, and also when the car goes up to 70 you could here a grinding like noise in (what i thought was the engine). they told me to go ahead and take the car and they scheduled me for service the following friday. when i brought the car in, they said they didn't work on chryslers and sent the car to tuffy. when it was time to pick up the car, the guy tore up the bill of service and said you're all set, so i really don't know what was done. when i asked for a copy he said he didn't have it, but could it order it for me. when i drove home, the rattling noise under the front left side was gone, but when i got off the freeway and tried to make a left turn, the car pulled away in the opposite direction and didn't want to turn. i almost ran into a tree. i called and told them about it, so they had me bring it in that following monday for service. when i picked it up again, they said they had to replace the bearings, that the bearings were bad. as i drove off the lot and onto the freeway, you could hear a grinding noise under your feet as the wheels turned and also anytime you tried to apply pressure to the brakes, the car would grind like the there was something going on between the wheels, brakes and steering. i waited 3 days to make sure it wasn't just me. but what appeared in the beginning to be a slight grinding when you get up to a certain speed evolved into a problem that was much worse. a problem that you could here more consistently, every time you applied pressure to the brakes, or just sometimes driving along the streets you could hear the grinding in the wheels, like something had rusted or gone bad, which caused the car to drive hard. it took a lot more power to accelerate, so much so that it feels like the overdrive doesn?t work (it takes that much power to get the car going, and it wasn?t that way before.

	Steering locks up intermittently when driving. their is a loud popping sound before steering returns. dealer has been contacted. *ak
07/28/1999
	Floor mat goes up the universal joint. it frays and it pulls the floor mat. driver not able to steer.consumer has contacted dealer and manufacturer. *ak
09/23/1998		10	07/01/1998
	Purchased a 1998 chrysler sebring july 1998. had so many problems within a few week period that the dealer took it back, and gave me another one in august 1998. after a couple of weeks, the 2nd sebring developed similar problems. when driving over bumps primarily on left side, a loud metalic rat-a-tat-tat sound coming from wheels. also, intermittent steering problems. when making a right turn, with foot on brake pedal, steering wheel pulls to the left. same results when making a left turn, steering wheel pulls to the right. *ak
			04/03/1998
	When driving and turning the floor mat gets caught in the bottom of the steering column because there is no boot surrounding the steering column, which makes it impossible to turn. also, the steering locks up. dealer says that it is just the way it's made. *ak
STEERING - COLUMN
01/01/1901		1
	Recall campaign 984: the vehicle's floor mats became snagged in steering column intermediate shaft coupler pinch bolt retaining pin and limited steering ability. bf the manufacturer refused repair the vehicle under the recall due to vin. nm
STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
05/29/1999			11/01/1998
	Brake system - caliper installed incorrectly at factory causing rotor and pad on front/driver's side to fail. remaining pads/rotors in fair condition. plastic exterior door panel on driver's side falls off will speed above 45mph. sunroof fails to open or close. battery died. anti-theft not working
08/24/1998		1	07/26/1998
	Anti theft device failed.
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
03/13/1998		1	11/02/1997
	Power steering high pressure and return power steering lines failed. yh
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
07/27/1999		1	11/01/1999
	While driving at approximately 20 mph, the vehicle felt like it was hesitating, consumer heard noises, then the vehicle stalled. consumer restarted vehicle ,drove it for about 100 feet ,heard explosion ,vehicle had caught on fire in the engine, which resulted in total loss of control. chrysler investigator felt power steering fluid leaked on top of cataylic converter, causing fire. *yc
05/20/1999
	Rmps will rev up, and engine check engine light will come on . the dealer has replaced steering pump and switch. the dealer has been having trouble duplicating the problem. the power steering rack has been replaced and light has not come back on but vehicle performance has not improved. manufacturer has been notified. *ak
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
01/01/1999		1	08/01/1998
	On jan 1999 i was going to work an my steering wheel locked and i could not steer the car so i lost control and hit an enbankment. i took the car in to be serviced and the said it was my fault because there was a wire underneith the car that caused the belt to come off but the wire was there due to me hitting the enbankment.also inside the car under the steering the carpet is burned,and the car 's steering is not right iv'e taken it to be balanced and aligned and nothing seems to help.also there is a recent recall. i would like previous damage to vehicle fixed.due to the steering. i also don't know if it is safe tobe traveling in the vehicle.*ak
		1	07/14/1998
	Design of the steering wheel column is uncovered above the gas and brake pedal which caused floor mat the be stuck resulting in loss of steering ability.