Your vehicle report
1997 Chrysler Sebring
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 210
- Received Mar 1997 to Oct 2022
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract22 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes20 complaints · 9.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Ball joints wear out and fail9 complaints · 4.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #02V186000On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5L V6 engines, the throttle control cable can fray causing the throttle to bind or stick.
- Recall #00V421002Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 37 crashes, 4 fires, 21 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 31 |
| 1999 | 39 |
| 2000 | 30 |
| 2001 | 24 |
| 2002 | 27 |
| 2003 | 21 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 210 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 22 | 10% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 20 | 9.5% | – | |
| Ball joints wear out and fail | 9 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #00V421002, #97V201000 |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 9 | 4.3% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 9 | 4.3% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 8 | 3.8% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 2.9% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 2.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 6 | 2.9% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #02V186000July 8, 200288,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5L V6 engines, the throttle control cable Can fray causing the throttle to bind or stick.
This could potentially result in a loss of throttle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the throttle cable assembly. Owner notification began august 5, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #00V421002December 18, 2000393,796 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water Can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which Can cause the ball stud to corrode.
This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. This campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99V-066.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. Ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
NHTSA recall #98V183000August 6, 1998685,000 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The adjustment of the cable connecting the console shifter mechanism to the ignition key Can cause a trapped key condition which Can result in a low force required to depress the shift button. A combination of applying a mis-adjusted release button with a low force attempt to shift out of park with the key in the locked position, Can break the connecting pin in the shifter.
If this happens, the "ignition-park" interlock system will be nonfunctional.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for proper operation of the system. Any vehicles that are not functional after the inspection will have the shift mechanism and cable replaced with a "self-adjusting" design.
NHTSA recall #97V201000November 13, 1997599,000 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint Can separate due to loss of lubrication.
Separation of the ball joint could cause a loss of steering control increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the ball joint end housing cover seal for leakage with a high pressure air tester and the rubber boot will be visually inspected for damage. If the cover seal leaks or the boot is damaged, the lower control arm will be replaced.
NHTSA recall #97V081002August 8, 19971,083 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: head restraint
The headrest guide bracket was improperly welded to the seat back frame on the passenger side seat back assemblies only.
The headrest support bracket Can break, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the passenger seat back assembly with a new assembly.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Chrysler Sebring.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN