1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 340 complaints · 12 recalls
Most-reported system: SUSPENSION (61 complaints · 17.9%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 41
  • Fires 10
  • Injuries 25
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 1995 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution SUSPENSION appears in 61 of 340 owner complaints (17.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. SUSPENSION: 61 complaints, 17.9% of reports SUSPENSION 61 · 17.9% · 5 crash reports SERVICE BRAKES: 42 complaints, 12.4% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 42 · 12.4% · 5 crash reports 2 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 36 complaints, 10.6% of reports POWER TRAIN 36 · 10.6% · 3 crash reports STRUCTURE: 32 complaints, 9.4% of reports STRUCTURE 32 · 9.4% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 31 complaints, 9.1% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 31 · 9.1% · 1 crash reports 5 fire reports AIR BAGS: 27 complaints, 7.9% of reports AIR BAGS 27 · 7.9% · 22 crash reports 2 fire reports ENGINE: 25 complaints, 7.4% of reports ENGINE 25 · 7.4% VISIBILITY: 17 complaints, 5.0% of reports VISIBILITY 17 · 5.0% · 1 fire reports SEAT BELTS: 16 complaints, 4.7% of reports SEAT BELTS 16 · 4.7% · 1 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 294 complaints, 86.5% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 294 · 86.5% · 37 crash reports 7 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
SUSPENSION 61 17.9% 5 crashes · 0 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 42 12.4% 5 crashes · 2 fires
POWER TRAIN 36 10.6% 3 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 32 9.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 31 9.1% 1 crashes · 5 fires
AIR BAGS 27 7.9% 22 crashes · 2 fires
ENGINE 25 7.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VISIBILITY 17 5.0% 0 crashes · 1 fires
SEAT BELTS 16 4.7% 1 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 294 86.5% 37 crashes · 7 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1996; the first recall shown was reported in Jul 1996. 1996-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 1996-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 1997-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 1997-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 1997-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 1997-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 1998-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 1998-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 1998-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 1998-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 1999-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 1999-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 1999-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 1999-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2000-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2000-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2000-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2000-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2001-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2001-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2001-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2001-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2002-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2002-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2002-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2002-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2003-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2003-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2003-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2004-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2004-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1996 Oct 2022 Recall campaign 96V123000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V123000 Recall campaign 97V015000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V015000 Recall campaign 97V201000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V201000 Recall campaign 98V183000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V183000 Recall campaign 99V066003 ◆ Recall campaign 99V066003 Recall campaign 99I004000 ◆ Recall campaign 99I004000 Recall campaign 00V421002 ◆ Recall campaign 00V421002 Recall campaign 02V186000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V186000 Recall campaign 06E088000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E088000 Recall campaign 06E091000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E091000 Recall campaign 07E055000 ◆ Recall campaign 07E055000 Recall campaign 09E012000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E012000 Investigation PE97029 ● Investigation PE97029 Investigation EA97025 ● Investigation EA97025 Investigation EA98014 ● Investigation EA98014 Investigation RQ00015 ● Investigation RQ00015 Investigation PE02082 ● Investigation PE02082
  • Campaign 96V123000 was reported 96 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V015000 was reported 61 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V201000 was reported 388 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 98V183000 was reported 561 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V066003 was reported 896 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99I004000 was reported 996 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00V421002 was reported 1,519 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E088000 was reported 3,682 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E091000 was reported 3,692 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 07E055000 was reported 3,958 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1996-Q1 Owner reports 2
1996-Q2 Owner reports 2
1996-Q3 Owner reports 7
1996-Q4 Owner reports 10
1997-Q1 Owner reports 6
1997-Q2 Owner reports 9
1997-Q3 Owner reports 14
1997-Q4 Owner reports 6
1998-Q1 Owner reports 13
1998-Q2 Owner reports 7
1998-Q3 Owner reports 11
1998-Q4 Owner reports 15
1999-Q1 Owner reports 19
1999-Q2 Owner reports 15
1999-Q3 Owner reports 14
1999-Q4 Owner reports 14
2000-Q1 Owner reports 8
2000-Q2 Owner reports 9
2000-Q3 Owner reports 13
2000-Q4 Owner reports 13
2001-Q1 Owner reports 18
2001-Q2 Owner reports 16
2001-Q3 Owner reports 9
2001-Q4 Owner reports 7
2002-Q1 Owner reports 10
2002-Q2 Owner reports 5
2002-Q3 Owner reports 13
2002-Q4 Owner reports 5
2003-Q1 Owner reports 6
2003-Q2 Owner reports 9
2003-Q3 Owner reports 2
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q1 Owner reports 5
2004-Q2 Owner reports 2
2004-Q3 Owner reports 4
2004-Q4 Owner reports 2
2005-Q2 Owner reports 2
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2006-Q1 Owner reports 1
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 96V123000
Recall campaign 1 97V015000
Recall campaign 1 97V201000
Recall campaign 1 98V183000
Recall campaign 1 99V066003
Recall campaign 1 99I004000
Recall campaign 1 00V421002
Recall campaign 1 02V186000
Recall campaign 1 06E088000
Recall campaign 1 06E091000
Recall campaign 1 07E055000
Recall campaign 1 09E012000
Defect investigation 1 PE97029
Defect investigation 1 EA97025
Defect investigation 1 EA98014
Defect investigation 1 RQ00015
Defect investigation 1 PE02082
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (12)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 00V421002

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 02V186000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E088000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    FUEL RESTRICTION COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER AND/OR ENGINE STALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TI AUTOMOTIVE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MODULES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TI AUTOMOTIVE TOLL-FREE AT 1-877-461-1834.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E091000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    FUEL RESTRICTION COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER AND/OR ENGINE STALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MODULES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRTEX TOLL-FREE AT 1-866-867-3759.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 07E055000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AIRTEX AUTOMOTIVE AT 800-880-3056.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 09E012000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 96V123000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    A DISCONNECTED VACUUM HOSE CAUSES AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED AND LOSS OF POWER ASSIST DURING BRAKE APPLICATION INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL FULLY INSTALL THE INTAKE MANIFOLD VACUUM HOSE TO THE VACUUM NIPPLE ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V015000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN RESULT IN A HIGH RESISTANCE SHORT CIRCUIT AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER MIRROR SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V201000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98V183000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 99I004000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    IF THE COVER SEPARATES WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD DISTRACT THE DRIVER INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS WILL RECEIVE AN IMPROVED CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER INSTRUCTION LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 99V066003

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 340 complaints · page 1 of 14

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources