2001 Chrysler Sebring Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SHE NOTICED AN ABNORMAL RUBBER SMELL AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WAS RESTARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT ADDED FREON TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE BUT CONTINUED LEAKING FREON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO INDICATED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000. *TR

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO SLUDGE BUILDUP DESPITE BETTER THAN RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V299002 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: ENGINE) WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTACT'S VIN. A LOCAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT ANTIFREEZE LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE OF CHRYSLER'S 2.7 V-6 ENGINE. NEITHER ENGINE FAILURE WARRANTY WAS UPHELD BY PROVIDERS. FIRST ONE WAS AT 49000 MILES AND FAILED DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE, EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS NOT HONORED DUE TO OWNER NEGLECT, EVEN THOUGH I PROVIDED ALL RECEIPTS FOR ALL OIL CHANGES REQUIRED. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMMON FOR PREMATURE FAILURE OF THIS ENGINE. I PURCHASED A NEW ENGINE AND 3 YEARS AND 14000 MILES ANOTHER FAILURE OCCURRED. THIS TIME NO REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE FAILURE AND IN SPITE OF MECHANICS STATEMENT THAT ALL FLUIDS WERE PRESENT AT TIME OF ENGINE REMOVAL TO BE SHIPPED FOR INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE OWNER CAUSED AND WARRANTY NOT HONORED. CURRENTLY ENGINE IS BEING EXAMINED BY A THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT FACILITY TO DETERMINE CAUSE FOR A FUTURE LEGAL ACTION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY NEWLY BOUGHT 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING, I STARTED HEARING SOME RATTLING SOUNDS AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND I PRAYED THAT IT WOULD DIE ON ME AS I TRIED TO EXIT TO THE NEXT GAS STATION. LUCKILY I MANAGED TO EXIT AND PARKED AT THE STATION. I QUICKLY TOOK OUT MY TWO SONS AND MY WIFE FROM THE CAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I THEN CALLED A MECHANIC AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DODGE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF $5000. I AM STILL IN SHOCK. LOOKING ONLINE I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ENGINE PROBLEMS ON THIS PARTICULAR 2.7L ENGINE. I THINK THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR INADEQUATE STANDARDS ESPECIALLY WITH THIS KIND OF ENGINE. MY FAMILY'S LIFE WAS IN DANGER AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO BUY A NEW ENGINE. THANKS. *TR

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING - THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHRYSLERS RECALLED LAST YEAR. EVERYONE WANTS TO TRY A BODY CONTROL MODULE, FUEL PUMP, NEW CRANK SHAFT BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS OCCURRING - PERHAPS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS RECALL/PROBLEM AS NOT EVEN MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP KNEW. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME FREQUENTLY OVER THE PAST 1.5-2 YEARS OR SO, IT COMES AND GOES. I WAS REAR ENDED ONCE BUT IT WAS LIGHT ENOUGH (THANK GOD) THAT IT DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ALMOST A QUARTER OF A MILLION CHRYSLER VEHICLES WERE RECALLED LAST YEAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. AS OF RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE JUST VAN/CROSSOVER MODELS - WHY NOT ALL MODELS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM? PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMPLAINTS ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS ALONE AND BRING THEM TO NHTSA SO THAT CHRYSLER CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE ISSUES. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI. WHILE CRUISING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP CAUSED THE RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. HE WOULD ALSO NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENTLY MILEAGES WERE 137,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND HAD IT TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED SLUDGE BUILD-UP. HE ALSO OBSERVED LEAKS IN THE HEAD GASKET AND RADIATOR, AND ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE A CRASH COULD HAVE OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 98,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO SERVICE SHOP. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE FAILED, WHICH WAS A COMMON ISSUE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE REPAIR SHOP AND WILL COST $6,000 TO REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 117,000.

OIL LIGHT STARTED COMING ON WHEN CAR WAS IDLING OR DRIVING SLOW, KEPT OIL CHANGED REGULARLY AND HAD NO LEAKS OR ANYTHING. ENGINE WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING LXI 2.7L V6 SEDAN. ON FEBRUARY 28, 2009, ENGINE OVERHEATED AND FAILED ON HIGHWAY I-77 NORTH. I PULLED OUT OF TRAFFIC AS ASAP. ENGINE LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT START. ENGINE RUINED. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED FROM HWY. CAR RAN PERFECTLY BEFORE GOING ON THE HWY. I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS TO PROVE THE OIL WAS CHANGED WITH SYNTHETIC OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. I HAVE A RECEIPT TO PROVE I TOPPED OFF THE COOLANT PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DENIED THE CLAIM ON MARCH 3. I FOUND THAT EXTENDED WARRANTIES EITHER REJECT THESE CLAIMS AUTOMATICALLY OR PAY THEM AND THEN CANCEL YOUR COVERAGE. AFTER DENIAL, I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THIS CHRYSLER MODEL HAS HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS DUE TO ENGINE AND COOLING DEFECTS, INCLUDING THE ENGINE ITSELF, THE WATER OUTLET/COOLANT ARM, AND HEAD GASKET. ENGINE FAILURE HAPPENS FREQUENTLY TO CONSUMERS DRIVING 60 MPH OR FASTER (HIGHWAY CONDITIONS). CONSUMERS REPORT THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS DESPITE PROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE CAR. THERE IS NO WARNING PRIOR TO ENGINE OVERHEATING AND FAILURE. YOU DON'T KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM UNTIL SMOKE STARTS. MY CAR SMOKED LONG BEFORE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWED RED HOT. THE HAND WAS STILL IN THE MIDDLE WHEN SMOKE FIRST STARTED. LOCAL MECHANICS, SALVAGE YARDS, AND EVEN CHRYSLER MASTER TECHS CONFIRMED THESE PROBLEMS AND THAT YOU CANNOT FORESEE THEM. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL REGARDING THESE PROBLEMS BUT NEVER DID. THE ONLY ENGINE-RELATED RECALL ACTUALLY ISSUED WAS FOR THE HARNESS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. OBVIOUSLY, CHRYSLER HAS TRIED TO AVOID SUCH COSTLY REPLACEMENTS. A NEW, REMANUFACTURED ENGINE (WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL DEFECTS) COSTS AROUND $6200 IN MY AREA. MY PROBLEM CAME FROM CHRYSLER DEFECTS. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO INSTALL A BRAND NEW, REMANUFACTURED ENGINE AND ALL OTHER DAMAGED PARTS AT NO CHARGE TO ME. CHRYSLER SHOULD ALSO PAY FOR THE TOWING OF MY CAR TO A CHRYSLER SERVICE SHOP AND REIMBURSE ME FOR THE PREVIOUS TOWS. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING COUPE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 11/15/2008. THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON 3 MONTHS LATER, ON 2/15/09 AND I GOT THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT THE SHERIDAN FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT WAS LEAKING INTO MY ENGINE, AND WERE GOING TO FIX THAT. THEN, 4 DAYS LATER (I DROVE THE VEHICLE TWICE), THE CAR BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION DIED DUE TO A RING THAT BROKE AND CLOGGED A PIPE WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. ALSO, WHEN MY CAR WAS BEING FIXED, ANOTHER OIL LEAK WAS FOUND AND AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK HAD ALSO OCURRED. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 3 MONTHS AND FOR 1,455 MILES. I HAVE HAD TO BUT OVER $3100 WORTH OF WORK INTO IT ALREADY, GETTING A NEW TRANSMISSION AND FIXING THE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKS. *TR

2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING 4.7LITER ENGINE. HAD OIL CHANGED TWO WEEKS AGO. THE NEXT MORNING OIL WAS ALL OVER TOP OF ENGINE. RETURNED TO SHOP AND DETERMINED THAT OIL PRESSURE LOW. MAKING LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHEN IDLE SOUNDS LIKE DIESEL ENGINE! MECHANIC STATED ENGINE FIXING TO GO.IT HAS ONLY 92,000 MILES. UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A DESIGN ISSUE WITH ENGINE AND HAS STILL NOT BEEN RECALL. CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS CONTINUOUS ISSUE AND ASSUME THEY FEEL ITS THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM NOW SINCE YOU PURCHASED IT. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM CHRYSLER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. INTERMITTENTLY, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ALSO LOCKS UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT'S SON IS A MECHANIC AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE WITH THE OIL DIPSTICK. HE STARTED THE ENGINE AND HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND, AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPENSES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,100.

CHRYSLER 2.7 LITER ENGINE COMPLAINT. 2001 SEBRING LXI. 77,000 MILES. DIDN'T PASS INSPECTION. EMISSIONS AND VISIBLE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE. JUST HAD THE CAR CHECKED AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS A LOT OF WORK. ADVISED THAT THE 2.7 ENGINE HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS. MANY PEOPLE HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS. I AM ADDING MY NAME TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMPLAINING. BOTTOM LINE IS I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD FIX ALL THAT IS WRONG AND ENGINE WILL STILL FAIL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I SHOULD NOT HAVE A SMOKING ENGINE AT 77,000 MILES. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING THAT STOPPED RUNNING ON THE EXPRESS WAY AND COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS MY MOTOR THAT HAD FAILED. THE ONLY THING THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO THE ENGINE BLOWING WAS A SLIGHT NOISE AND THEN IT QUIT. I CHANGED MY OIL EVERY 3000 MILES LIKE RECOMMENDED BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT DIDN'T MATTER. I'VE REPLACED MY WHOLE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ONE BUT I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN CHRYSLER. *TR

MY SON BOUGHT HIS FIST CAR, A USED 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH THE 2.7 ENGINE. DAY TWO OF DRIVING THE CAR HE BLEW THE MOTOR. DEALER SAYS HE CAN'T FIND A REPLACEMENT MOTOR SO I TALKED TO MY MECHANIC ABOUT IT AND HE SAID THE 2.7 CHRYSLER MOTOR HAS A PROBLEM WITH OIL SLUDGE THAT CAUSES THE MOTOR TO FAIL. IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. NOW MY SON IS MAKING CAR PAYMENTS ON A CAR THAT ISN'T FIXABLE. *TR

ENGINE FAILURE ONLY 67,000 MI. CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE ENGINE 2.7L. *TR

ENGINE FAILURE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC- JUST LUCK I WAS NOT HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE... WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO CURBSIDE WITH FORWARD MOMENTUM AND THEN GET VEHICLE TOWED. COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC ON A BUSY DAY OR ON A MORE CROWDED HIGHWAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHENEVER THE CONTACT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL WHILE ACCELERATING PAST 60 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE RADIO AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS STOP WORKING WHENEVER THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 82,000. UPDATED 11/28/08 *BF THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR WAS RUBBING THE WIRING CAUSING IT TO HEAT THE WIRING UNDER THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD AND SLOWLY GROUNDING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. UPDATED 12/02/08.*JB