- The problem
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2001-2002 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus vehicles, equipped with beige interiors. The affected vehicles were previously repaired for a recall issue using an incorrect part. The incorrect part may not prevent the passenger side sun visor from detaching if the passenger frontal air bag deploys and the passenger side sun visor is folded down in a certain position.
- The risk
- If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
- The fix
- Chrysler will notify the affected owners. Dealers will install the correct tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2016, owners will be sent a second email when parts are available. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Vehicle safety record
2002 Chrysler Sebring Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 234 complaints about the 2002 Chrysler Sebring with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (63) and the suspension (45). Those complaints describe 18 crashes, 5 fires, 18 injuries and 3 deaths. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in June 2016 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2001 has 269 and the 2003 has 74.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Sebring year, for its age
#53 most complained-about 2002 vehicle
- Complaints
- 234
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 18
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
- 18
- Deaths
- 3
Most common 2002 Chrysler Sebring problems
Share of all 234 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2002 Chrysler Sebring recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.
- The risk
- If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
- The fix
- MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
- The problem
- Qualis automotive is recalling certain aftermarket ball joints sold for use on certain passenger vehicles. The socket may have been excessively hardened which could cause it to crack near the retaining ring groove allowing the ball stud to separate under impact load. The subject ball joints were sold as four part numbers, d10945, d10946, g10945, and g10946. The affected control arms, d10945 and d10946, are stamped with the following dates on the ball joints: 134308, 135708, 100109, 102709, 104109, 105509, 107609, 108909, 110309, 113209, and 116609. The g10945 and g10946 are the same part as the d10945 and d10946 respectively. They are labeled differently depending on the aftermarket customer.
- The risk
- Separation of the ball stud from the socket of the ball joint housing would allow the control arm to collapse and the wheel to fold in causing loss of steering control, possibly resulting in a crash.
- The fix
- Qualis automotive will replace the ball joints free of charge. The safety recall began on november 9, 2009. Owners may contact qualis automotive at 1-800-493-4128.
- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- Certain cardone master cylinders with part numbers 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987mza, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, and 11-3156, and with date codes lower than dca7078 sold as replacement equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. The seal on master cylinder can fail and leak brake fluid.
- The risk
- Loss of brake fluid can result in poor braking performance, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Cardone will notify owners and offer to repurchase any defective master cylinders. The recall began during april 2007. Owners can contact cardone at 1-800-777-4780.
What owners say
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234 complaints about the 2002 Chrysler Sebring
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 10.
Rear Disc Brakes.I had a repair shop and a dealership assess what they both found to be what's called a Backplate.It mounts onto both Left and Right Spindles.The Backplate on Left and Right hold or guide the Pads in place on both sides of the caliper.The pins show to be almost rusted out.The dealership told me the Left and Right Backplate is unavailable and obsolete.So my options are to find a shop that can fabricate the parts or modify the rear brake system.Truly a poor design.A prototype that slipped through the...
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cracks.I have invested thousands over the years into the vehicle so I would have a problem free efficient ride when I retire.I now had to finance another vehicle because the Chrysler Sebring is no longer driveable.The dealership told me 100.00 to scrap it.Unacceptable! I will continue to pursue my options. I invested alot of blood money into the vehicle and the help I received to date is Park it or Junk it.That is not even a remote consideration.
Once I turn on the car the airbag light goes on and off constantly
When ur driving down the road the engine just shuts down like u turned off the key. It isn't over heating and no check engine light so I cannot figure out why it keeps doing this and it has a new battery . I just bought the car. *Tr
I have attached the paperwork 4 my 2002 chrysler sebring. As you can see my first payment was april 13th 2018 this was my deposit $700. Again on april 24th I paid another $600. May 20th I paid another $700. June 5th I paid $105. June 5th is when I took possession of the car. July 1st is when I had the car accident, where I was informed that the damage on the car was so severe because the undercarriage was all rusted out. The car was totaled. The first day I took the car home the battery was dead I had to buy...
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another battery for $75. I noticed the car was bottoming out I told the mechanic jim who is also the man that sold me the car and he assured me it was safe. They had three months to check the whole car out and make sure it was safe and it sat in the same spot until I picked it up. Now either they never checked the car or they checked the car and sold it to me anyway. The way I see it is they were wrong either way. Not to mention that jim the so-called mechanic is the one who sold it to me. Right after the battery died the radio took a crap. They also charged me extra 4 tax tags and title which was supposed to be included in the $2,000 that they wanted for the car. I tried to negotiate with them seeing that it was under a month that I actually had the car in my possession I explained to jim what the police told me about being all rusted but they insisted I had the car too long and that they weren't going to do anything about it. So here we are. I have a personal injury case going on right now, I was told I needed your type of attorney to fight llapi auto sales hudson fla. Flora is the person who "made the sale" (her number is 727-478-5632), but it was jim the mechanic who really sold me the car, that's why I trusted his word it was safe.
2002 Chrysler sebring. Consumer writes in regards to follow up on multiple mechanical issues case . *As *tr
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 chrysler sebring. While driving approximately 25 mph and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized and caused the vehicle to crash into a concrete divider. The air bags did not deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was not sure if a police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Vehicle was running well and well maintained. Then had issues starting and suddenly died without warning. Seems to be a similar engine failure of these models.
I take good care of my car it's my only transportation to take my new born back and forth to our appointments I bring my car in every 4 moths to make sure my car is still safe for my child. My engine knocks it's really loud 3 different people told me 3 different things so I brought it into a chrysler shop and they told me that I should just buy a new car that this happens to a lot of the 2002 chrysler sebrings. So I asked them what's wrong and they told me I would need a new engine
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated and the cruise control was not operable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
BALL JOINTS BROKE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring. While driving 5 mph, a loud popping and rolling noise was heard coming from the passenger side of the dashboard. The contact noticed pieces of the dashboard falling and cracking from the driver to the passenger side of the vehicle towards the air bags. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,556.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring. The contact stated that while driving, the rear driver side wheel slightly separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent where it was diagnosed the all four ball joints and struts needed to be replaced. In addition, the vehicle was also diagnosed that there was a water pump malfunction and the fuel tank filler neck had corroded with the vehicle. The vehicles driver side rear ball joint and the filler neck were replaced. The manufacturer was...
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notified of the failure. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 09e056000 (suspension) however the vin was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000. *Tt *as
Car completely stalled when driving on highway. Mechanic said it was extremely common in these cars.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring convertible. While driving at approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver without warning . In addition, the contact mentioned that smoke fumes appeared under the hood. The contact pulled the vehicle over and had it towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front ball joint on the control arm assembly fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 10e059000 (suspension). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring. While driving 40 mph, the driver side tie rod fractured and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The tie rod was replaced. While driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the screen on the transmission was replaced. The failure recurred, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 133,000. Updated 09/25/15*lj updated 12/12/2017*cn
On may 17,2010 while driving to college, I noticed a loud whining rough sound, and every time I hit a bump it would sound like something was loose coming from my tires. Before, I could stop to see what the problem was, my steering wheel locked and my car ran off the road when I attempted to regain control my sebring over corrected and entered a counterclockwise spin. I crossed 5 busy lanes before striking a ditch. My car stopped opposite direction of oncoming traffic!!! July of 2013 I had my lower control arms,...
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and ball joints replaced. And again in february 14,2014 I had to take my car to the shop again for lower ball joint disconnect and replace lower control arms. And again this year february 24, 2015 for the exact same thing; replacement of lower control arms and lower ball joint. This car is very hazard I was blessed there were no injuries in 2010 when I had my accident! Every time; I drive this car I am so frantic of knowing around the time I am going to hear that sound of something rattling and sounding like loose bolts coming from the tire. My 15 year old daughter this year, made the remark;" mama I hear that rattling sound again!" Please someone, somewhere; do something about the costly repairs on the chrysler sebring 2002 cars. The economy is not cheap to live in, especially when you are fixing the same repairs year after year on the only vehicle you have. And yes, I do have all receipts on repairs and accident report. Thank you very much for your time and consideration of helping. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring sedan. While driving at 30 mph, the driver side air bag warning light illuminated. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 121,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 chrysler sebring. While driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle was involved in a crash. The air bag on the driver side exploded. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. The driver had metal fragments in the arm as a result of the explosion. Both the driver and passenger received medical attention. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
I have always had issues with the ball joint on the control arm assembly can fail causing the ball stud to wear through the control arm housing resulting in noise and/or separation of the ball stud from the housing. Consequence: the federal-mogul has never notified me as owners and replace the affected control arms free of charge. It was often paid out of my pocket ever time I had issues and the sad thing about it, I always took my car to the actual dealership to have fixed and not once had they mentioned this was an issue with chrysler sebring and listed as a recall which should have been covered free of charge.
I drove into a gas station and as I pulled in the tire sounded as if it was flat I checked it and it looked fine.I tried to drive of and the front drivers side wheel did not move.I removed the tire in the parking lot to try and find out what was wrong, I couldn't see any visual issues. As I backed out to try and drive the car the balljoint came out. I had to pay to get my car towed from new jersey back to my town in ny for $110 and then on top of that had to pay to get towed again to a mechanic and with the repair fees ended up spending $500 for repairs. Also my oil light comes on when the car is in idle. Even came on as soon after I got an oil change. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring. The contact stated that the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump was leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
This should be a recall on all the chyslers if this is an known issue about the suspension and steering of parts. It is too expsenive to fix . *Tr
I knew about an active recall on control arms for this make/model car, yet when I called the dealership they claimed my vin was not associated with any recalls. Soon after, my car started to make noise and the control arm/ball joint failed causing damage to my car while driving and almost causing accident. *Tr
Tl * the contact owns a 2002 chrysler sebring. While driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Coming to a stop and turning right. Noise and wheel just fell flat on roadway. Lower ball joint disconnedted and made steering impossible and car uncontrollable. After repair about 6 months later the sam wheel top ball joint disconnected and nearly resulted in a accident on a busy street. The mechanic who repaired also checked the driver side ball joints and I was told they were within specs. In may of 2014 while driving around 50 miles an hour the bottom balljoint on the driver side disengaged and the steering was...
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lost and the tire fell flat and nearly cause a head on crash. I have had many cars and diven for years and this has nevr happened in my life. There should be a recall on these vehicles asap. Some research indicates that the casting on the ball joint ring were heat treated improperly and chrysler it aware that this could have and result in th whell separation from the control arm leading to steering lost to the vehile and danger to the occupants.. *Tr
Chrysler Sebring: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 138 | 2 | C |
| 2005 | 82 | 6 | B |
| 2004 | 291 | 7 | D |
| 2003 | 74 | 5 | B |
| 2002 | 234 | 5 | D |
| 2001 | 269 | 12 | D |
| 2000 | 93 | 6 | B |
| 1999 | 172 | 9 | C |
| 1998 | 267 | 10 | D |
2002 Chrysler Sebring vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Chrysler Sebring | 234 | 5 | D | |
| 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser | 523 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser W/Sab | 523 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler Town & Country | 417 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler 300M | 96 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler Concorde | 78 | 1 | B | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler Concorde LTD. | 78 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler Prowler | 13 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2002 Chrysler LHS | 3 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2002 Chrysler Sebring
Does the 2002 Chrysler Sebring have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2002 Chrysler Sebring: inflator module (June 2016); inflator module (June 2015); lower ball joint (October 2009); exterior lighting (April 2009) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Chrysler Sebring?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (63), suspension (45), transmission & drivetrain (30).
How many complaints has the 2002 Chrysler Sebring had?
234 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on January 8, 2002 and the latest on July 10, 2021. Of these, 18 describe a crash and 5 a fire, and together they report 18 injuries and 3 deaths.
Is the 2002 Chrysler Sebring a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 36 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Chrysler Sebring year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Chrysler Sebring years have the most complaints?
1996 (433), 2008 (352), 2007 (339). See every Chrysler Sebring year compared.
What should I do if my 2002 Chrysler Sebring has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data