The 1996 Chrysler Sebring has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,993,153 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 481 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the suspension. Last updated July 5, 2026.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L V6 ENGINES, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE CAN FRAY CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO BIND OR STICK.
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.
SUSPENSION00V4210022000-12-18393,796 affected
Defect
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.
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…
SUSPENSION99V0660031999-04-05165,857 affected
Defect
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.
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.
POWER TRAIN98V1830001998-08-06685,000 affected
Defect
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…
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.
SUSPENSION97V2010001997-11-13599,000 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN SEPARATE DUE TO LOSS OF LUBRICATION.
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.
VISIBILITY97V0150001997-02-1039,000 affected
Defect
THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE POWER MIRROR SWITCH CAN ACCUMULATE ROAD SALT DUE TO WATER ENTERING INTO THE SWITCH.
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.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC96V1230001996-07-0222,500 affected
Defect
THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD VACUUM NIPPLE.
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.
Complaints by component
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
42
4crashes
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
25
22crashes1fires13injuries
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
20
1crashes1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
18
2crashes1fires
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
17
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
16
3crashes2injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
13
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
13
2crashes2injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
13
2crashes2fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
11
1crashes
Total complaints481
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I was driving my car & listening to music. All of a sudden my passenger side dash speaker started smoking, then was shooting fire. I had a bubbler drink & splashed it across the dash onto the speaker. It was scary, as I thought my engine might blow up. I took it to the shop, but they were so busy,…”
“I was driving my car & listening to music. All of a sudden my passenger side dash speaker started smoking, then was shooting fire. I had a bubbler drink & splashed it across the dash onto the speaker. It was scary, as I thought my engine might blow up. I took it to the shop, but they were so busy,…”
“I was driving my car & listening to music. All of a sudden my passenger side dash speaker started smoking, then was shooting fire. I had a bubbler drink & splashed it across the dash onto the speaker. It was scary, as I thought my engine might blow up. I took it to the shop, but they were so busy,…”
“I was driving on the highway; all of a sudden my right dash speaker started on fire. I had a bubbler in my vehicle, so I used that to put it out. Since then, my radio no longer works, nor does mileage show & gas gauge fluctuates, & cannot tell when it is actually empty.”
“Air bag light goes off and on when starting and driving then the gages on the dashboard stop working. Sometimes just the red air bag light goes and the dials still work. When the red air bag light goes off usually the dials come back within 10 minites or 5 miles.”
“Air bag comes on and the all dials on the dashboard go blank.”
“Air bag comes on and the all dials on the dashboard go blank.”
“I took my car to get diagnostic for smog. The shop I took it to smog smart explain they have dismateled my car claiming engine, coolant, and timing belt. They have removed parts and claim they contacted chrysler and its company states its repairs is not worth the vehicle. The engine claim, the…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA97025 Opened 1997-11-24 · closed 1998-11-17
CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER DISENGAGEMENT
ALLEGED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING.
InvestigationEA98014 Opened 1998-05-29 · closed 1998-09-14
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE IGNITION INTERLOCK
ALLEGED FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE IGNITION INTERLOCK SYSTEM THAT EITHER ALLOWS THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR IS NOT IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR TO BE SHIFTED WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED OR PREVENTS THEIGNITION KEY FROM BEING REMOVED WHEN…
InvestigationPE02082 Opened 2002-11-06 · closed 2003-04-23
SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE
THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS.…
InvestigationPE97029 Opened 1997-06-17 · closed 1997-11-24
CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER DISENGAGEMENT
ODI HAS RECEIVED THREE REPORTS ALLEGING DISENGAGEMENT OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP COVER FROM THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING.
InvestigationRQ00015 Opened 2000-08-02 · closed 2001-04-20
LOWER CONTRTOL ARM BALL JOINT
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationRQ00015 Opened 2000-08-02 · closed 2001-04-20
LOWER CONTRTOL ARM BALL JOINT
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationRQ00015 Opened 2000-08-02 · closed 2001-04-20
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Chrysler Sebring as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.