Purchased car 12/01/99 Two months later the problems started.
2/18/00 - Electrical problem. Car would not start - told to try fuses, but kept blowing them. Electrical harness replaced.
2/26/00 - While driving to husband's work (about 1 mile) noticed that I had no blinkers -, could not start car, same problem, called to have it towed back to dealer.
3/7/00 - Picked up vehicle - windshield washer pump not working. Pump motor defective.
10/10/00 - Called ahead to make appointment to make certain parts were available. Took car in to have washer fixed. Parts not available - needed to order switch.
10/12/00 - Picked up car, drove 2 miles with 10 year old for soccer practice (dusk). Had to suddenly stop and was almost rear ended by very irate driver. I had no brake lights. Returned to dealer immediately left car overnight for follow-up. Told someone had accidentally forgotten to hook up an electrical wire.
1/10/01 - Took car in for washer repair, rear defrost nor working, leak in rear passenger side. Fixed washer, needed to order parts for defrost and rear carpet. Received notice that parts were in around 1/18/01.
1/18/01 Called to verify - talked to female and was told there was a mix-up and only the carpet was in - defrost part was not mentioned. Stated she would call me tomorrow. No call.
1/24/01- Called back by service rep. Apologized for mix-up, not returning call and said he would order part and call when in.
2/1/01 - Took car in. Told it would be ready by Friday PM.
2/5/01- Picked up car - Asked for the manager. Showed him the above history. He was very apologetic and paid for the upgrade of our rental vehicle. When we received our car it was dirty inside & out. Our personal belongings and Cd's which were in the console were strewn on the passenger floor. I asked the lady at the service counter to witness the mess. She contacted the manager (was in a meeting) who apologized again and said that we could come back anytime for a full detail at no charge.
8/23/01 Went to car in morning and discovered 1" of water sloshing from passenger side floor area, front and back. Also noticed amplifier under passenger seat was wet and radio was sounding funny. Shut off radio, went home, called Lynnwood Dodge. Had service rep arrange for a rental for us to pick up, since this is the second time this leakage has occurred.
At Lynnwood Dodge, ask the rep to write down to test condition of amplifier since this was in the water. Also, asked to have them check the steering for unusual noise which occurs intermittently.
9/7/01 Received call that car was ready. Showed up about 4pm. Asked to see repair comments. There was no repair comments regarding the testing of the amplifier or checking the power steering problem. Service Department could not verify that they had even checked these item. Told them I would not accept car until they fix or checked these items.
9/08/01 Received call that car was ready. Picked up car.
10/24/01 Noticed passenger bucket seat not working back and forth properly. Also noticed rear window defroster not working. Left door making clicking sound off and on when opening.
10/24/01 Took car in for above repairs. Rear window defrost terminal wire was broken again. (Same problem as in January). Right passenger seat adjuster was rusted out due to leakage problem. Clicking door sound in right door caused by lip of door panel pulled out - fixed. Parts ordered for defrost and seat.
11/02/01 Car in to fix seat and defrost. Asked again to check left door for clicking sound and to check sharp popping noise w/braking at slow speed. Fixed defrost and seat. Replaced strap in left front door. Ordered new axles for front for noise when braking and turning. Front axle replaced, but noise still present.
Stopped documenting problems for awhile.
10/23/03 Weld on convertible frame broke. Paid private company to fix frame and trace and seal water leak below rear window. Re-bond rear defroster tab to window. $780.
11/20/04 Took car back to have convertible frame re-welded, no charge.
05/06/05 Took car to dealer for recall repair of shifter. Drove car away from dealer, Service Engine Soon light came on. Car running really rough at idle even though it had a resent tune up. Diagnostic indicated problem with either plug wire or injector #1 cylinder.
5/28/05 Had private mechanic replace all wires, O2 sensors, and #1 injector. Did compression test, still running rough. Spent $400 and car still running rough, Service Engine Soon light still coming on.
Anyone else have a solution to the service light coming on without replacing all the injectors at $140 a piece?
If you kept this crate after all that trouble then you deserve it!!!
I believe that most salvage yards will not charge for crushing a vehicle.
Why didn't you use the lemon law with this car? It seems like this one is just problem prone. I have a 98 limited convertible, and have never had any problems. It has 75,000 miles. Brakes, tires, and windshield wiper blades are the only thing I have ever had to replace. It still runs like a champ. The only thing wrong with it is from inconsiderate people that ding the sides with their car doors!
I also have a 98 sebring convertible, with 85,000 miles runs great only basic up keep, carfax is get, next time do some homework before making an investment like buying a car.
I have a 1998 Sebring Convertible and it is awesome, I'm buying a 2002 for my wife, and my brother just bought a 2004. We researched this car and everyone we talked to where extremely pleased.
You definitely have a lemon. I have a '99 Sebring JXi and other than a fuel filter and catalytic converter that needed to be changed because of a tank of bad gas (Chrysler paid for the new parts) I have done nothing, but change tires, brake pads, oil and filters. It turned 90,000 miles yesterday and still runs and looks like a new car. It's due for its 100,000 mile tuneup soon and I expect it to last another 100,000 trouble-free miles.
Richard.
I bought a 98 Sebring convertible in March 2002. Had to replace the transmission that Summer. Had to replace the transmission June 2004 and guess what, the transmission has just gone again. Can't afford to replace it this time as the warranty has run out. Guess, it will just sit in my yard until I have paid for it. I still owe $4600. Apparently, to quote the dealer I bought it from, the place that put in the two transmissions and my Step Father. Chrysler made really really bad cars in the years 96 - 2000. Wish I had known that before I bought it. Also, the catalytic converter, tire rod, two wheel bearings, two sets of brake pads, drums, shoes etc, have had to be replaced. I used to love my car, but now I hate it.
I have a 1998 convertible that I bought in 2004 that had 93000 miles. I now have 119000 miles and the car runs great. The only thing that has been done is a tune up, new tires, starter, new a/c, and the brakes. Paid 6000 for it. The car looks new, still runs good, but lacks power.
I own a 96 Sebring Convertible I have had nothing, but grief! After my water pump was replaced the dealer forgot to re-attach the hoses to the transmition etc and on the freeway my car all of a sudden started rolling backwards. Had my car towed to a different dealer who told me that the hoses were not attached. I contacted the original dealer who denied any wrong doing no apology nothing! after a long battle they paid for repair minus the battery that mysteriously died at exactly the same time. O2 sensors went out and were replaced with the wrong one somehow causing the other sensors to die and damaging my catalytic converter. It took me years to get to the bottom of this problem and my car would not pass smog in the meantime. finally fixed all the problems and two days later my passenger side floods killing the stereo and other under the passenger side seat. Other problems throughout the years like door handles breaking, seat belts breaking. I am DONE with this car.
My son just purchased a 1998 Chrysler Sebring convertible and we had to change the drivers seat because the seat belt would not work. So, we went to the junk yard and picked up a seat from a 1996 Sebring convertible that worked. We get it home and put it in the car and now it doesn't work! Any ideas?
Regarding the seat belt problem you most likely have a short in the harness under the seat. if you look at the wires for the seat it is placed between the rails. best thing is to cut the wires between the connector and seat and splice them back by matching the colors.
Hope this helps.
Ted.
I bought A 1998 Sebring JXI in January of 1999 that had been a program car. I love the car the only problem was keeping brakes on the front, but went to after market calipers and rotors and all is good now. The only thing I have to complain about is that it started leaking 2 years ago. I understand that somewhere there is a drain that I have not been able to find that will elminate this issue. I love this car and would buy another new one. I have the light bar on mine and I get the looks when "Sebrina" is clean and shinny.
Early summer of 2006 I purchased a beautiful 1998 Sebring convertible and I absolutely love it. When I found the car for sale on the side of the road, it had about one inch of water on the drivers side, front and back. The owner replaced a $60 seal and we both thought that would be the end of it. Needless to say, the first rain we had filled the car up again. I continued to drive it (thought about drilling a hole for drainage), full of water and waited for evaporation or wet vac if real bad.
Fast forward to summer of 2007 (park it during NH winter) and decided to fix the problem. Looked on-line and found others with same problem, said to fix the seals. Spent over $500 replacing seals on driver's side and thought I was all set. It rained for two days and when the sun came out, I ran out put the top down, looked in and wella, it was dry! Driving down the road feeling great, went to turn, applied the brakes and water came rushing forward. I could hear the water sloshing around inside the body of the car. Guess I could have saved $500+ by just drilling the holes that I am heading out to do now.
I still love the car, but am discouraged. I would definitely buy another, but would thoroughly check it out first.
98 convertible seabring 1 month after warranty went out the AC went, then all 3 freeze plugs were leaking. I was able to do the above work, but now the water pump is leaking and it is buried I hear you need to do the timing belt at the same time (real convenient) and how about those back 3 spark plugs. Any car with the battery behind the wheel well has to make you wonder.
I have a Sebring 98 JXI and have leak problems since I bought it new - had the seal on drivers side replaced, and then my master window switch replaced the following year (99). The darn thing STILL leaks and the windows are all on the fritz now - so in reality the problem was never fixed in the first place.
I believe that the water leaking when ever it rained or if I washed the car with a garden hose no less - the constant dripping onto the switches in the driver door cause the window switch to get corroded.
Problem is, the car is out of warranty and I have NO money to get this SAME problem fixed again.
The car is useless to me, cannot put the top down without the windows going down, then I cannot get the windows back up again once they are down! I feel the dealership should fix it for me for free! (being it wasn't fixed RIGHT the FIRST time!!!)