1998 Chrysler Sebring Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sebring years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 267 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Chrysler Sebring. That ranks 3rd out of 19 Sebring model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (65 complaints, 24%), typically at around 87,000 miles. Complaints mention 33 crashes, 5 fires, 23 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 267owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 33complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Chrysler Sebring problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure problems | 65 | 24% | 87,000 | “door handles” (14%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 34 | 13% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 26 | 10% | 129,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 23 | 9% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 22 | 8% | 33,548 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 8% | 86,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 19 | 7% | 67,300 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 7% | 83,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 16 | 6% | 52,010 | — | — |
| Visibility | 16 | 6% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 14 | 5% | 62,295 | — | — |
| Steering | 13 | 5% | 66,944 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 4% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 11 | 4% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 3% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 1% | 69,188 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 130,501 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 32,922 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 28,215 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Chrysler Sebring recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch
Problem: 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 release button with a low force attempt to shift out of park with the key in the locked position, can break the connecting pin in the shifter.
Risk: If this happens, the "ignition-park" interlock system will be nonfunctional.
Fix: 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.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The dash panel pad can shift interferring with the throttle cable control.
Risk: The throttle cable control would not return to idle increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will remove a portion of the dash panel pad so it cannot interfere with the throttle cable control.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Safety belt cinching latch plate (PE02082) — opened Nov 6, 2002, closed Apr 23, 2003.
- Door panel/garnish separation (PE00007) — opened Feb 2, 2000, closed Jul 18, 2000.
- Steering shaft binding (EA99028) — opened Sep 10, 1999, closed Jul 26, 2001, led to recall 01I012000.
- Steering shaft binding (PE99030) — opened May 3, 1999, closed Sep 10, 1999.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
On highway 69 i proceeded to passing a semi near craft road. After passing the semi i release my foot off of the throttle, but the car continued to accelerate. Finally at 102 mph bouncing my foot on and off the pedal with no change. When going into the corner i then bumped the transmission into…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chrysler sebring. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle could be restarted; however, after several attempts the battery was drained. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the fuel pump…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chrysler sebring. While driving approximately 20 mph, the front driver side tire detached. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the lower ball joint and axle failed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back…
I was going 55 miles per hour with cruise control set when i hit the brake my car started going faster and would not slow down i had to turn the key off and go into a field. *tr
Axel and ball joint went out on me after buying this car within 48 hours. *tr
Other Chrysler Sebring years
← 1997 Sebring · 1999 Sebring →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Sebring | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 Sebring | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 Sebring | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 Sebring | 86 | 3 |
| 2009 Sebring | 43 | 2 |
| 2008 Sebring | 238 | 4 |
| 2007 Sebring | 337 | 7 |
| 2006 Sebring | 120 | 0 |
| 2005 Sebring | 75 | 3 |
| 2004 Sebring | 220 | 4 |
| 2003 Sebring | 42 | 2 |
| 2002 Sebring | 210 | 2 |
| 2001 Sebring | 242 | 9 |
| 2000 Sebring | 93 | 1 |
| 1999 Sebring | 172 | 1 |
| 1998 | 267 | 3 |
| 1997 Sebring | 210 | 5 |
| 1996 Sebring | 343 | 7 |
| 1995 Sebring | 132 | 3 |
See all Chrysler Sebring problems by year, every Chrysler model, or the Chrysler VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chrysler Sebring?
Owners most often report structure, service brakes, hydraulic, suspension problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 65 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Chrysler Sebring?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Chrysler Sebring a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sebring model years, the 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.