2001 Chrysler Sebring Speed Control & Cruise Problems

WE WE ON INTERSTATE 55 IN MEMPHIS TN, HEADED SOUTH, TRAVELING AT 55 WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATOR BEGAN TO STICK AND THE CAR INCREASED IN SPEED, SO I STAYED ON THE BRAKES UNTIL I COULD SMELL THE BRAKES, SO AT THE SOUTHHAVEN EXIT WE TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND COAST UNTIL WE COULD STOP, AND TURN THE MOTOR BACK ON AND THE CAR WAS STILL IDLE, AND SUDDENLY WENT BACK TO NORMAL. WE DROVE ALL THE WAY TO WATER VALLEY, MS WE THE CAR DID THE SAME THING AND WE FOLLOWED THE SAME PROCEDURE UNTIL WE MADE IT HOME AT 456 COUNTY ROAD 176, WATER VALLEY, MS. MY HUSBAND HAD JUST LEFT THE HOSPITAL IN MEMPHIS WHERE HE HAD BACK SURGERY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ISSUE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 1/21/16 *SS *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE THEN DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HER THAT A VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING 4 DOOR SEDAN. SINCE THE PURCHASING THE NEW CAR DIRECTLY FROM THE DEALER THE CAR HAS FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. I FORTUNATELY HAVE NOT BE INJURED AS A RESULT HOWEVER, THIS IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM AS MY PREVIOUS CHRYSLER DID THIS AS WELL. IT WILL HAPPEN WHILE SITTING AT A STAND STILL THE CAR WILL PROPEL ITSELF FORWARD AND IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT ON THE BRAKE IT WILL TAKE OFF. *NM

(1) THE COURSE OF ACTION WHEN LEAVING MY EMPLOYMENT WORKPLACE ON THURSDAY, JULY 21, APPROXIMATELY 6:00 P.M. CST: I STARTED MY 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH MY REMOTE START (WHICH I HAVE DONE DAILY SINCE 2002), GOT INTO THE CAR TO LEAVE THE PARKING LOT, SECURED MY SEAT BELT, AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE (NO CARS WERE PARKED IN FRONT OF MINE). (2) THE MOMENT I PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR (DRIVE) IT TOOK OFF LIKE A BULLET WITHOUT ANY ACCELERATION. THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY (RUNAWAY) AND HEADED TOWARD A 4-LANE, BUSY STREET. BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT ON SLOWING THE CAR BUT I COULD STEER. I TURNED TO AVOID ENTERING THE BUSY STREET BUT CRASHED INTO THE CORNER OF A BRICK BUILDING. ELAPSED TIME FROM THE POINT OF FAILURE TO THE CRASH WAS VERY SHORT; I ESTIMATE IT TO BE 5 SECONDS. I WAS INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED WITH A FRACTURED HEEL BONE, ANKLE BONES, AND RIBS. (3) THE CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. *NM

I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING LX SEDAN. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS IN THE BEGINNING AS FAR AS THE DIGITAL ODOMETER SKIPPING, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH IT. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND HAVE HAD IT IN THERE FOR INSPECTION, BUT THEY CLAIMED THEY NEVER FOUND ANYTHING. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALLS. I NOTICED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS CAUSING ME TO SPEED WITHOUT CONTROL, SO I TURNED IT OFF AND NEVER USED IT AGAIN, THINKING I WOULD TAKE IT IN WHEN I WAS ABLE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE DEALERSHIP FLUCTUATED BACK AND FORTH WHETHER I HAD 3-YEAR/36K BUMPER-TO-BUMPER, OR 7-YEAR/70K POWERTRAIN, ALTHOUGH IT WAS WITH MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SALESMAN OFFERED BOTH OF THE WARRANTIES. LAST WEEK, MY SON WAS ASKING ME ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HE TURNED IT ON. HE EXPERIENCED THE LACK OF CONTROL WITH THE SPEED. I TOLD HIM TO TURN IT OFF AND NEVER USE IT, AND THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT ASAP. THE NEXT EVENING, MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR, AND HE EXPERIENCED LOST OF CONTROL WITH THE ACCELERATOR. IN A PANIC, HE TRIED TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT ENDED UP CRASHING INTO A GUARD RAIL. I HAVE PHOTOS TO PROVE THAT THERE WERE NO TIRE MARKS OF ANY KIND AT THE SCENE: THE POLICEMAN CLAIMED THAT THERE WERE 90FT OF TIRE MARKS, BUT THEY HAVE NO PROOF, AND THERE WERE PARENTS AT THE SCENE AT THAT MOMENT WHO ARE WILLING TO TESTIFY THAT THERE WERE NO MARKS AT ALL. THIS PROVES TO ME THAT THERE WAS FAILURE WITH THE ACCELERATION AND/OR BRAKES. THIS MORNING, I READ IN THE PAPER THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER SEBRING INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN THE MIDDLE OF A ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY ACCELERATION SYSTEM. *JB

WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, VEHICLE ACCELERATOR WILL STICK. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM , BUT IN THE EARLY YEAR VEHICLE 1996/1997. RECALL NUMBER 02 V 186 000. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. PH

TRAVELING ON I 95 SOUTH IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE FL - GAS PEDAL STUCK WHILE AT A SPEED OF 65 AND BEGAN INCREASING, IT WAS NECESSARY TO USE BRAKE WITH ALL THE FORCE THAT WAS POSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE CAR - IT WAS AT LEAST 2 MILES UNTIL WE COULD EXIT THE FREEWAY - THIS WAS DOWNTOWN AND IN AN AREA OF CONSTRUCTION OVER A NEW BRIDGE - THERE WAS NOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE THE ROAD, PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL OR DO ANYTHING BUT RIDE THE BRAKES UNTIL WE COULD EXIT, WEST SIDE DODGE IN JACKSONVILLE EXAMINED THE CAR THE MORNING OF 9/17 AND FOUND A PLASTIC CAP THAT WAS USED TO COVER A SENSOR HAD NOT BEEN DISCARDED AND HAD FOUND ITS' WAY TO THE LINKAGE. WE ARE ASKING THE DEALER HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO REPLACE THE ROTERS AND PADS - IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN. SUE AND JOE FEUTZ "FIGHTS"*AK

ON 3/4/01 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE GOING AROUND 15 MPH WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED, HE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO GET IT TO STOP. ON 5/25/01 I WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT, IT FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND IT WAS IN DRIVE. ON 5/25/01 I WENT TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BARKE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED AND WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I WENT OVER 2 SETS OF PARKING BLOCKS HIT A SIGN AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR. AFTER I HIT THE CAR MY SON WHO WAS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO STOP IT.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE-2 TIMES/NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. ON THE LAST INCIDENT, STOP AND GO, WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY PILED INTO A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM, CAUSING DAMAGE AND WHIPLASH, WILE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER MEASURED 2 INCHES BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND GRASP, THE OTHER VEHICLE MEASURED A 4 INCH SEPARATION. MOST BRAKE PEDALS ARE HIGHER AND AWAY FROM THE GAS PEDAL THERE ARE OTHER INCIDENTS *SCC

CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO ERRATIC ENGINE BEHAVIOR, HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS NEVER CORRECTED, ON ONE OCCASION WHILE PULLING OUT OF A GARAGE, UP A RAMP, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING IT TO JUMP A CURB, HIT A TREE AND THEN HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. (SON WRITING IN ON BEHALF OF FATHER) *SLC

IN HOT WEATHER CAR IDLES WAY TOO FAST AND IS DIFFICULT TO STOP. *AK

THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STOPPED THEN ,LURCHED FORWARD THREE OR FOUR FEET WHILE THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE, THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENS 10 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, ON ONE OCCASION THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKE AND NOTHING HAPPEN THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A PORCH. NLM