Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Chrysler Sebring owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving, the driver and passenger seat belts failed. The seat belts would retract back into the seat and failed to come back out. The consumer was unable to retrieve the seat belts in order to click them in to drive the vehicle. The consumer notified the dealer, and the dealer informed the driver that the seat belts had no life time warranty. The mechanism resets itself overnight so the seatbelts were usable in the morning, but driving over a rough road surface would lock them again.
I have a 96 Chrysler Sebring convertible jxi and the seatbelts "lock" in the retracted stage at various times. Both belts lock and unlock at the same time. I don't know how this happens and have been told that I need new seat belts but I can't believe that both belts went bad at the exact same time, and that the release at the same time. I have read online that this is a common occurrence in this year and model of the Sebring.
Driving vehicle about 35mph & started to apply brakes; heard loud popping noise; after leaving toll booth, another vehicle cut off Sebring; hit brakes hard, heard popping sound; brakes didn't catch; went into spin & hit retainer wall, front end came up & smashed windshield; seat belt came unlatched upon impact; air bag did not deploy.
Front seat belts locked and wont work...the dealership that im having this worked on was going to charge me $756.00 to fix...Chrysler is going to pay all but $200.00..since this is a safety issue and I believe a defect...I think they should be fixed at no charge.......
The driver's side seatbelt is defective. Several times, including recently, the seatbelt shoulder harness locks-up preventing it from being worn. The seatbelt housing is contained in the seat and is not anchored to the car. The seatbelt seems to catch and won't provide any slack. The seatbelt, while in the resting position appears to recoil improperly. The problem of the seatbelt jamming/locking has occurred several times since I have owned the car. Usually I can unlock the belt by repeatedly pulling the minimal available slack until the belt loosens. This most recent incident has proven impossible to unlock the belt. I will notify the dealership on 6/16/00. This safety defect is very hazardous to drivers and May prove to be fatal if an accident occurs. I hope I'm the only individual experiencing this safety defect and if not I would hope that Chrysler would take immediate action. …
Callled dealer numerous times regardigng the failure of the seat belt. Dealer states not under warranty and estimates repair costing 60-300 to fix, I requested repeatedtly for a Chrysler rep to contact me rgarding this problem as I feel it is a safety issue but to no avail. I have contacted Chrysler directly but they will not repair without an estimate from the dealer. Due to the lack of response form mike shad, icontacted frank griffin chrylser in orange park, fl but they do not return my calls either. Chrysler May or May not repair problem dependent on estimate but delaers seem unwilling to even provide that. My reference number at Chrysler is 4406161 as I have had numerous issues with this vehicle since purchase date.
The passenger seat belt on my 96 Sebring has locked up and can no longer be pulled out of the seat at all. I took it to the dealer and asked about a recall, but was told it would be "at least two hours labor, not counting parts and would be over $200 to fix). To me, this is clearly a defective product and a safety issue. I normally drive alone, so the belt got minimal use before becoming defective. I sent a detailed letter to daimler Chrysler from their web site and got a very brief reply of "I'm sorry." there was no offer of help or suggestions to speak of. At any rate, it looks like it's going to cost me a few hundred dollars to get this fixed so that passengers in my car can ride in safety once again.
The passenger's side seat belt locks up when there is any type of movement, causing the occupant to be trapped in the seat belt. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced the seat belt on two occasions, problem still occurs. *akchrysler notified the dealer that if you extend the seat belt beyond a certain point it will lock up, it was designed to do so a child seat could be put in the front seat.
Lap and shoulder belt on passenger's side locks up. Without any type of movement belt locks up. Seatbelt has to be unlocked, and rolled all the way back to correct problem temporarily. This causes passenger to repeat the process over and over. Also, belt makes a reeling sound before it starts to lock up. Consumer states there is no current recall regarding this safety problem.
The driver's side shoulder belt does not stay on the upper chest region. It continously slips below the breast area, cutting across the arm. The seat back has to be placed completely erect in order to maintain proper placement of the shoulder harness. It is uneffective for someone who is tall and must have the seat partially reclined as it does not properly restrain the driver.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Seat Belt complaints in other Sebring years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1996 Chrysler Sebring?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the seat belts of the 1996 Chrysler Sebring, 5% of the model year's 419 complaints. The component named most often is front › retractor (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Chrysler Sebring seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1996 Chrysler Sebring, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Chrysler Sebring seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to seat belts problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.