Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chrysler Sebring owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: was driving at an unknown speed and pulled in front of a bowling alley to pick up another passenger. Turned the engine off with key in ignition, within a matter of seconds the vehicle began to roll forward. The car gained speed and was too quick before the consumer could gain control. The vehicle went down an incline and crashed into a parking lot pole. The air bags did not deploy. Both passenger had seat belts on but passenger seat belt did not remain locked and passenger struck the windshield, this did not unlatch but a great deal slack came from that seat belt. Had received a recall on the transaxles floor shift(no NHTSA recall camp id# available) this recall had not been performed. …
I was driving in a 1997 Chrysler Sebring lxi, when I began getting light-headed, and knew that I was about to pass out. I turned into a parking lot to get off the roadway, and the last thing that I remember was turning into the lot (because I indeed did pass out, due to a medical condition). My vehicle continued to travel through the parking lot, I struck a raised concrete sidewalk (at a store front) that was approximately 10 to 12 inches high, then struck the brick wall and store front window, entered the building and struck display cases, furniture, etc. Upon entering the building. When I came to, I was still in the vehicle, vehicle was running, and the airbags (neither one) had deployed. I immediately called 9-1-1 from my cell phone to summon police, fire & ems. …
Dt: the contact received a recall letter on 3-15-05 concerning the trans axle floor shifter ignition/park interlock she called at the end of March or the beginning of April and made an appointment to have vehicle checked. On 5-7-05, before the scheduled appointment, the vehicle popped out of gear and hit a pole. And the estimated damage was $8,700. On 5-12-05 Chrysler sent an investigator to check the vehicle . The consumer was not present at the inspection, but someone else who was at the inspection claimed that the investigator tried to start the car and it wouldn't start. He did not think the trans axle floor shifter ignition/park interlock had anything to do with the crash. The consumer did not agree, stating that the driver and the passenger were injured in the crash. Neither the seat belts nor the air bags worked in the crash.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chrysler Sebring. While driving at unknown speeds, the driver blacked out due to a medical condition. In doing so, he unknowingly depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle proceeded to crash into a building. The vehicle was destroyed. Upon impact, the rear windows were blown out due to the severity of the crash. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed accordingly. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The manufacturer stated that an investigator would inspect the vehicle further and upon doing so, found it unusual that the air bags did not deploy due to the severity of front-end damage. The failure and current mileages were 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Chrysler Sebring. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle causing it to spin several times. The vehicle was destroyed. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 200,000.
Fire in right front dash area( passenger side) to the right of the air bag. Broke/melted front window/wiper blade, burned a 12" square hole in the dash. While driving the vehicle the driver smelt something burning--no signs of smoke, the vehicle was driven and parked over night. The damage was noticed the next morning.
Dt: consumer received recall 04V021000, on March 15, 2005. She had called dealer to arrange for repairs, but they told her to bring the vehicle in at her convenience. The recall work was never performed. On May 7, 2005 she was picking her daughter and while the vehicle was in park it went down a small hill in a parking lot and traveled at least 200-300 feet. The vehicle was also turned off. This happened so fast she could not remember whether the brakes worked at that time. There was a telephone pole that stopped the vehicle. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy, and the seat belts did not restrain the passengers. The passengers head went through the windshield and her knees hit the dash board. The driver's right rotor cuff and neck were injured. There was $8700 worth of damage to the vehicle, and it was totaled. The manufacturer stated that they could not do anything about it. …
Crashed head on at 50 MPH on a road of 55 MPH into direct frontal impact of a gaurd rail ,frontal section of the car is highly damaged and air bags never deployed upon impact on eith driver or passanger side, both victiums were wearing seat belts at the time but did substain many bruises on face, head, shoulders, chest and legs and abdomone. To my knowledge and of other auto body repair specialist air bags are defective and the sensors should have gone off at time of deep impact and should have deployed.
I purchased the 1997 Chrysler Sebring in November of 2014. I did notice that the passenger air bag is slightly ejected. I have gone to automotive shops and even a Chrysler dealership, and both inform me that the airbags for this particular car are no longer made. I need help on how to fix this problem to ensure the safety of my passengers. Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day.
Vehicle was stopped in traffic when it was hit from behind by another vehicle driving about 40-50 MPH. Vehicle was pushed into vehicle in front.upon impact, neither airbag deployed. Consumer and her 2 year old child were injured. Consumer is still going to physical therapy, and her child has neck injuries.
Airbag complaints in other Sebring years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1997 Chrysler Sebring?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the air bags of the 1997 Chrysler Sebring, 10% of the model year's 287 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chrysler Sebring airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1997 Chrysler Sebring, though it has 6 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 1997 Chrysler Sebring airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 107,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 24 crashes, 0 fires and 23 injuries and 1 death to air bags 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.