Most common 1998 Chrysler Sebring problems
Share of the 319 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chrysler Sebring complaints by model year
Best Sebring years: 2009, 2003, 2010. Years to avoid: 1996, 2001, 2002, 1998, 2007. Compare all years →
1998 Chrysler Sebring recalls (4)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
On certain passenger vehicles, the floor shifter ignition-park interlock May fail and allow the shifter to be moved out of the park position with the key removed. An inoperative interlock May also allow the key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the park position.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new load-limiting push rod into the floor shifter lever of the affected vehicles. Owner notification began on June 14, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
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.
Remedy: 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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Park/neutral start interlock switch
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.
Remedy: 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
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The dash panel pad can shift interferring with the throttle cable control.
Remedy: Dealers will remove a portion of the dash panel pad so it cannot interfere with the throttle cable control.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1998 Chrysler Sebring:
Steering shaft binding
There is no summary currently available
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.
Door panel/garnish separation
Alleged that the plastic garnish panels mounted on doors detach from their mountings, sometimes while the vehicle is in motion
Steering shaft binding
There is no summary currently available
Auto trans ignition-park interlock
The manufacturer reports above are based on daimlerchrysler?s (dc) analysis of model year (my) 1998 (population = 356,384) and 1999 (population = 486,948) ja, jx and lh family subject vehicle data (earlier mys excluded).the population number includes all mys.the precise number of duplicates between odi and dc reports cannot be determined due to missing or incomplete information.the fatality incident involved an…
What 1998 Chrysler Sebring owners say
Body & structure all 72 →
The car was involved in an accident at 5400 miles, resulting in extensive damage to the front right side. Since this time, the car will not stay in alignment. The steering knuckle, hub & low control arm were replaced but the right camber was still out. The upper control arm & upper strut bracket was then replaced, but the alignment was still out. Next, the camber was raised but align. Was out. The eng. Cradel and porta-power cradel was loosened to adjust nonadjustable camber/caster and the toe was set. On 10/01/99 the car (13,100 miles) was again returned to repair and they found the right front camber again out of align. On 8/18/00, the car, with 19,300 miles was returned again, with two badly worn front tires (one flat). Again, the car was out of alignment. The manager informed me that these vehicles do not hold an alignment (because they're high performance). …
I purchased a 1998 Chrysler Sebring lxi the car has numerous problems, one is the control arm in the vehicle. This is a list of other evac problems - I was told that there was a recall on my vehicle for various problems - please advice - need help - called Chrysler dealerships and first they said my vehicle was not affected - then they tell me they can charge me $149.00 to reset the computer catalyst(g)/nmhccatalyst(d) evaporative system(g)/ unsupportive(d) 02 sensor(g) exhaust gas sensor(d) 02 sensor heater (g) pm filter (d) EGR/vvt (g,d) po455 evaporative emission system leak detected (large leak) my headlamps are yellow and my rear window looks like there is some kind of mold sandwiched into the glass and defrost...almost impossible to see out of at night.
Brakes all 40 →
This complaint is the same as the one filed on March 12th of 01. Premature brake wear. On my make and model Chrysler Sebring conv. There are no wear sensors on the inside brake pads. Only on the outside do they have the required hardware to detect brake wear. On my car the right inside brake pad always wears out first. I have had to completely replace my brakes at almost the exact same mileage as the first time. I have documentation if required to verify complaint if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this complaint.
1998 Chrysler Sebring convertible: brake work. After having my brakes repaired three times I now hear there is a problem with the master cylinder. I just replaced it as well as the rotars a second time. Rear window defroster has separated from the glass just as listed on your problems.
Wheels & tires all 36 →
While driving on the highway at 60 MPH rear right tire blew out from the inside. This resulted in consumer losing control of the vehicle. Then, vehicle went off the highway and rolled onto a field. Vehicle was towed to a mechanic,who determined that the tire was defective.
Began hearing a light vibration in the seats of my vehicle as I was driving. I drove approx. 90 miles on it when part of the tire tread of my driver's side rear wheel began peeling off. It is a cooper cobra 91t p215/55r16 m45 radial gt that I purchased approx. At most 12,000 miles ago. I bought these two rear tires for my 1998 Chrysler Sebring convertible. My front tires I purchased about 3 months ago but got a different brand. I pulled over on the side of the road as soon as it happened and changed the tire with my minitature spare tire. This all happened today.....no accidents/no injuries...the tire is still inflated..it is just missing the outer and a couple of inner layers of thread with numerous wires protracting out. The area effected is approx. 10 inches long...
1998 Chrysler Sebring engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chrysler Sebring a good car?
Based on 319 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Sebring rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sebring at the same age. It is one of the Sebring years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Chrysler Sebring?
The body & structure — 72 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body › door. Next are the brakes (40) and wheels & tires (36).
How many recalls does the 1998 Chrysler Sebring have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1998 Chrysler Sebring, the most recent from January 13, 2004 (floor shift). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chrysler Sebring?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2003 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1996, 2001, 2002, 1998 and 2007. See the full Chrysler Sebring years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Chrysler Sebring problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 21% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.