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 1998 Chrysler Sebring owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was involved in a car accident May 16th at 2:00 a.m. At the corner of page and bennington in creve coeur, mo. The entire front of the car is smashed in, yet the airbags did not go off, which, from what I have read at http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/chrysler_airbag.htm that this is a common occurrence in Chrysler vehicles. I suffered a concussion, though the doctor feared it was much worse, ordering up cat scans to make sure that there was no further bleeding in my brain. I furthermore, have, now, a stiff neck, which fails in comparison to other problems that people have had, due to the fact that the airbag did not release as is, from what I have been told, required if the impact is straight-on front side over 5 MPH. Now, that May be simply speculation on my end, yet, I know right now that I have permanent brain damage due to a faulty airbag.
Dt: the owner was involved in a crash on May 31, 2005. Suffered brain damage, facial bruising and clotting. Also suffered rib problems on the left side. Owner's airbags did not deploy at the time of the accident. Owner was the in the drivers seat. The airbag on the passenger side did not deploy either. There were no lights on the dashboard saying that there were any problems with the airbags. The point of impact was the driver's side. The biggest damage was on the front quarter panel, grill, hood ,and the driver's side door. The driver was the only one that suffered injuries. The car was totaled. The owner has not been in contact with the dealer or the manufacturer. Owner was traveling at 65 MPH when this happened.
I am so disgusted. I will never buy another Chrysler vehicle, nor will I encourage anyone else to do so. I purchased a 1998 Chrysler Sebring lxi on 6/29/2000. Since that time I have had the following problems: key won't work in trunk all the time. Lack of air bag deployment - 2 different incidents (reported in a previous complaint) passenger side seat belt will open if you just push against it - I have taken the vehicle to the certified service agent (over a year ago) who was supposed to order the part and contact me when it arrived. He never did and now that dealership is not the service agent anymore. Driver's side seatbelt twists inside the covered area attached to the interior wall of the vehicle. High-pitched whining sound coming from front driver's side tire area. Have replaced rotors twice. Have had to purchase those expensive ($600 - $800) Goodyear tires about 4 - 6 times. …
This complaint relates to a 1998 Chrysler seibring convertible. The vehicle has two horns. During warranty, one horn failed and the manufacturer replaced it. The dealer said they fail "a lot". After warranty the other horn failed. I paid to replace it. The dealer indicated they failed frequently. At 9x,[redacted] miles the fuse in the horn/power outlet blew. Dealer diagnosed it as a failure of the horn circuit in the steering column requiring replacement of the air-bag assembly -- cost with installation in excess of $800. Vehicle has been without horn awaiting parts for more than a week. The horn is a critical piece of safety equipment and must be simple and cheap to repair when broken. By linking the horn circuit through the airbag, Chrysler has made it neither cheap nor easy. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chrysler Sebring convertible. The contact stated that while starting the ignition, the front driver and passenger side air bags deployed erroneously. The air bags were not replaced. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or repair shop for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 59,337.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chrysler Sebring convertible jx. The contact stated that while reversing into a parking space, both front air bags deployed without warning. The failure caused head and neck injuries to the driver and the vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 169,000.
Person pulled out in front of me, I t-boned the other car at approximately 35 - 40 miles per hour. Airbags did no deploy, entire bumper was split in half on my vehicle. Fire department had to remove me from veh. Door on drivers side jammed. Severe front in damage to my car. Fireman asked why my airbags did not deploy, said as I believe they should of.
Airbags didnot deploy at collision with concrete wall at appox 55mph. Driver lost contro;l on wet pavement and hit wall with left side of front end then rest of front end, then spun around 180 degrees and hit the rear left trunk and back end of car. Insurance company totaled the car due to extensive body and frame damage.
Consumer was making a turn ,driving at approx 5- 10 MPH when consumer hit another vehicle. Upon impact, dual airbags did not deploy . All damage was done from engine to transmission,to the front of vehicle, and the vehicle considered a total loss.
The vehicle was involved in a collision, and the airbags failed to deploy. The vehicle hydroplaned, also turned in a 360 degree angle, and bounced off of the concrete median. Scc
Airbag complaints in other Sebring years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1998 Chrysler Sebring?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the air bags of the 1998 Chrysler Sebring, 7% of the model year's 319 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Chrysler Sebring airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1998 Chrysler Sebring, though it has 4 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 1998 Chrysler Sebring airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 15 crashes, 0 fires and 10 injuries 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.