Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Chrysler Sebring owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When I purchased the car brand new, the sunvisor on top was loose, the dealership said it was fine, then a couple of days later I noticed it was coming off more. They did fix this then I reported that the keyless entry remote did not work . I went there on three occasions for approximately 5 hours total to have this fixed, they did fix and now it does not work again. I am also hearing a water swishing sound when I start the car and when driving mostly in center of car, but can be heard in all area including when I step on and off the brake. I went to the dealership and saw three sales people and they could not help me and told me to come back on Monday. They were very rude and would not even offer a suggestion about the problem I was having. This is a brand new car and costing more than 23,000 dollars, should I have all these problems already. …
The engine stalled, due to sludge build up. The consumer was driving when the engine started to knock and slowed down. The consumer was told the engine had blown up due to the build up. There was no warning. The vehicle had electrical problems since purchase, but had not been fixed. The interior lights had constantly come on. The interior lights had constantly went off and on, the driver door did not shut properly, made a clicking sound, was intermittent, and the latch on top was loose, the interior lights flickered from bright to dim, the radio and door lock had become inoperative, when the vehicle was turned to the right, a dinging sound was heard and the brake light would come on, and the headlights had become inoperative.
After it rained, water collected in a puddle on the back interior floorboard. The dealer previously suspected the water came from the door seals and replaced them, however the leak resurfaced and it did not come from door seals. Consumer believed the leak came from the chassis. Other problems are as followed: cd player malfunctioned, A/C unit failed and was repaired two times, the door panel was replaced, the steering column was replaced/squealed when turned/repair kit was installed/clockspring was replaced, the vehicle wouldn't start, there were electrical problems, a loud sound had come from the brakes, the window buttons were loose at the switch, and the engine cranked but did not start and was found to be flooded. Scc
When opening and closing the top, often times the sides of the top fold underneath the rear window. This causes a crease which makes it more likely to occur again. When folded under the top often leaks in the rain. When manually pulled out into it's rightful place, the portion of the top pulled out becomes ruffled and unsightly. Damages were caused to the rear window defroster. On one side, the wire connected to the electronic defroster was broken off. Also, the top has torn loose from the bottom window over halfway across the window. The top has already been replaced once under warranty for the same problem, and the same problem has now recurred.
Consumer replaced rear defrost on Chrysler Sebring on numerous occasions. The rear defroster does not work. The rear vision glass needed to be replaced. Chrysler offered the consumer a 50/50 split. Also the drivers side window rattled, red fluid was found in the consumer's driveway due to transmission pan and cooler line leakage, the convertible was leaking on the drivers side window area due to weather strip and there was a slow leak in the r/r tire due to a hole.
I recently got my car and love it except for the fact that water is building up on the driver side floor board in the front. I do not know if its the drain holes or the condensation hose. Either way I am attempting to fix these myself, but there seems to be a large amount of Chrysler owners on several models having the same problem. We need to get this resolved for all the thousands of Chrysler owners having this same issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chrysler Sebring. The contact stated after rainy weather conditions water would leak onto the front driver's side carpet. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the defect was related to the firewall seal. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.
The passenger rear and front floor is completely soaked after driving in the rain. The service technician stated that there is a leak in both the front and rear doors. At the same time, the heater/ac fan does not work. It will only be on when the selector is turned to 4, otherwise it is off. Technican says the resistor is blown.
I was going down 250 at 40 MPH and a woman stopped in front of me not giving me enough time to stop and I rear-ended her. The front drivers side was smashed and the airbag did not deploy. I was taking to the emergency room with injury to my back and head.
I have a 2001 Chrysler Sebring coupe lxi. The dashboard on this vehicle is cracking and busting up in multiple places. I have always used a window cover, and kept it conditioned with products that specifically indicate that they will not cause drying or cracking. The dashboard has no other signs of damaged caused by the sun. I have researched and apparently this is a big problem with the Chrysler / Dodge products. Chrysler refuses to fix the problems even though their is clearly a huge problem. Please refer to this link http://www.topix.net/forum/news/opinion/tp9nb9faidrd6v3rg clearly we expect this sort of problem in vehicles approaching ten years or more, but I hardly think less than a five year durability expectancy in a dashboard is reasonable. Additionally, once the integrity of the dashboard has been compromised it becomes a safety issue due to exposed wiring and insulation.
Related recalls
Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Through degradation of the bond between the silencer pad and a sheet metal panel (quarter inner upper), the pad May fall onto the map light located in the rear seating area near the c-pillar trim panel (lh and rh).
Remedy: Dealers will remove the insulation pad from behind both rear map lights.
Body complaints in other Sebring years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Chrysler Sebring?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Chrysler Sebring, 6% of the model year's 387 complaints. The component named most often is body (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Chrysler Sebring body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-278 (underbody shields, Sep 18, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Chrysler Sebring body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 44% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 4 injuries to body & structure 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.