AC & Heater complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Chrysler Sebring. The contact stated that the driver's side seat warmer overheated and caused hole to burn through the seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 65,000.
I purchased a 2007 Chrysler Sebring in November of 2007. On the way home I encountered issues with the heating and defrosting system and subsequently received a recall on this issue. Several months after the purchase of the vehicle I began to experience problems with the engine stalling upon coming to a normal stop or sudden stop with the engine stalling without notice. I have taken the car to the dealer numerous times and they continually tell me they can not find anything wrong with the car and the computer indicates no faults or error codes. The stalling has occurred at least 20-30 times since I purchased the vehicle. This Tuesday the 19th of October, it stalled yet again and had to be towed off the freeway on a rainy day during rush hours. I took the car back to the dealer that day and again they checked it and said nothing registered on the computer. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chrysler Sebring. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the contact detected smoke inside the vehicle. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and noticed that the driver's seat was really hot and had two burn holes. There was also a hole in the contact's jeans. The contact was not injured. The front passenger seat was also burned through the seat cover. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Heated seat fire on 2004 Chrysler Sebring limited. On a trip with our family - the passenger heated seat was turned on at some point getting in our out of the car. A standard insulated cooler was sitting on the seat so nobody knew it was on. We continued to smell a foul burning smell (similar to diesel fumes) and began to move lanes, roll the windows down, etc. A short time later, the smell became severe and the car began filling with smoke (while traveling down the highway). I pulled over, made sure everyone was out of the car and started to look around the interior. Found a portion of the cooler melted to the seat bottom. Several sandwich bags had melted to seat also. I turned the switch off, and let it cool, then continued down the road. …
The connection for the rear window defogger has broken 4 times, fixed 3 times, and have been told by the dealer that it is a known problem, but they can do nothing but fix it at our cost each time. It has been reconnected once, and twice at a cost of just under $100 each time.
Dt*: the contact stated when the convertible top was returned to an upright position, the rear defroster wire was pulled out of place. This resulted in the rear defroster being inoperable until the vehicle was taken to the dealer for reconnection. This occurred every fall.
The front passenger seat heater caught on fire and brunt a hole through the seat and through a pillow that was laying on the seat. The seat heater was accidentally engaged because of the location of engage button. The fire occurred due to an electrical failure in the seat heater system. Dealership is only recovering the seat.
On 2002 Chrysler Sebring convertible the wires and connectors for the rear window defrost get pulled of the rearview window everytime the top is being lowered / raised. This has happened since the car was new and at the end of the summer we have it reattached by the dealer at a cost of nearly $100.-. This is the 4th time, and it cannot be fixed anymore without changing the glass. Even after the glass will be replaced the same problem will happen again. The wires for the rear defrost are either too short or routed wrong. The dealer has informed us that they have more customers with the same problem. Dealer says they tried to contact Chrysler but they are unable / unwilling to find a fix. Dealer is town & country Chrysler, 13733 aurora ave n, seattle wa, tel# [phone]. The silver team (jeff) is the one that has serviced the car and has been dealing with the problem.
Related recalls (1)
Visibility › Defroster/defogger/HVAC system
On certain vehicles equipped with automatic temperature control (atc) only, the software programmed into the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module May cause the windshield defrosting and defogging functions to become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the HVAC module. The recall began on January 2, 2007. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler Sebring years have ac & heater problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (19), 1996 (14), 2001 (10), 2002 (7) and 1995 (6) model years. AC & Heater complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Chrysler Sebring ac & heater problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 06V-494 (defroster/defogger/hvac system, Dec 29, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chrysler Sebring ac & heater problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles; 59% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the defroster/defogger/hvac system (22 mentions), followed by the appliance › air conditioner (21).
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.