1998 Chrysler Cirrus Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine shutting off or losing power while driving, a problem that appears across a wide mileage range and is often hard for shops to diagnose. Transmission noise, brake complaints and front-end suspension or steering noise also come up repeatedly in the sampled complaints.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalls or loses power while driving

   • 12 complaints (17%)
   • median 120,000 mi at 11.8 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2024

   Owners describe the engine quitting without warning at highway, city or idle speeds, sometimes restarting after the car sits and sometimes not. Many report repeated repairs with no lasting result: batteries, spark plugs and wires, crankshaft or camshaft sensors, distributor, EGR valve, relays and a replacement engine are all mentioned, along with check-engine or 'no bus' codes. Several owners say shops could not reproduce the failure, and that the check-engine light appears only when the car stalls. Reported from roughly 35,000 to over 190,000 miles, with several at 70,000 to 130,000 miles; some owners mention it happening after rain or in damp conditions.

   What to check: Ask for any service history on sensors, ignition components and the computer, and take a long test drive that includes highway speed and idling in traffic. Note whether the check-engine light works and whether any fault codes are stored.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car will stall out in low or idol. It would just shut off. While driving and switching gears it will sound like its missing. I took it to get it smog. They said that the computer in the car was resetting every time I start the car. They also said that it was doing the same problem as the Chrysler Cirrus 1996 was doing.”

   NHTSA complaint #10463075, filed 2012-06, 176,000 miles

   “Car stops while driving and also doesn't start on some days and not others. You can be going 60mph on the highway and car will stop for no reason and then start up again after sitting for a while. I've had an engine code reading with no codes showing. Replaced battery, spark plugs and wires, plume gasket, crank shaft sensor, rotor cap and button. I am now getting a no bus reading when it won't start. It's getting a spark and tries to turn over. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10259709, filed 2009-02, 126,500 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden acceleration from park or at a stop

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 132,200 mi at 9.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2007

   Several owners describe the car lunging forward or backward from park or while stationary in a drive-through line, in some cases with the brake pedal pressed and in some with the cruise control apparently engaging by itself. Owners report having to brake hard or shift to neutral to stop the car, and a few mention airbag deployment after the resulting impact. Reported across the sample without a consistent mileage pattern; several of these complaints are from the car's first few years.

   Recall 04V021000Recall 98V183000

   What to check: Ask whether the shifter and ignition interlock recalls were completed, and test that the key can only be removed in park and that the shift button requires normal effort. Have the cruise control cable and throttle linkage inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On 2/16/99, I was in the drive through lane at a bank to make a deposit. There were approximately 8 vehicles in front of me. As each vehicle advanced to the window, I took my car out of park, put it into drive, and advanced the little you do when you are sitting in line. I did this approximately 5 or 6 times while waiting to get to the window. As the pick up truck in front of me advanced to the window, I took my car out of park which you can not do without putting foot on the brake. Suddenly, the car leaped forward at a high accelerated speed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #703529, filed 1999-02

   “At a stop, the cruise control activated unexpectedly causing the vehicle to suddenly accelerate.occupant pressed the brake and the vehicle would not slow down. Occupant had to place the vehicle in the neutral position at which time, cruise control turned off. Please provide further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #843309, filed 1999-07
3. 3
   Brakes

   ABS warning light and brake noise or pulsation

   • 6 complaints (9%)
   • typically at 2.9 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2001

   Owners report the ABS light flashing or the ABS engaging without the pedal being pressed, along with knocking, loud noise or pulsation when braking, in some cases in reverse. Dealers reportedly replaced pads, calipers and rotors, sometimes more than once, without the symptom staying away. One owner connected a rear brake line failure to a brake-tube recall. Mostly described on older, higher-mileage cars; complaint text rarely states mileage, so the sample gives no consistent mileage picture.

   Recall 99V244000

   What to check: Check that the ABS light comes on at start-up and goes out, look at rotor and pad condition, and have the rear brake lines inspected for rubbing or wear near the exhaust. Ask whether recall 99V244000 was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Anti-lock brake system is locking while the vehicle is in full speed w/o the brakes being pressed. Sensor is automatically releasing the ABS brakes without advance warning. Dealer advised consumer that all four brake pads, and calipers have to be replaced. This will be the second time for the entire brakes system to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #865126, filed 2000-07

   “Consumer believes recall 99v-244 concerning the right rear brake tube may have caused accident in which consumer experienced loss of braking ability and loss of control resulting in hitting the stairs in front of house and hitting neighbors home, consumer suffered minor cuts to hand and a lump on forehead. Nlm”

   NHTSA complaint #551770, filed 2000-04
4. 4
   Suspension

   Front-end and suspension noise or broken steering parts

   • 6 complaints (9%)
   • median 74,500 mi at 10.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2016

   Owners describe clunking or loud noises from under the front of the car when turning or parking, along with premature ball joint and tie rod wear. Some complaints mention a tie rod or lower control arm actually breaking at low speed, and dealers repairing various suspension parts or being unable to locate the source of the noise. Reported from around 60,000 miles upward in the sample, with one tie rod break described at about 89,000 miles.

   What to check: Have a mechanic check ball joints, tie rods and control arms with the car on a lift before buying, and listen for clunks during slow full-lock turns in a parking lot.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dt: the consumer was driving the 1998 Chrysler Cirrus at a speed of around 5 MPH when the tie rod broke. The tie rod was on the passenger's side on the front. The mechanic that looked at the vehicle stated that the tie rod should break at low mileage. The mechanic told the consumer that the tie rod was flimsy. The tie rod has been repaired. The dealership has not been contacted. Chrysler has also not been contacted.”

   NHTSA complaint #10138678, filed 2005-10, 89,000 miles

   “Noise on left front tire was due to left side inner tie rod malfunctioning. Consumer contacted Chrysler and they told him that, it wad a normal wear part.”

   NHTSA complaint #8002305, filed 2002-01
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission noise and loss of drive

   • 5 complaints (7%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 14.1 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2014

   Complaints describe loud transmission noise, fluid leaks from cracked sensors on the transmission case, and cases where the car would not move forward after being put into drive. Some owners report a transmission replaced and the noise returning within a couple of thousand miles, and dealers describing the noise as a characteristic of the design rather than a fault. Mileage in the sample ranges widely, from a few thousand miles after a replacement unit up to about 120,000 miles.

   Recall 04V021000Recall 98V183000

   What to check: Drive the car through all gears and listen for whining or humming that changes with speed, and check under the car for transmission fluid leaks. Ask whether the shifter interlock recalls were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The repairing Chrysler dealer says repairs will cost approx. $1200.00. He is going to be talking to the Chrysler rep.,but does not think she will do anything about the problem,from a co. Standpoint. Does a consumer have to replace transmissions every 27 - 29,000 miles of service. I would like to know if this is a big problem with Chrysler products. I know several people who have had transmission problems with their Chrysler autos..”

   NHTSA complaint #715702, filed 1999-12

   “Chrysler Cirrus 1998 lx car shut down while daughter was driving at 50mph. Very dangerous situation on highway but was able to get off road without getting hit. Daughter 18 years old and very scared over situation. Crankshaft shifter sensor replaced. Mechanic said it was a well known problem with this car. Internet research confirms this.”

   NHTSA complaint #10298472, filed 2010-01, 120,000 miles

Buying note. These are old, high-mileage cars, so a pre-purchase inspection focused on the front suspension, brakes and transmission is worth more than the asking price difference between two examples. Get the service history for stalling repairs and confirm the shifter and rear brake line recalls were done.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 54 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.