1999 Chrysler Cirrus Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1999 Chrysler Cirrus most often write about transmission trouble — slipping, hard shifting, sudden loss of drive and jerking — generally in the 45,000-105,000 mile range. A second cluster of complaints involves fuel-system hardware: leaks and fumes traced to tank and pump seals, and burned wiring found inside the fuel pump assembly. Brake noise and warped rotors, cooling and sensor-related stalling, and a handful of unintended-acceleration reports round out the sample.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Gas or fuel-vapor smell, leaks at tank and pump seals

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • median 76,750 mi at 6.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2005

   Owners report a gasoline smell or a check-engine light traced to fuel vapors escaping around the tank seams and sending-unit seals, sometimes requiring seal replacement and in one case a new tank. Others describe fuel leaks that started small and grew, and a few found burned wiring inside the fuel pump assembly after removing it. Dealers typically replaced seals or the fuel pump, and one owner was told the car was safe to drive with the window open. Reported from low mileage up to roughly 86,000 miles, with no clear seasonal pattern in the sample.

   What to check: Smell around the filler neck and under the rear seat after fueling, look for staining or rust at the tank seams, and ask whether the fuel pump or tank seals have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “(1)a 1999 chysler Cirrus was run to near empty on gas. The gauge read between a quarter tank and empty on the way to the gas station. Upon arriving at the gas station the tank was filled. After filling with gas, I proceeded to try after start my car and it failed to function. My husband who is a self-employeed mechanic thought it to be a problem with the fuel pump. (2)upon removal of the gas tank unit and the fuel pump assembly, we found there to be a possible hazard with the wiring harness located inside of the gas tank unit itself. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10125244, filed 2005-06, 70,900 miles

   “I just felt this problem needed to be reported since it involved gas leakage. My vehicle started by leaking a small amount of gas and then progressed to larger volumes. I beleived this was possibly a problem that needed to be reported since it could involve injuries if left undetected and unrepaired.”

   NHTSA complaint #738498, filed 2000-12
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slipping, hard shifts and loss of drive

   • 8 complaints (13%)
   • median 89,490 mi at 6.1 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2009

   Complaints describe the automatic transmission slipping gears, jerking the car forward, making loud noises, or quitting entirely so the vehicle had to be towed. Several owners report that the dealer either could not duplicate the problem or said the noise was normal, while others say the transmission or its speed sensor was replaced. One owner states the car suddenly downshifted to first and locked the wheels while driving. Spread from about 45,000 to 119,000 miles, with most reports between 60,000 and 105,000 miles.

   Recall 04V0210002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car through every gear from cold and warm, listen for whine or clunk, and check whether the transmission fluid and filter were serviced. Ask whether the floor-shifter interlock recall work (04V021000) was completed and whether it was followed by any shifting trouble.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “About 2 years ago, my car began stuttering and stalling out with no warning. The oil light repeated flashes on, the check engine light flashes and then stays on, and the car wont start or just cuts off. The transmission speed sensor was replaced. The transmission was replaced. The oil was changed. This past 3 months alone, it has been at the service department 6 times for this same problem. I am now being told that I need a tune-up, which will cost $700, then the EGR needs replaced, and a few other things. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10259302, filed 2009-02, 89,490 miles

   “I currently own a 1999 Chrysler Cirrus v6. Auto is equipped with a 41te automatic transmission with 104,000 miles on it. According to al web sites I have come to find that the 41te automatic transmission has proven to be an unreliable unit resulting in premature failure and bearing failure. Chrysler has refused to acknowledge the defect. As of this writing the pinion bearings have failed in my vehicle and Chrysler has refused to repair as this is an ongoing problem with this transmission for which the manufacturer denies an responsibility. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10237702, filed 2008-08, 104,900 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Stalling, check-engine light and sensor failures

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • median 76,245 mi at 10.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2014

   Owners describe the engine stalling at speed or refusing to start, sometimes after rain, often with the check-engine or oil light flashing. Repairs reported include a distributor, sensors, a tune-up and an EGR replacement, with the same symptom sometimes returning after repeated dealer visits. One complaint mentions heavy carbon buildup that the dealer described as normal for the model. From roughly 23,000 to 134,000 miles across the sample, with no single mileage band standing out.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for any record of ignition, sensor or EGR repairs, and check whether the car starts reliably after a wet night. Note that a service bulletin mentions valve-body work that may be linked to overdrive cycling — separate from stalling.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1999 Chrysler Cirrus, will not start after rain. There is no distributor and I feel that it could be a problem with the fuel system. I pump the gas and try to turn it over it just cranks sometimes it does eventually start. I have missed days of work. So when ever it rains I am always worried, this happens often.”

   NHTSA complaint #10293683, filed 2009-11, 134,000 miles

   “The distributor has gone out twice (2x) on my 1999 Chrysler Cirrus. The first time was in 2007 while I was sitting in a car wash. I thought perhaps some water had splashed in and shorted something out. So I didn't report it. But the second time was on friday, may 29th. We were driving on the I-210 freeway in the carpool lane - near azusa, ca. Suddenly the car lost all power and I had to pull across 5 lanes of traffic in order to safely get off the freeway. It was very scary and very dangerous. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10273813, filed 2009-06, 63,000 miles
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration when shifting or braking

   • 7 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 2.5 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2002

   Several complaints describe the car surging forward on its own when shifted into drive, while pulling out of a parking space, or when the brake was applied, in some cases ending in a collision. Owners report the dealer could not duplicate the condition or was notified without a resolution being recorded. Mileage is not listed in most of these reports, so age and use conditions vary.

   What to check: On a test drive, confirm the pedal feels normal and the car does not creep or surge when selecting drive from a stop; ask whether throttle-body or cruise-control components have ever been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When vehicle was put into drive it suddenly accelerated out of a bank parking lot without foot being on accelerator pedal, vehicle accelerated across the street into a commuter parking lot. Vehicle impacted a truck and 2 cars in another parking lot. Then, crossed street and went up onto a curb. Consumer's wrist was broken, and had bruised knees/legs. Dealership and insurance company notified.”

   NHTSA complaint #890133, filed 2001-06

   “While placing vehicle in drive and without a warning, the vehicle accelerated fast, resulting in driver losing control. Consumer did not know if she had placed her foot on the brake or the accelerator (it happened so fast), as she was trying to pull out of the parking space the vehicle had just taken off, the consumer was trying not to run on the side walk but had done it anyway and found a way to get back onto the pavement, and totalled the vehicle. Signed doris smallwood. (reported to dealer)”

   NHTSA complaint #8011910, filed 2002-06
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake noise, rotor warping and sudden loss of braking

   • 7 complaints (11%)
   • median 51,366 mi at 6.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2008

   Complaints describe loud grinding from the brakes, rotors that warped repeatedly within a few thousand miles and shook the steering wheel when braking, and in some cases brakes that stopped working with little warning. Dealers replaced pads and rotors, and one owner notes the pads had no wear indicators. One report describes a brake vacuum hose coming off entirely, and a recall covers a rear brake tube that can rub against the exhaust clamp and wear through. Mostly reported between about 28,000 and 75,000 miles, though one owner cites a failure near 30,000 miles.

   Recall 99V244000

   What to check: Have the brakes inspected on a lift, including the right rear brake line for rubbing or wear near the exhaust (see recall 99V244000), and ask whether the rotors have been replaced more than once.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 1999 Chrysler Cirrus. My wife took the car for the day 10/15/08, she called me at work to say the brakes were making a very loud grinding noise. The next day I drove the car to the dealer to have the brakes serviced. On the way over, the brake pads completely stopped functioning. I had to down shift to stop. I drove at 10 MPH or slower the last mile to the dealer. They told me the rotors needed to be replaced along with the brakes. This car had no brakes. What troubles me, is that the brake pads had no wear indicators on them. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10245700, filed 2008-10, 74,733 miles

   “Every eight to ten thousand miles the rotors warped. While stopping at 70 MPH steering wheel felt as if it was going to come right out of consumer's hands. Consumer stated that Chrysler manufactured the vehicle with the wrong part. The brakes were worked on three times. But, problem recurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #10094536, filed 2004-09, 28,000 miles

Buying note. Given the age of this model year, the transmission and fuel-system complaints are the ones worth planning for: get a transmission shop's opinion and have the fuel tank area inspected before buying. Confirm that the open recalls for the shifter interlock and the rear brake tube have been completed, since both are free to have done.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 52 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.