2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe problems with the front seat belts, especially belts that lock or fail to pull out and buckle cables that break at the anchor. Complaints also cover brakes that wear or fail early, occasional ignition and electrical faults, and cooling or convertible-top issues. Reported mileage varies widely, from under 40,000 miles to well past 140,000.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Front seat belts lock up or will not extend

   • 14 complaints (18%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 9.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2013

   Owners report that one or both front belts suddenly lock and cannot be pulled out or buckled, sometimes after the car has sat unused or in cold weather, and sometimes the belt retracts while worn and will not release. Several say the dealer replaced the retractor or pointed to a seat belt control module or timer, and quoted several hundred dollars per seat, sometimes without a guaranteed fix. Others describe the buckle cable or webbing splitting or breaking at the anchor. Reported across a wide mileage range, most commonly between about 50,000 and 130,000 miles, with a few at much higher mileage.

   What to check: Try every belt cold and warm: pull each one out fully and check that it retracts and latches, and look at the cable at the buckle anchor for fraying or separation. Ask whether the retractors or control module have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible jxi - seatbelts malfunction seatbelt retractor locks up (both seats at the same time) so the seat belts cannot be used. Intermittent problem but very problematic. I have replaced the seatbelt fuse. I have consulted with a Chrysler service dept. Technician who stated that replacing the retractor would be $508 per seat but couldn't guarantee that this would be the solution. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10336486, filed 2010-06, 120,000 miles

   “After taking my 2000 sebring convertable out of the winter garage storage both front seat belt would not pull out. They are locked inside the seat assembly and unable to be extended or to bucke-up the driver and passenger. Looking on the internet I found this was a common problem that has been filed on this site as well as other auto troubleshooting sites. Both associated fuses were checked and found to be ok. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10154725, filed 2006-04, 105,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brakes wear quickly or pedal goes soft

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • median 59,752 mi at 5.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2017

   Complaints describe brakes that need pads and rotors far more often than expected, squealing or grinding, and in some cases a pedal that sank to the floor with little warning. Owners also mention ABS that seemed not to engage or that reduced braking on wet pavement, and a parking brake that needed a very hard pull to hold on a hill. Some report repeat dealer visits without a lasting remedy. Mostly reported between about 20,000 and 90,000 miles.

   What to check: Check pad and rotor thickness and look for uneven wear or heavy grooving, then test the pedal for firmness and the parking brake on an incline. Ask for service records showing how often brakes were replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was just driving my Chrysler sebring 2000 this afternoon when the brakes failed completely. I was lucky to be in a parking lot when this happened and I don't want to imagine what would have happened on a highway! There was no warning at all, no light coming on, nothing, and the brake pedal just collapsed completely. I will have to take the car to the garage on tuesday. I wanted to know what I can do about that to be sure this does not happen again....it's scary to think that you can drive a car 65 miles an hour with suddenly no brakes at all! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10333849, filed 2010-05, 86,600 miles

   “After repairing the brakes eight times manufacturer was notified, but did not offer assistance because of the warranty. Every four months the brakes, pads, and rotors have been serviced or replaced. The consumer was told by Chrysler that her vehicle could not be repaired properly and preprare to fix her vehicle every four months.”

   NHTSA complaint #10090215, filed 2004-09, 34,611 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Horn sounds on its own, alarm and door locks act up

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 59,505 mi at 6.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2015

   Owners describe the horn going off by itself, often at night, and needing repeated presses on the pad to stop it; some say the horn switch was diagnosed as the source and both horns eventually burned out. Others report the alarm triggering while parked, doors locking and unlocking repeatedly, interior lights cycling, and a remote that stopped working. A few mention keys that would not turn the ignition switch. Reported from roughly 27,000 to 125,000 miles, with several in the 40,000 to 90,000 range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the horn, alarm or keyless entry has acted up, and test the horn pad and remote. Have the battery and charging system checked, since voltage problems can set off alarm and lock faults.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2000 jxi conv,that I purchased in 2006 and my remote stopped working so I changed the battery and it still will not work after changing the battery. I had never noticed that there was an alarm on this car, there was never any flashing lights or anything. Just all of a sudden when I went to enter my car the alarm went off, and with the remote not working I could not stop the alarm, even after starting the car, driving with lights flashing. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10247607, filed 2008-11, 89,000 miles

   “I am the not soo happy owner of a 2000 Chrysler sebring jxi convertible. The latest problem with this poor excuse for reliable transportation is that now none of the 3 keys that came with the car are able to turn the lock cylinder even when all other prerequisites are enabled. Aaa sent out a locksmith who provided me with a new key which must be used in conjuction with the origainal computer chip keys, but unfortunately this has not resolved the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10007615, filed 2003-02, 44,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls at stops or cuts out while driving

   • 5 complaints (6%)
   • median 103,000 mi at 7.9 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2006–2015

   Complaints describe the engine quitting at traffic lights, stop signs or while parking, and sometimes shutting off at speed with the check engine light on, usually restarting after a short wait. Owners say dealers and mechanics could not reproduce the fault and no codes were stored. Others report cooling-system leaks from rusted freeze plugs and, in one case, a rod failure that required engine replacement. Reported from about 38,000 to 126,000 miles, with several near 70,000 to 105,000.

   What to check: Let the car idle and drive at low speed with the air conditioning on to see whether it stumbles or stalls, and check for stored codes. Look under the car for coolant weeping at the freeze plugs and check the coolant level and condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When applying brakes after pulling into a parking space, engine stalls. Sometimes engine (car) stalls when stopped at traffic light or stop sign or stopping before backing out of driveway into the street. No codes show up on the car computer. Have had checked out twice.this is ongoing for two months and happens every time I drive the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #10716776, filed 2015-05, 105,000 miles

   “The car is draining anti-freeze from the freeze plugs, which have rusted >from the inside out. If they go completely, all of the antifreeze blows out >and the engine burns up. It's not a warranty or a normal wear and tear >problem. It's a manufacturing problem dating back to how Chrysler made the >car. >> Chrysler made sebrings for a while down in mexico and has been forced >to recall the freeze plugs on many of the identical sebrings as this one. >same year, same plant down in mexico, same make, same model. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10184383, filed 2007-03, 126,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Convertible top and rear window problems

   • 8 complaints (10%)
   • median 35,880 mi at 4.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2010

   Owners report the convertible top button working only when pressed repeatedly, seams and adhesive around the rear window coming apart, and the top being noisy or not aligning when closing. Others mention a rear defroster that did not work even after a dealer repair, with the light on the switch showing it as active. Mostly reported between about 34,000 and 40,000 miles, with some higher-mileage examples.

   What to check: Cycle the top several times and check the seams and stitching around the rear window, then test the defroster grid and confirm the glass heats up.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2000 Sebring Convertible top is falling apart - not from wear and tear, but from a defect in the seams and glue used to attach the back window. I contacted a local dealer and called Chrysler and was told the top is not covered. I am worried that the window will eventually fall out completely and be a driving hazzard to me and others on the road.”

   NHTSA complaint #10068216, filed 2004-05, 38,000 miles

   “While braking, a squeaky noise comes from left rear, dealer contacted, replaced rear parking shoes and rotors, consumer still have a problem parking on a hill, would have to pull the emergency brake very hard to get it to hold. Consumer also stated that convertable top is noisy when coming uo to close.”

   NHTSA complaint #896799, filed 2001-09

Buying note. Have a mechanic check the front seat belts and brake condition first, since those come up most often and are the costliest to ignore, and confirm how the convertible top and rear defroster behave on a test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.