2002 Chrysler Sebring Convertible Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2002 Chrysler Sebring Convertible most frequently report sudden engine failure linked to oil sludge buildup in the 2.7-liter engine, often with little or no prior warning. Front suspension ball joint separation is a recurring structural concern, with multiple owners describing the front end dropping while driving. Airbag warning light illumination and clock spring failure affecting the horn and cruise control round out the most common complaints.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine failure from oil sludge (2.7L engine)

   • 34 complaints (28%)
   • median 72,500 mi at 6.5 yrs old (31 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $3,600 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2002–2012

   Owners describe sudden engine stalling, loud knocking, and complete engine seizure, frequently attributed to oil sludge accumulation in the 2.7-liter engine. Many report maintaining regular oil changes yet still experiencing failure, with oil pressure lights flickering just before or at the moment of shutdown. Repair shops and dealers quoted engine replacement costs ranging from roughly $3,000 to $10,000. According to complaints, dealers and mechanics consistently identified oil sludge as the underlying condition. Complaints span a wide mileage range, with many occurring between roughly 50,000 and 100,000 miles, though some owners report failure well below 30,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask for complete oil change records and check the oil for a dark, syrupy consistency that may indicate sludge; if possible, have an independent mechanic inspect the 2.7-liter engine for signs of sludge buildup before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving on the morning of august 6, 2007 and my car's oil came on, which it has in the past and nothing could be found wrong. A few miles down the road my car's engine began to knock and smoke. When I opened the engine the car was completely out of oil. And there was no leak. When I got the car to a local dealership I was told that my engine was gone.”

   NHTSA complaint #10198778, filed 2007-08, 78,000 miles

   “Driving on I-295 in the evening when engine suddenly, dramatically and without warning lost power and started stalling. My wife was very nearly struck by traffic from behind due to the sudden loss of power while on a major highway. We were informed by a local mechanic that the engine is blown and needs to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10172330, filed 2006-11, 43,195 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light and clock spring failure

   • 27 complaints (22%)
   • median 45,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2015

   Owners report the airbag warning light illuminating intermittently or staying on continuously, often accompanied by a non-functioning horn and inoperative cruise control. Complaints describe the root cause as clock spring failure in the steering column. According to several complaints, dealers diagnosed the problem but replacement parts were on backorder, leaving vehicles without a functioning airbag system for extended periods. Some owners also report the airbag light returning shortly after a dealer repair. Complaints appear across a broad mileage range, with some occurring as early as a few thousand miles and others at over 100,000 miles.

   What to check: Verify that the airbag warning light does not illuminate with the ignition on, and confirm the horn and cruise control work, as these share the clock spring component; ask whether a clock spring replacement has been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The airbag light in my 2002 Chrysler sebring lxi convertible comes on constantly. It comes on and off as it pleases. I am worried this is a safety issue. The Chrysler dealership fixed it but a few months (after warranty was expired) it was back on. This has been an ongoing issue for about a year.”

   NHTSA complaint #10258445, filed 2009-02, 60,000 miles

   “My air bag light has come on and has been on for over 3 months. I saw today on wink news that 2002 chryslers were being recalled due to air bags. I looked up my vehicle by VIN number and it says 0 recalls. Could you please let me know if auto is safe to drive.”

   NHTSA complaint #10730454, filed 2015-06, 51,000 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Front ball joint separation (suspension collapse)

   • 15 complaints (12%)
   • median 85,122 mi at 7.8 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • filed 2008–2015

   Owners describe the front ball joint socket suddenly disconnecting while driving, causing the front of the vehicle to drop and the affected wheel to tilt sideways. Complaints note that the failure occurred both at low speeds in parking lots and at highway speeds. According to complaints, several owners contacted the manufacturer about an existing recall on the same part, only to be told their VIN was not included. Repair estimates described in complaints ranged from roughly $1,000 to $1,500. Failures are reported across a wide mileage range, from under 10,000 miles to over 150,000 miles, with no clear concentration at a particular point.

   What to check: Have a mechanic inspect the front lower control arm ball joints and boots for wear, cracking, or corrosion before buying, and ask whether any suspension components have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “There was a creaking sound underneath the front passenger side seat when all of a sudden the front of the car dropped down and I had difficulty controlling the car. The right front ball joint had broken. Prior to this event I had been driving 55mph with 2 children in the car. Thankfully, I had dropped the children off and was traveling at 25 MPH when the failure occurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #10225207, filed 2008-04, 80,244 miles

   “My wife was pulling out of parking lot of store, right front ball joint socket disconnected causing damage to front end of car. Though this seems to be an issue for this make/model of car, my VIN was never recalled.”

   NHTSA complaint #10554106, filed 2013-11, 70,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Unintended acceleration and throttle surge

   • 8 complaints (7%)
   • median 52,750 mi at 5.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2015

   Owners describe the vehicle suddenly accelerating or revving to high RPMs without input from the accelerator pedal, including while reversing at low speed or approaching a stop. According to complaints, the failure recurred multiple times for some owners. Repair shops cleaned the engine and throttle body but were unable to consistently reproduce or resolve the issue, and in some cases dealers could not duplicate the problem. Complaints describe incidents occurring at various speeds and conditions, including very low speeds in driveways and parking lots.

   What to check: Test-drive the vehicle through several stop-and-go cycles, including reversing, and note whether the engine revs unexpectedly; ask whether any throttle body or idle control service has been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “To whom it may concern, on thursday, may 13, 2015, at approx. 2:00 p.m., I was breaking to make a right turn onto another road when I noticed my car kept accelerating when my foot wasn't on the gas pedal. (there are no floor mats in the car). My boyfriend was sitting in the passenger seat. I had never experienced this in my life! I kept my foot on the brake and each time I let off the brake, the speed accelerated w/o my doing it. My boyfriend put the car in (n) & told me to pull over in the grass off the shoulder. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10716873, filed 2015-05, 129,112 miles

   “11/7/2003 traveling north bound on sprinkle rd. In kalamazoo michigan, my fiancee was stopped at the red light at bl-i94 my vehicle came off the red light traveling at 35 miles per hour. A van or SUV that had also been stopped at the light in front of her swerved into another lane bringing to her view a slow or stopped kalamazoo township police cruiser. My fiancee hit the brakes and the pedal locked to the floor and locked the wheels on the car. At the same time the engine accelerated leaving little to no braking power. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10046922, filed 2003-11, 30,000 miles

Buying note. The 2002 Chrysler Sebring Convertible with the 2.7-liter engine has a well-documented history of oil sludge-related engine failure and front ball joint separation complaints, so a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic covering both the engine internals and front suspension is strongly advisable.

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.