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Chrysler Sebring Starting and Stalling Problems

rivethedrivethed Member Posts: 1
edited August 2015 in Chrysler
ok, i had to change the water pump on my 96 sebring lx, so i changed the timing belt also since i was there anyway. when i did this i put the timing belt on with the timing being off then tried to start the car ( of course it didn't start but it also didn't breat anything) so i took everything bake off an got some help putting it back together the right way ( with the correct timing) but now my car wont start at first i thought it was the battery because it was low so i replaced it, still no fire i have checked everything i can think of but no idea whats going on. the engine is turning and every once in a while i will hear a putt but other than that no sound other than the engine turning. what do you think it could be?? help please my wife is flipping out because her car isn't working.

See also: Resolving Chrysler Sebring Engine Problems
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Comments

  • villalongvillalong Member Posts: 1
    I seem to be having similar problems with my 97 sebring. I needed to change the water pump and when I put it back together the timing belt seems to be off, the car will not start or do anything, actually it sounds different like there is no compression in the motor. Have you figured out how to fix your car?
  • dcxdummidcxdummi Member Posts: 1
    i had 97 breeze w/ 2.0 liter 4 cyl engine in for head gasket/timing belt to local mechanic. after work was done, they couldn't get it started for 3 days either. they even called mechanic friend from local dealership, he didn't know. must have been a fuel system vapor lock of some sort, cause it would run momentarily when hit with ether. suddenly started & i drove for another 10000 miles or so before i traded off for 2000 breeze w/ 2.4 engine (much better!)
  • nikolmannnikolmann Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 sebring lxi and i'll be driving down the road and all of the sudden the rpms will drop to 0 as if the car stalls then will restart then die. 30 minutes later it will start like nothing ever happened.

    Everything else is still on like the radio and everything and the local mechanic and the dealer said that without the check engine light coming on its hard to tell whats wrong. I have replaced Fuel pump, auto shutdown relay, some sort of fuel relay, and catylic converter. Throttle body was also cleaned. Chrysler told me they didn't have the tools to fix it and I should try a mitsubishi dealership.

    Please help! I have put over $1,000 into this car and I only had it for 1 month. I have seen other posts online with people having this same problem, but no one posts the answer. Thanks
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Problem could be wit the ignition switch. something like this would not necessarily trigger the check Engine light. Do a google search to see if the Sebring has had problems with the ignition switch.
  • ceej1123ceej1123 Member Posts: 2
    I've seen some other posts, but nothing that matches my problem exactly. I have a 99 Sebring with the Mitsubishi 2.5 L V6. First it died while driving. It would turn over but get no spark. I had it towed to the Chrysler dealership, thinking it might be the computer, autoshutdown relay, or crankshaft relay, etc. They told me the relays and computer were fine, but the distributor was bad, to the tune of $1300. Well, not one to fork out that kind of dough, I replaced the distributor myself. After replacing the distributor, it started right up. I drove about 2 miles and it died just like before. It will crank but no spark. Any help?!?!? Thanks.
  • digitalnamodigitalnamo Member Posts: 1
    Turns out that it was the crankshaft position sensor. I bought the part from pepboys for $68 and had it put in for $105. Dealer told me it would be. $400. This is the first thing to replace if anyone else is having this problem. Normally a engine code would show up, but on these sebrings they don't show. Replace that and it will run like a new car.
  • ceej1123ceej1123 Member Posts: 2
    After replacing the distributor, I took a look at the last post. I went ahead and put a new crankshaft position sensor on with the new distributor and it hasn't died since, drove 200 miles over the weekend without any trouble, thanks for the heads up.
  • angelkayangelkay Member Posts: 1
    I am Karen, I have a 98 sebring,got it last august,it has less than 90,000 miles on it, and i am having problems,just last november, i had the distributor,cap,rotor,wires,spark plugs,manifold gasket,and valve cover gasket done. Now,the car has a knocking and stalling thing going on,and the check engine light is on,and now the car wont start.the previous owner took care of the car. Should I fix or trade??And what am i looking at in terms or repair $$$
  • enfield76enfield76 Member Posts: 2
    We have been having this problem for the past year now and we are getting pretty annoyed. We have a 2001 Chrysler Sebring LXI, 61,000 miles. We have replaced the battery and starter and the car still won't start now and again. Sometimes for a few minutes and sometimes for hours. We finally saw a code on the screen. P1684, I looked it up and it said that the battery was disconnected with the last 50 starts. Has anyone had this problem with their Sebring? Anyhelp is much appreciated.
  • richard7985richard7985 Member Posts: 5
    Hi, Karen. Welcome to the group. You might want to have someone check the catalytic converter. The symptoms you describe are much like my '99 Sebring had a couple of years ago when we were driving across Eastern Colorado. The car would simply die without warning. It would sometimes go, but not more than about 5-10 MPH. Three dealers could not find the problem... one dealer even told me that you have to drive Chryslers at night because they can't operate in the heat in this part of the country. I couldn't believe a Chrysler dealer would tell me such garbage. Finally, a young man who runs a little garage in Lamar, Colorado, listened to it and said right away what the problem was. He installed a new converter and the car has run perfect since. And Daimler-Chrysler paid for the replacement because the converters have a longer warranty period than the rest of the car. It's worth checking. If that isn't it, have someone check the fuel filter, which causes some of the same symptoms. The fuel filter is inside the gas tank, so have fun checking it.
  • leesiky69leesiky69 Member Posts: 1
    I just had the same problem with my 99 sebring and it only cost me $530 with parts and labor. I pick it up in the morning so i'll see how it do.
  • jmccaffertyjmccafferty Member Posts: 1
    Hello All,

    I am new here, and like a lot of you wish I didn't have to search for answers!

    I started my 99 Sebring jxi Conv just like I have started it a 100 times before, and then I unhook the front roof clamps and hit the top down button and the car died. I have been trying for the last two days to start it but it just will not. It would crank over the first day, the second day It just clicked. So I jumped it with the van and It will only make a clicking sound. I'm baffled, Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

    Jim
  • convertible1convertible1 Member Posts: 3
    I am new to this posting site. I tried starting the car yesterday afternoon for the first time. I turned the key to start the car and the engine started and stopped before I could return the key to the running position. This happened three times before I gave up. A few hours later I tried again....this time I depressed the accelerator just a bit and the engine started and stopped as it did earlier. The second time I tried and subsequent times when I turned the key there is no sound at all. The first three times I tried to start the engine the battery cranked the starter as strong as it had all week long. Having just purchased the car, I'm this close to taking it back to the dealer and continuing with my Voyager... HELP
  • convertible1convertible1 Member Posts: 3
    I purchased the 2004 Sebring Convertible then noticed the problem in my first posting of not able to stay started. When the tow service came to my house to tow the convertible to the Ford dealership where I purchased the car the tow driver was able to start the convertible. He towed the car to the dealership where it started every time they tried. My wife and I could have taken a weekend trip down the Pacific Coast and been stuck with a car that wouldn't start. After reading other postings about the Sebring of various years, I am really bummed about my purchase. Does anyone out there have a Sebring Convertible that has not had any problems.........I'm starting to think like the one lady who chose to purchase a Toyota vs a Sebring. I need some convincing........

    Richard
  • kscarboroughkscarborough Member Posts: 1
    Hi Karen..my name is Kenny and I live in Southeast Texas and ALSO have a 98 Chrysler Sebring with the identical starting and stalling problems as you describe. I have had it in - and - out of the shop for the past MONTH ...you're reading that correctly...M-O-N-T-H. At first they told me it was some sort of wiring harnes...took three weeks to get the part, installed it, the car still died...they took the harness off, sent it back, now are telling me it the distributor... put the distributor in yesterday, the car died today...taking it back tomorrow. The more I read...the more I convinced the REAL problem may be in the exhaust. Hope you get your fixed.
  • skeeter5skeeter5 Member Posts: 1
    my 98 sebring convt.will not start when it gets hot.i can wait a few minutes(45) and it will start.when the car is hot,i do not have spark.help please.
  • babydollsbabydolls Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2004 sebring sedan with a noise that sounds like an airplane propellor coming from under the hood. I took it to the shop and they could not identify. I am going bezerk with this noise. Can someone help!!!
  • babydollsbabydolls Member Posts: 5
    My sebring 04 had a code come up with this number on it. Does anyone know what it is ?
  • hhuanghhuang Member Posts: 1
    I have the same issue on my 2006 sebring. The engine is 2.7L V6. The noise will last about 30 seconds. ???
  • babydollsbabydolls Member Posts: 5
    Hhuang, my noise,which sounds like a airplane propellor last for the entire time that my car is in gear. I don't know any other way to describe it.
  • convertible1convertible1 Member Posts: 3
    I sent a post a couple of weeks ago stating that my new 2004 Convertible would start then immediately stop. The tow truck drive was able to start it and the Ford dealer technician was also able to strt the engine. Upon calling a Chrysler dealer I found that when using an all metal key the car would not stay started. The key with a rubber top has a computer chip in it which allows the engine to run. I had no idea that this theft device even existed. :blush:
    Since then my wife and I love traveling in our Sebring Convertible and are proud to be a member of the Sebring Convertible club. Young and having a ball at 60
    Richard
  • babydollsbabydolls Member Posts: 5
    My 2004 Sebring sedan is having trouble with the torque convertor, anyone else with problems ?
  • babydollsbabydolls Member Posts: 5
    Any chrysler owners with defective hub assemblies? I have 52k and it shouldn't be giving me problems this early!!
  • mgilmo1969mgilmo1969 Member Posts: 5
    My 01 coupe has a ruff idle kind of a buzz. all the belts were removed but its still there. Changed Plugs, wires, cap and rotor, injectors and intake gasket. still does it 60K miles, can feel it in the steering wheel.
  • mgilmo1969mgilmo1969 Member Posts: 5
    Yes changed right front at 51K the other needs it now atr 61K. Also bad lower ball joints and stabilizer links. You had many engine problems?
  • nolan34nolan34 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 Sebring Convertible. Runs like a clock, except since it's been stalling out lately. Stalls sometimes idling at a red light or foot off the gas gliding off a highway exit. Only twice it stalled on the highway and kicked right back on. Most of the time it starts up again right away, sometimes takes an hour. Distributor replaced, same problem. New wires replaced, same problem. Now Chrysler now tells me water pump, timing belt, transmission tuneup and EGC sensor. Sounds to me like they discovered it was the EGC sensor and are trying to beef up the bill with other maintenance items. Anyone else have EGC replaced to fix problem?
  • queenfreakqueenfreak Member Posts: 1
    I have a 95 sebring LX. Every once and a while the car would hop when in motion and sometimes when I would put it into gear it wouldnt go, I put transmission fluid in and started doing fine. Then it over heated and stopped running, I replaced the water pump and timing belt and it ran great for about 3 months. I was on my way to work and was going 35 with my foot on the gas pedal giving it gas and all of the sudden it died. I pushed it to the side of the road and tried to start it but wouldnt turn over it would crank but thats it. I bought a new battery and still wouldnt turn over. It has been sitting for about 4 months now. Does anyone have any suggestion on why it stoppe in mid motion and wont start again? Please Help
  • msminkamsminka Member Posts: 2
    Hi everyone,

    I just bought a 97 sebring in March and already i am soo frustrated!!! I'm a student so taking care of this car has become the biggest headache. I was driving one day, got to a light and the car simply died on me. It wouldn't start after that. It would crank but not turn over. A driver pulled up next to me and told me to press on the gas and i did and it started.

    SInce then its been doing the same thing (starting problem) occasionally. A couple days ago it died on me again while driving. Same thing-pumped gas pedal it started. I decided to tow it to the shop since this seemed like a problem that was not going away. Mechanic told me it was gas filter. Changed that and i went on my merry way.

    Today i wake up to go to work and again it will not start. It cranks but no turnover. The mechanic seems to have no clue what is wrong and i just can't afford another "false fix". Please please please, if you've had this same problem and successfully fixed it let me know, so i can give these people some idea of what might be going on.. I'm at my wits end right now.... Thank for the replies in advance.
  • bass_junkie101bass_junkie101 Member Posts: 1
    TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER, CAUSE MY CHRYSLER BLOW UP YESTERDAY CAUSE OF A FUEL RAIL LEAK, WHICH CAUSES YOUR CAR NOT TO START.......DON'T BYE ANOTHER STARTER, DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY
  • kbarthkbarth Member Posts: 5
    The MAP SENSOR
  • buffetfan6999buffetfan6999 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 97 Sebring Convertible. My dad is a mechanic and this thing has driven him nuts. It did same thing yours was doing. It would sputter and rpm would drop and come back and then drop again.. changed 2 distributors on it before we found out.. it is the distributor plug.. apparently the locking clip breaks and it wiggles out.. so makes it to where only a few cyclinders are firing. Check that big plug into the distributor. We found one on another 2.5 engine at junk yard and now it runs like a champ!
    Chris in Georgia
  • billg13billg13 Member Posts: 4
    Chris, I am trying to find out if my problem is the same as yours. I have a 99 Sebring LXI convertable. I will be driving aroun 20-40 MPH and the engine kind of stalls. It seem to be running on 2-3 cylinders. I stopped the car and tried pumping the gas and nothing happens. I finllay shut the car off. trid to start it and the same sound, like it is trying to start on 2 cylinders. I left if off for about a minute and it starts like nothing is wrong. This happened 3 times in the past week. Does this sound like the same problem.
  • riiickriiick Member Posts: 1
    Been reading about problems folks have been having.

    My other reading at Allpar.com says many/most problems are fairly cheap sensors, especially TPS (throttle position sensor) Crankshaft position sensor, and Camshaft position sensor, and lastly (?) whatever Chrysler calls the speed sensor that tells the computer that car is *moving*.

    OH... and on older cars the Coil, and sparkplug wires.

    A lot of these apparently won't throw a code, but you can check many with a multimeter.

    Lots of problems are almost a joke - stupid corroded connections, and loose connections, things that are cured with umpty hours of thinking *where* the problem might lie, and 2 minutes cleaning the connector up.

    There are tons of resources on the WWW to help -- don't throw up your hands and empty you wallet to the Dealer - INSTEAD - do your Research!

    TRY (for starters) Click HERE
    http://www.allpar.com/forums/

    Do a Google search for say: sebring starting problems

    People have gone thru this crud before, answers are there, but you might have to devote several hours to finding them .... or luck out 1st try. GOOD LUCK!!
  • gaffneygaffney Member Posts: 1
    My '97 Chrysler broke down just driving down the road. No automobile repair company has been able to figure out what is wrong. I have had the cam sensor changed, the distributor replaced and the car will run for about 10 minutes and then just die. No diagnostic tests is giving any codes or results.
    The car was in acceleration mode to pass another car when the car felt like the engine started chugging and like the car wasn't getting any gas. The tank was full. The car will turn but will not fire and crank-then we replaced distributor. Now it won't stay cranked and running.
    HELP!!!
  • sumira821sumira821 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 98 and it began doing the same thing. The dealership replaced the fuel injection system and some other things. It continued to stall at red lights maybe four times in six months and would jerk on the highway like gears weren't shifting. During a vacation I left it at the garage and someone actually caught it stalling. They described it as a problem with the "modules." They replaced the distributor and made a few other tune ups. Now it has stalled out at least twice a day since I got back and the shop doesn't seem to have any idea, they just want to expirement. Did you ever solve your problem?
  • merober26merober26 Member Posts: 4
    Yes, the right front hub assemblys are notorious for failing, I've had a new replacement go bad almost immediately, then the next replacement is fine. It makes a grinding type noise like brake sticking to rotor, or road type noise. Very annoying I know. Go for the higher priced, better quality hub and you should be good to go.
    Mark
  • setspike99setspike99 Member Posts: 2
    I had a similar problem where my '00 convertible would just stall out w/o warning. I did some research on this site; someone replaced their crank shaft sensor and it worked for them, and I'm happy to say it's worked for me--it's been over six months now and no problems. The guys @ my garage tested the sensor and it didn't show a problem, but I told them to replace it anyway. If I recall correctly it's about a $300 job (LA prices). Hopefully it will work for you--good luck.
  • carrie48carrie48 Member Posts: 1
    One mechanic I asked to look at a Sebring 2002 I was interested in, said, "If it has a 2.7 engine, I won't even look at it." Of course it did as has all the others I have looked at.

    He said his aunt took perfect care of her car and one day at a red light it blew up. The motor had to be replaced because the water lines run through the motor and if they begin to leak, well it's ruined. Replacement was more than $4000.

    My mechanic says that can be changed out. He just doesn't like Chrysler products.

    I'm willing to buy one if I can make sure that change has been made. Does anyone else know of this problem and the remedy? How can I tell if it has been done already?
  • johnjr101johnjr101 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 97 sebring coupe it turns off when I am driving it, I was wondering if anyone else was having that problem too? someone told me that it was coil pack and then they told me that it was the distributor and then the fuel pump. I really need some help figuring it out the problem.
  • skipford1skipford1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 sebring i just replaced a bad spark plug at the store when i got home i disconnected the battery to reset the check engine light now the car wont start it just flashes the brake light when i try to turn it over it doesnt even seem like it is trying to start the power to the car seems fine but the radio doesnt turn on either i have tried everything i can think of does anyone know what this could be please help!!!!

    Thanks!!!
  • mgilmo1969mgilmo1969 Member Posts: 5
    Sounds like a bad connection at the battery recheck your cables and also look at the fuses near the battery posible you popped one. more than likely its just a bad battery connection though, very common. good luck. ps dont rule out a bad battery! try jumper cables from another car just for quick trouble shot.
  • johnjr101johnjr101 Member Posts: 2
    I just want to update anyone that might be having the same problem that I was having. I replaced the crank shaft position sensor and while I had to remove the distributor cap, I replace it to and now it's running like a new car again. So if anyone is having that problem you might want to do change your crank shaft sensor first before doing anything else to it.
  • thphelpsthphelps Member Posts: 1
    2002 Chrysler Sebring Convertibe with 2.7L V-6
    Has twice blown the Fuel/Start 20A fuse in power distribution center under hood.

    Any ideas or fix to this problem?

    :confuse:

    Ted
  • edemelloedemello Member Posts: 1
    Hey folks.
    I've got a 98 thats acting up, seems it wants to die out sometimes at stop lights or when you decrese the excelleration. I'm pulling a code P0172,I can't seem to find my code explanation book. Does anyone have a good idea what this code is referring to??? :(
  • dga57dga57 Member Posts: 3
    Hi... I'm new here. This spring I purchased a 1-owner, 70K mi., 2002 Limited convertible which, until then, had been a south Florida car. Brought it home to Virginia and drove it pretty much daily with absolutely no issues until temperatures dropped too low to drive with the top down. Because we have four other vehicles and this one was bought strictly for summer fun, it has not been used much for the past couple months. I have made an effort to drive it about once a week and just recently started having problems. One morning about three weeks ago, it stalled out at a traffic light without warning. Finally was able to restart after about ten minutes. I thought maybe some water had gotten in the fuel somehow so added a can of seafoam to take care of the problem. Drove it about 50 miles later that day without incident. About a week later, I took the car out to run a few errands and it performed flawlessly for the 30 or so miles I drove it. Yesterday I started it and drove to the Post Office (about five miles). I turned it off, went inside for about five minutes, and when I returned it would not start. Remembering my prior experience, I decided to give it a little time. I tried every two minutes and finally, on the eight minute mark, it started perfectly and ran like nothing had ever happened. I took it for about a 10 mile run before returning home where I shut it off again and restarted it several times just fine. The only real variable I can think of would be the temperature. Both times I've had problems the outdoor air temperature has been thirty degrees or lower and the engine was still cold enough that the temperature gauge had not started to rise. The trips in between were made later in the day when it was warmer out... probably closer to fifty-five or so. I am no mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but was wondering if, since the car has always been in a warm climate, the cold temperatures could be causing the problem? If this is even a possibility, what needs to be adjusted or reset to fix it? For now, I'm considering just starting it periodically rather than actually driving it until the temperatures warm up again and see what happens then. It currently has 76K miles and we love the car otherwise. Thanks for any insight you can offer.
    Dwayne
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Hi Dwayne,

    I'm not a mechanic either, so maybe someone who does it for a living will jump in here.

    You can reset the computer if you think it might have adjusted to being driven in warmer temps for all these years. There is probably a main fuse to do this but the sure way is to disconnect the negative cable to your battery and leave it off for an hour or more. After you reattach it and start the car let it sit and idle for several minutes until the idle RPM settles down.

    Other things to consider that might be heat-related are the plug wires. If the wires are going bad heat will magnify the issue. If they are the original wires it's time to replace them anyway.

    Do you know when it last had a tune-up? Maybe new plugs while you're replacing the wires. Does the air filter look fairly clean?

    I once had a car that ran well most of the time but it stalled out for no apparent reason. A service department discovered debris in the tank and a clogged fuel filter. If I let it sit for a few minutes the debris would settle back down and it would start right up.

    You might add a fuel filter to the tune-up list. They're usually not too hard to replace but be sure you depressurize the fuel line before removing the old one or you'll get a fuel bath. Your owner's manual or the fuse box cover should say which fuse goes to the fuel pump. Remove it and let the car idle until it stops from lack of fuel.

    Lastly, you might add a can of a quality fuel injector cleaner to your tank.
  • dga57dga57 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the suggestions tedebear... I think they are all good ones. I hadn't even thought about trying to reset the computer! The car was a one-owner and was traded in on a new Toyota. That dealership sold it at auction to another dealer and that's who I bought it from. I have no documentation of the service history so don't know when, or if, it was ever tuned up. The air filter looks okay and I did run a can of Seafoam (auto parts retailer claims is the best fuel injector cleaner on the market - I don't know) through it. The whole thing struck me as odd because it came on all at once, and seemingly, only in cold weather. Until then it ran fantastic. In fact, we had planned to drive it to Daytona Beach for the Turkey Run Thanksgiving weekend before the first stalling incident, which occurred on the Monday morning before we were to leave. Rather than risk problems on the road, especially on a holiday, we opted for driving a different vehicle instead. Again, thanks for your input. I'm off work this weekend and will see what I can accomplish.
    Dwayne
  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    Please keep me posted on what you find. I always like to add to my mental database of troubleshooting tips or learn if one of my suggestions worked. Plus, someone else might read this thread who is having the same problem. ;)
  • dragonsfly44dragonsfly44 Member Posts: 1
    Hey Dwayne,

    I don't know very much about cars. But, your problem sounds exactly like the problem that I had recently with my car. It needed a new TTC or something called a torque solenoid. I would call a transmission shop and explain the problem you have been having, mention that you think it might have something to do with the torque solenoid and see what they say. It cost me about $300 to get it fixed in California.
    Also, another word of advice, always make sure you have enough antifreeze/coolant in you car. I had a major problem with mine when I let it run dry. The whole lower half of the engine had to be replaced, but at the time it was actually cheaper than buying a new car.
    Let me know what you think, and if that is what was wrong with it.
  • brat1029brat1029 Member Posts: 2
    Hey Ted, I had that same problem.... eventually my starter went, so you may want to have that checked. Once you replace your starter it should be fine.
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