NHTSA complaint: 1996 CHRYSLER SEBRING — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
LETTER SENT TO CHRYSLER WITH ALL DETAILS (FILE NUMBER 5441396)(COPY AVAILABLE ON REQUEST). I BRAKED, CAR STOPPED MOMENTARILY, THEN STARTED TO SLIDE AS THOUGH ON ICE. BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT GO DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR & I WAS STILL APPLYING PRESSURE AS THE CAR CONTINUED FORWARD. FIRST TIME JUST WENT THRU STOP SIGN. SECOND TIME (10 MINUTES LATER), I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HIT A CAR. ESTIMATED DAMAGE GIVEN WAS ONLY TO THEIR CAR. DID NOT ESTIMATE MINE. CHRYSLER'S INDEPENDENT ADVISOR SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CHECKED BUT THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO ANY MORE. TERRIFIED TO DRIVE CAR AGAIN. TRADED IT IN TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR A DIFFERENT BRAND. THEY CONSIDERED THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE IN THE TRADE-IN PRICE. I HOPE NOBODY GETS KILLED NEXT TIME. CONSIDERING THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE 96 SEBRING CONVERTIBLE, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD LOOK HARDER FOR THE CAUSE OF THIS DOUBLE BRAKE FAILURE. MAYBE THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND JUST DID NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT THERE WAS ONE.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation