NHTSA complaint: 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
ON A RECENT TRIP OUT OF TOWN I SMELLED SMOKE WHICH I THOUGHT WAS COMING FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AS I WENT FURTHER THE SMELL BECAME A BIT STRONGER AND I KNEW IT WAS COMING FROM MY CAR. I WOUND UP PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE, PULLING INTO AN EMPTY LOT AND JUMPING OUT. WHEN I REACHED IN FOR MY POCKETBOOK I SAW SMOKE BILLOWING UP OUT OF THE PASSENGER SEAT OF MY CHRYSLER SEBRING. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND THE CONTROL TO THE SEAT, WHICH HAD BEEN TURNED ON ACCIDENTALLY, THE SMOKE DISSIPATED. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND THEY IN TURN UNPLUGGED THE HEATING ELEMENTS AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD ORDER A NEW ONE AND A NEW SEAT CUSHION SINCE THAT WAS DAMAGED IN THE FIRE. MY HUSBAND CALLED TO CHECK ON THE PARTS HE WAS TOLD THEY HAD RECEIVED THE HEATING ELEMENT BUT WERE WAITING ON THE CUSHION. WHEN HE ASKED IF THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE ALL THE ELEMENTS HE WAS INFORMED THAT ONLY THE FAULTY ONE WOULD BE REPLACED AT THIS POINT. I THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER ONLY TO GET THE SAME RESPONSE FROM THEM. MY FEELINGS ARE THAT IF ONE ELEMENT WAS FAULTY THEN THE REST MOST LIKELY ARE. THE DODGE CARAVANS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS REASON. WOULDN'T IT SEEM THEY'RE USING THE SAME COMBUSTIBLE ELEMENTS IN THE SEBRING AS IN THE CARAVAN? I KNOW OF 3 OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR SMALL COMMUNITY THAT HAVE HAD THEIR SEATS GO UP IN FLAME. HOW MANY PEOPLE OR INJURIES DOES IT TAKE BEFORE THEY'LL DO A RECALL? THE WORST CASE SCENARIO WOULD HAVE BEEN IF MY OXYGEN-TOTING MOTHER-IN-LAW HAD BEEN IN THAT SEAT AS SHE IS ON MOST
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation