AI Damage2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 21% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 21% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 8% of all complaints
- Air bags: 6 complaints (25% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (21% of all).
- Suspension: 5 complaints (21% of all).
- Fuel system: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Visibility: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car stalls to start 3. Lights hardly work even when you try to put on high beams 3. Fluid doesn't stay in the car 4. Car cuts off in mid driving 5. Car also can cut off when you apply brakes . Car back tire smokes.
My mechanic advised that all he could do, instead of total replacement, was grind down the old rims and tar over them as a stop gap solution. I experience additional loss of pressure about every other day and have taken the car back to tire dealers twice to regrind the rims.
I took it to a dealer and they said the oil sender switch was bad and leaking oil. They charged me 173.00 to replace it and when I left I got about 5 miles down the road and the light came on again. Now I have been told that the engine most likely will need to be replaced.
I brought the car to a chrysler repair shop when it wouldn't start, they said it needed a new battery (the battery in it was a few months old) and a new starter. I borrowed the money to pay for them to fix it.
2003 chrysler sebring has issues with the air bags and a rust problem with the hood latch. The consumer stated the air bag light started to beep sporadically and then would stay on all the time. The seat belt tensioner was replaced, but the problem continued.
Chrysler 2.7l engine failure. Refusal of chrysler to honor 7/70,000 drivetrain warranty or purchased extended warranty. Engine seized with no warning lights. Vehicle was stopped immediately and towed. Chrysler is following the pattern stated by other customers.
The connection for the rear window defogger has broken 4 times, fixed 3 times, and have been told by the dealer that it is a known problem, but they can do nothing but fix it at our cost each time. It has been reconnected once, and twice at a cost of just under $100 each time.
Dt*: the contact stated when the convertible top was returned to an upright position, the rear defroster wire was pulled out of place. This resulted in the rear defroster being inoperable until the vehicle was taken to the dealer for reconnection. This occurred every fall.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sebring Convertible has 73 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
- Sebring Convertible 199668 sources
- Sebring Convertible 199777 sources
- Sebring Convertible 199852 sources
- Sebring Convertible 199992 sources
- Sebring Convertible 200078 sources
- Sebring Convertible 2001120 sources
- Sebring Convertible 2002121 sources
- Sebring Convertible 200462 sources
- Sebring Convertible 200539 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine and cooling, suspension. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (17%), fuel system, fuel smell (17%), knocking, grinding or other noise (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.