The 1998 Chrysler Sebring has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Exterior door handles breaking off.” Chrysler's Oil Change Indicator tracks engine load and duty cycle, then messages when oil life is used up — capped at 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 (300, Pacifica, Town & Country, Voyager) is long-interval by design: spark plugs at 100,000 miles and no timing belt. Minivans in family duty count as 'severe service' more often than owners think — frequent short trips shorten the oil indicator's countdown, and that's the system working correctly.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 1998 Chrysler Sebring.
STRUCTURE
13 NHTSA complaints · 2001-06 → 2012-06
“OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE UPON ATTEMPTING TO OPEN UNLOCKED DOOR”
“EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BREAK OFF AND INTERNAL COMPONENTS FALL INSIDE OF DOOR”
“BOTH DOOR HANDLES BROKE OFF IN CONSUMERS HAND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN DOOR”
STRUCTURE
13 NHTSA complaints · 1999-09 → 2005-06
“THE CLIPS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE DOOR PANEL ARE PLASTIC AND EASILY BREAK, CAUSING THE DOOR PANEL TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DOOR FRAME”
“THE LOWER OUTSIDE DOOR (GARNISH)PANELS HAVE PARTED FROM THE CAR”
“THE SIDE PANELS WOULD FALL OFF AS YOU ARE DRIVING”
POWER TRAIN
7 NHTSA complaints · 2000-03 → 2005-03
“NHTSA RECALL 98V183000, IGNITION KEY SHIFT INTERLOCK; WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION, A CHILD WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT WHICH ALLOWED VEHICLE TO MOVE”
“VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE”
“RECALL 98V183000; SELF ADJUSTING SHIFT CABLE REMEDY MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE SHIFT INTERLOCK TO MOVE WHILE THE KEY WAS OUT OF IGNITION”
SUSPENSION
8 NHTSA complaints · 2003-12 → 2015-07
“THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15-20 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE WHEEL TO ALSO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE”
“THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THROUGH A PARKING LOT THE LEFT SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE”
“THE CONTACT HEARD A HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED”
WHEELS
9 NHTSA complaints · 2000-03 → 2006-02
“RIMS ARE BENDING EASILY AND TIRES WILL NOT STAY INFLATED”
“THIS IS THE 4TH WHEEL FOR THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS BENT IN 2 YEARS”
“REPLACED THE RIMS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS FIVE TIMES DUE TO PREMATURE CRACKING”
AIR BAGS
8 NHTSA complaints · 2000-02 → 2003-05
“CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN SERIOUS CRASH, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH FRONT END”
“WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION”
“WHILE TRAVELING AT 45MPH AND TRYING TO AVOID AN OBJECT IN THE RAOD CONSUMER RAN OFF THE RAOD INTO A TREE AT 45MPH FRONT COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6 NHTSA complaints · 2000-03 → 2002-08
“PROBLEM CAUSED BY WARPED ROTORS, WHICH WERE REPLACED, AND THE NEW ROTORS BECAME WARPED AS WELL”
“FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS ARE EXCESSIVELY WARPING WHICH IS CAUSING SEVERE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL”
“INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO BRAKE PAD WEAR, 6 SETS IN 2 YEARS”
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
8 NHTSA complaints · 1999-10 → 2020-12
“I WAS GOING 55 MILES PER HOUR WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE MY CAR STARTED GOING FASTER AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN I HAD TO TURN THE KEY OFF AND GO INTO A FIELD”
“WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND PLACED INTO REVERSE IT PULLED OFF ON ITS OWN WHILE CONSUMER HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED, BACKED INTO A BUILDING VERY FAST, JUMPING AT LEAST SEVEN FEET IN THE AIR, AND LANDING BACK ON ALL FOUR WHEELS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP”
“IF BRAKE IS NOT HELD TIGHT, CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD AND HIT ANYTHING IN FRONT OF IT”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Change oil when the indicator message appears — never beyond 10,000 miles or 12 months. Pentastar 3.6L uses 0W-20; PT Cruiser's 2.4L uses 5W-30. Short-trip city driving will trigger the indicator well before 10,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 8,000 miles or at every oil change. Front-heavy minivans (Pacifica, Voyager) chew front tires quickly without rotation.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and parking brake at every oil change. Loaded minivans and the heavy 300 wear rear pads faster than expected — check both axles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
PT Cruiser's 2.4L is a timing-belt engine: replace around 100,000 miles (check your manual's exact interval for the year). Do the water pump and tensioner in the same job — the labor overlaps almost entirely.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$935–$1175
Shop
~$655–$825
DIY
Pro only
On interference engines, a snapped belt destroys valves. Worth doing on schedule. Bundle water pump + tensioner — labor is already there.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Minivans (62TE six-speed): ATF+4 service every 60,000 miles under family duty. 300 with the ZF/TorqueFlite 8-speed: Chrysler lists no normal-service interval, but specialists recommend fluid service around 60,000-100,000 miles. ATF+4 or the specified 8-speed fluid only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Pentastar 3.6L: iridium plugs at 100,000 miles. PT Cruiser 2.4L: roughly every 30,000 miles with conventional plugs — check the manual for your year.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Replace every 30,000 miles. On the Pentastar it's a quick top-of-engine job; inspect sooner in dusty climates.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Inspect from 60,000 miles and replace on evidence of cracking or glazing. A failed belt on the Pentastar takes the water pump drive with it — don't run it to destruction.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace every 20,000 miles — behind the glovebox on Pacifica, Voyager, and 300. Family-hauler duty (pets, gravel school lots) argues for yearly.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Stellantis OAT coolant: first replacement at 10 years or 150,000 miles per the schedule; many shops suggest refreshing by 100,000 miles. Use OAT-compatible coolant only — mixing types gels the system.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test annually once the battery passes 3 years old. Pacifica's stop-start system uses a pricier AGM or dual-battery setup — weak batteries throw confusing electrical faults first.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
174 crashes 1990–2024
How the 174 occupant deaths break down
124
driver deaths
50
passenger deaths
174
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 1997 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
33
complaints mentioning a crash
5
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 1998 Chrysler Sebring reflects Chrysler's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.