The 2009 Chrysler Sebring has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Dashboard and exterior lighting failure.” 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 2009 Chrysler Sebring.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
3 NHTSA complaints · 2019-06 → 2021-05
“DASH BOARD LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT COME ON AT ALL AND AT NIGHT I AM UNABLE TO SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR A FINE”
“THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ALOT AND I WOULD GIGGLE THE WIRE TO GET THEM TO FULLY TURN ON”
“TAKATA RECALL MY DASH LIGHTS DON'T WORK AND I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT NIGHT TIME”
STEERING
3 NHTSA complaints · 2014-12 → 2016-10
“NOISE IN FRONT END. RACK AND PINION STEERING. BEEN HEARING THIS FOR A FEW YEARS”
“STEERING IS EXTREMELY TIGHT AND UNABLE TO TURN, RACK AND PINIONS ARE DEFECTIVE”
“I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT YESTERDAY.THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME.THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED & GOT STUCK”
POWER TRAIN
11 NHTSA complaints · 2010-09 → 2023-12
“The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the transmission was shifted to drive (D), and the vehicle lost motive power”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED”
“I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE SAFETY SENSORS AND WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF. THE CAR LOSES POWER AND STALLS”
AIR BAGS
4 NHTSA complaints · 2013-09 → 2020-02
“AIRBAGS LIGHT CAME ON OUTTA NOWHERE, VEHICLE HASN'T BEEN IN A ACCIDENT EITHER”
“VEHICLE HIT BLACK ICE, FLIPPED AND ROLLED A FEW TIMES. NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED!”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY”
SERVICE BRAKES
4 NHTSA complaints · 2010-05 → 2020-08
“THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK THE KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION AND STARTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL AWAY”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL COULD NOT BE PROPERLY DEPRESSED”
“UNABLE TO STOP 2009 CHRYSLER SEBRING AT A STOPLIGHT AND REAR-ENDED THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME; CAR SHOULD HAVE STOPPED IN TIME BUT BRAKES APPEARED TO LOCK, CAUSING THE CHRYSLER TO "SKID" INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME”
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
3 NHTSA complaints · 2012-11 → 2022-11
“The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning”
“WHEN GAS TANK BECOMES FILLED GAS COME PROJECTING OUT OF GAS TANK FUEL NECK , ABOUT A HALF GALLON OF GAS CAME OUT OF NECK TWICE SO FAR”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING AN OIL CHANGE PERFORMED, THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING A GASOLINE FUEL LEAK”
TIRES
3 NHTSA complaints · 2010-12 → 2013-11
“THE TPMS SENSOR FAILED AND WHEN IT DID IT CRACKED IN HALF RELEASING ALL TIRE PRESSURE THROUGH THE BROKEN VALVE LUCKILY MY WIFE HAD ALREADY PARKED THE CAR WOULD SHE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH”
“VALVE STEM BROKEN WHNE CHECKING PRESSURE”
“ALL FOUR TPS VALVE STEMS LEAK AND CAUSE ALL FOUR TIRES TO GO FLAT”
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)
35 crashes 1990–2024
How the 35 occupant deaths break down
23
driver deaths
12
passenger deaths
35
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2010 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.
3
complaints mentioning a crash
1
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 2009 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.