Car turns off automatically at low speed. Brakes lock at the same time this happens. I took it back to dealer to get serviced, and they stated that nothing was found. The serviceman did tell me that he called the Chrysler corp, and they told him they never heard of anything like this happening but on a forum on the internet, there are many complaints of this occurring. I told the man that it…
2007 Chrysler Sebring cruise control problems
moderate 20 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
When does it fail?
Of the 20 cruise control complaints filed for the 2007 Chrysler Sebring, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2007 Sebrings describe a dangerous pattern: the Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) warning light illuminates and the vehicle abruptly loses power, dropping from highway speed to 20–35 mph or even 5 mph. The accelerator pedal becomes unresponsive no matter how hard you press it. A temporary fix is to shut the engine off, restart it, and drive on—until the failure happens again, sometimes minutes later, sometimes hours later, but always unpredictably and with increasing frequency.
The stalling complaints add another layer: cars shut off at red lights, in intersections, or during low-speed city driving. Some owners report the vehicle lunges forward unexpectedly while stopped or surges wildly during acceleration. Cold-start symptoms include extended cranking, revving to 2500 rpm, and engine spasms when shifting into Drive.
Dealerships have run into a wall. Multiple owners say their dealers cannot locate the problem because the car runs fine during diagnosis—no fault codes appear in the computer memory. One dealer performed a software upgrade with no result. An independent shop replaced the accelerator pedal. An owner cleaned the intake manifold and replaced spark plugs. Another owner's alternator was replaced three times. None of these fixed the core issue.
One owner nearly lost control at 55 mph on a highway. Another stalled at an interstate exit with traffic behind them. A third had the car slow to unsafe speeds in the middle lane of a three-lane highway. The consensus among owners is clear: Chrysler knows about this across multiple forums but has not issued a recall.
Same Chrysler Sebring cruise control reports on nearby years: 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system malfunction with severe power loss
ETC warning light illuminates and vehicle loses power, limiting speed to 20–35 mph or lower, sometimes dropping to 5 mph. Occurs unpredictably while driving at any speed, especially highway conditions. Turning off and restarting the engine temporarily resolves the issue until it occurs again. Some complaints report the ETC light flashing or remaining permanently illuminated.
When: 50,000–90,000 miles reported; occurs sporadically and increases in frequency over time
Symptoms owners cite: ETC warning light illuminates or flashes on instrument panel; Severe power loss; unable to exceed 20–35 mph despite flooring accelerator; Loss of throttle response; accelerator pedal feels unresponsive; Engine stalls or nearly stalls, especially at low speeds and in traffic; Problem resolves temporarily after shutting off and restarting the vehicle; Occurs during highway driving, city driving, heavy traffic, and at intersections; Recurrence becomes more frequent over weeks and months
Codes mentioned: P0125 (implied via ETC light and power loss), P0101 (implied via acceleration and stall issues)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships unable to diagnose or locate cause; computer does not register fault codes when vehicle is not exhibiting the problem. One complaint mentions a dealership performed a 'software upgrade' without resolution. Independent mechanic replaced accelerator pedal on one vehicle without correcting the issue. Owner in complaint #1 replaced spark plugs and cleaned intake manifold—problem persisted.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler Corp. told one service center they had never heard of the issue. Manufacturer notified in some cases; informed owners no recall exists. No recalls or technical service bulletins mentioned by owners.
Unintended surging and erratic idle control
Vehicle surges forward at stops without driver input, lunges during acceleration, or revs to high RPM at cold start (up to 2500 rpm) before slowly dropping. Idle becomes erratic with ETC light flashing when attempting to shift into Drive before idle stabilizes. Engine revs up and down uncontrollably, preventing safe vehicle control.
When: Cold start conditions (vehicle off for 6+ hours); occurs during acceleration and at stops; one report at 50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: On cold start, engine cranks 8+ seconds before ignition; revs climb to 2500 rpm and slowly drop; If vehicle shifted to Drive before idle stabilizes, RPMs surge up and down uncontrollably; Vehicle surges forward while at complete stop with foot on brake; Vehicle lunges during acceleration; Erratic RPM fluctuation with ETC light flashing when attempting to drive; Problem intermittent—50% of starts resolve normally; 50% trigger ETC light and engine spasms requiring restart
Codes mentioned: P0505 (implied idle control malfunction)
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced spark plugs and had intake manifold cleaned—problem persisted. Dealership unable to repair.
Engine stall at low speed and in traffic conditions
Engine stalls unexpectedly during city driving, at traffic lights, intersections, and when decelerating below 15 mph. Vehicle may restart normally or require restart attempts. Brakes may lock simultaneously in some cases. Stalls recur multiple times across same vehicle's ownership.
When: After purchase; repeated 2+ times per owner; one complaint reports 9 recurrences after initial incident at 55 mph; mileage 50,000–90,000
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls at red lights and intersections with foot on brake; Engine stalls during deceleration below 15 mph; Car shuts off unexpectedly in middle of driving; Stall in middle of highway (complaint #1) with car slowing until driver reached shoulder; Brakes lock when stall occurs (one complaint); Vehicle restarts after stall event
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership found nothing wrong in one case. Complaint #8 mentions alternator replaced three times; problem recurred after each replacement. Complaint #9 reports independent mechanic diagnosed alternator replacement needed; problem recurred after repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in complaints #8 and #9; no action reported.
Cruise control inoperative
Cruise control becomes non-functional and inoperable on the vehicle. Reported as secondary issue alongside engine stall and coolant leak.
When: 90,000 miles (one report)
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control will not operate
Weather-related acceleration failure
Vehicle loses ability to accelerate and stalls during rainy conditions, particularly at stops, low RPM situations, turns, and traffic lights. Problem appears moisture or electrical sensitivity related.
When: During or after rain
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to accelerate after rain; Vehicle wants to stall from a stop or low RPM during rain; Difficulty accelerating at turns and stop lights during wet weather
Repairs/costs cited: Repair shop unable to fix problem.
Synthesized from 20 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
I was told it's electrical problem and the car doesn't go over 20 miles and it says that it's the intake also says it's the muffler and sensors and other things which I have had check and it neither.and sometimes it pushes back or is stalls and just turns off in the middle of the intersection.
Had cruise control trouble with your 2007 Chrysler Sebring?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2007 Chrysler Sebring?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 20 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 17 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 48,000 and 90,000 miles, with the median around 62,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 48,000; a quarter make it past 90,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Chrysler/Sebring.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.