1998 Chrysler Cirrus from North America

Summary:

Nice looking, but that's about it

Faults:

The car takes five or six tries to start. Then it is fine until all of a sudden it spits and sputters and sometimes cuts out. Then it's fine again for another while and the problem starts all over again.

We just had new shoes and pads put on. The brakes were bled and it's in the drive way with no brake; it goes to the floor.

General Comments:

My last one.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 12th May, 2008

1998 Chrysler Cirrus LXI 2.5 V6 from North America

Summary:

Buy any you can find!

Faults:

Fuel pump starting to go bad at 107000 miles.

Bad O2 sensor.

General Comments:

I absolutely love this car. There is not one thing I can think of that I dislike. Interior that rivals that of low level luxury cars. Comfortable seats (leather) and an awesome sounds system for what it is. Performance could be better, but then economy would be out the window. It has driven like a champ in multiple winters and has never gotten stuck. Highly recommended for luxury on any budget.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th February, 2008

1998 Chrysler Cirrus LXI 6 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Great other than this recent problem

Faults:

Sometimes will not start regardless of weather conditions. When it does start it is very rough. If doesn't idle for at least 30 minutes it will stall when pressing on gas peddle. When press on gas peddle it stutters like it is going to stall. At times when you pump the gas peddle it will eventually start. This is quite frustrating as neither the Chrysler mechanics or my local mechanic can figure out what is wrong. I love the car, but it is not reliable. Please help.

General Comments:

We have replaced the distributor cap, rotor and spark plugs. The vehicle has had normal service since it was purchased in 1997.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th August, 2007

17th Oct 2007, 15:29

Have you were the spark plugs replaced as well? if so this could be the problem.. since the spark plug would need a certin gap size, if the size is to big or to small then the air/fuel mixture will be off and this can explain the problem.

Brandon

Bhizzle306@hotmail.com.

14th Mar 2010, 22:16

I had the same problem. I figured out it wasn't getting spark. After a lot of diagnostics, I figured out it was either the distributor or crank sensor. I replaced both. Problem solved. The cheap way out is to do the crank sensor first. The distributor is expensive. Autozone for $200+ rebuilt.

1998 Chrysler Cirrus LXi 2.5 V6 from North America

Summary:

Great Car!

Faults:

1. Front/Left wheel bearing (replaced by dealer prior to pick up)

2. I noticed a "whining" noise coming from the engine upon picking the car up... the dealer said it was because the car had been sitting for so long and would go away within a few days. A week later it was still very noticeable so I took it to my mechanic who said the alternator was bad... I called the dealer back since the car was still under the 1 month/1,000 mile warranty... they said to bring the car in and they would try to rebuild it. As it turns out, they discovered that one of the tensioners (or something to that regard) needed replacing, which solved the problem. The alternator was fine after all.

3. 89,000 Miles - Replaced windshield washer pump - $107

4. 91,000 Miles - Replaced rear tires, also had snow tires mounted on the front which I had laying around my house from a previous vehicle

5. 93,908 Miles - I blew the front/left snow tire while driving home from work on the highway (during a snow storm, I might add)...I called AAA and they put the spare on and towed me home (the driver didn't feel comfortable with me driving on the spare in the bad weather)...the next day I took the car back to Dunn Tire and had them put on two new front tires to match the rear ones - $190

6. 96,043 Miles - Replaced the Front/Right wheel bearing - $168

7. 96,902 - Replaced the entire rear brake system (which included drums and shoes) - $294.

General Comments:

I went to a small repair shop that this man managed to look at a car he was selling (a 1999 Chevy Malibu). I was not fond of the car, so he pointed me towards a few used cars that they were selling on their lot. The one car that stuck out was a black 1998 Chrysler Cirrus. It had a few dings, and needed a good wax job, but was overall in pretty good shape. Upon test driving it, I fell in love.

The 2.5 V6 is actually very powerful, considering it's size. The car handles well, and is extremely quiet on the highway. The leather seats are extremely comfortable, especially on long trips. Also, the trunk is huge and there is plenty of leg room in the back seat.

The car has been extremely reliable in the 8 months I've owned it. I have had to repair a few things, but they are all wear and tear items so far. It has been much more trustworthy than my previous car (a 1997 Saturn SL1), which was pretty much in the shop every other week! I have driven the Chrysler up to my camp and back (200 miles round trip) seven times in the past 3 weeks, and it has performed flawlessly. I would definitely not hesitate to take it on a long trip, if the opportunity arises.

My only complaints about the car is that the leather is starting to wear (especially on the driver's side)...the leather wrapped steering wheel is completely worn (or really dirty) and I have not had any luck getting it clean... the driver's door doesn't lock with the others when the power lock button is pushed (I don't know if it is broken or if it's a security feature...).

I intend to keep the car for at least a few years, assuming it continues to be reliable. According to other surveys I have read, the 2.5 V6 is a decent engine and should last. I did notice multiple people mention problems with misfiring and stalling, but mine has been running completely smooth so far. I change the oil every 3-4K and stay on top of the maintenance as best I can. My only real concern is the fact that Chrysler had transmission issues in almost all of their cars back in the 90's. The transmission shifts smooth at the moment, let's hope it stays that way!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st May, 2007

11th Oct 2012, 22:27

Well, this is my review, and I had forgotten I even wrote one. It's late 2012 now, and I no longer have the car. I got rid of it about 3 years ago, so that means I had it for about 3 years. It was a decent car while I had it, but I definitely started having problems towards the end. I finally started having the unexpected stalling problem, which a lot of people on here have been talking about. It seemed to only happen when it rained/snowed really hard, but I never got the problem checked out. Around 136,000 miles, I brought it in for inspection, and that was the end. It was going to be close to $1000 to get it to pass, and I opted to cut my losses at that point, as the car was just too old to put that kind of money into.

Even though it had some issues at the end, I enjoyed the few years I had the car. I ended up taking it to Florida (from New York) and back twice, and it gave me no issue. I ended up selling it to a scrap guy, because trying to get any money for a car in NYS that won't pass inspection is near impossible. I'm not going to lie, I had to fight back tears when I watched him tow it away.

While I loved the car, it just didn't hold up like my current car. I now drive a 2001 Volvo S60. I'll give you a prime example. I took the Volvo in for inspection last winter. To pass, it needed $1400 worth of work. While I was hesitant, I ended up doing it because A) It was really the first money I had to put into the car at 2 years ownership and B) I know for these fact these cars are tanks. And here's the kicker. It had 172K on it at the time! I don't regret my decision, and now, at 185K, it's still going strong.