Chrysler Seats: Recliner

Chrysler is recalling about 1,066,000 vehicles over a problem with the seats. If the seat back unexpectedly reclines while the car is being driven, it could result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Campaign
03V035000
Manufacturer
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
Reported
5 February 2003
Vehicles
1,066,000
Built between
Sep 1997 – Apr 2002
Models
4
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
23 April 2003
Repaired
Not reported
Unrepaired
Not reported

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between September 1997 and April 2002. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 1998-2002 Chrysler 300MBuilt September 1997 to April 2002
  • 1998-2002 Chrysler ConcordeBuilt September 1997 to April 2002
  • 1998-2001 Chrysler LHSBuilt September 1997 to April 2002
  • 1998-2002 Dodge IntrepidBuilt September 1997 to April 2002

What the defect is

On certain passenger vehicles, seat back recliner bolt breakage can occur resulting in the seat back reclining unexpectedly.

What could happen

If the seat back unexpectedly reclines while the car is being driven, it could result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What gets fixed

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2003.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtSeptember 1997 to April 2002
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA5 February 2003
  3. Owners notified23 April 2003

Your rights

A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.

That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 5 February 2003.

To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.

Manufacturer contact

Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Official source

Manufacturer's recall number
C04
Recalling manufacturer
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION
Recall initiated by
MFR

Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Additional notes

Daimlerchrysler recall no. C04. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Check your own vehicle

This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.

A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.

Same component

Same brand