The 1996 Chrysler Cirrus has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,100,568 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 203 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
POWER TRAIN04V0210002004-01-132,315,768 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence
EITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
POWER TRAIN98V1830001998-08-06685,000 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE CABLE CONNECTING THE CONSOLE SHIFTER MECHANISM TO THE IGNITION KEY CAN CAUSE A TRAPPED KEY CONDITION WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOW FORCE REQUIRED TO DEPRESS THE SHIFT BUTTON. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED…
Consequence
IF THIS HAPPENS, THE "IGNITION-PARK" INTERLOCK SYSTEM WILL BE NONFUNCTIONAL.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM. ANY VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL AFTER THE INSPECTION WILL HAVE THE SHIFT MECHANISM AND CABLE REPLACED WITH A "SELF-ADJUSTING" DESIGN.
SUSPENSION97V2010001997-11-13599,000 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN SEPARATE DUE TO LOSS OF LUBRICATION.
Consequence
SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BALL JOINT END HOUSING COVER SEAL FOR LEAKAGE WITH A HIGH PRESSURE AIR TESTER AND THE RUBBER BOOT WILL BE VISUALLY INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. IF THE COVER SEAL LEAKS OR THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WILL BE REPLACED.
STRUCTURE97V0950001997-06-06219,000 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING CAN DISENGAGE FROM ITS RETENTION HOLE IF THE HOOD IS SLAMMED SHUT.
Consequence
IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT ENGAGING THE PRIMARY LATCH, THE HOOD WOULD NOT BE RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING WITH A LONGER END HOOK SPRING.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC96V0750001996-05-03151,800 affected
Defect
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
Consequence
BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC96V0740001996-05-0290,000 affected
Defect
CORROSION OF THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN CAUSE THE SOLENOID VALVES TO STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION.
Consequence
IF EITHER FRONT WHEEL VALVE STICKS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWERVE FROM A STRAIGHT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PLATE AND SILICONE GREASE INJECTED INTO THE SOLENOID CAVITY TO ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS CONDITION.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING96V0060001996-01-1140,000 affected
Defect
IN CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY AND ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL IS NOT ADEQUATELY RETAINED.
Consequence
INADEQUATE SEALING AND RETENTION OF THE PLUG CAN RESULT IN OIL LEAKAGE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN EXPANSION PLUG AND RETAINING BRACKET OVER THE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
20
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
13
1fires
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
11
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
8
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
7
1crashes1injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
7
1crashes
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
6
1crashes
SUSPENSION
6
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
5
Total complaints203
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“My front tires feel like they are going to break off the vehicle due to the lower ball joints,steering control arm, inner and outer tie rods; accelerates all by itself. Will not lock shifter with key out of ignition. Ecm is faulty because it shuts the lights off,turns engine,all lights, off .…”
“My front tires feel like they are going to break off the vehicle due to the lower ball joints,steering control arm, inner and outer tie rods; accelerates all by itself. Will not lock shifter with key out of ignition. Ecm is faulty because it shuts the lights off,turns engine,all lights, off .…”
“My front tires feel like they are going to break off the vehicle due to the lower ball joints,steering control arm, inner and outer tie rods; accelerates all by itself. Will not lock shifter with key out of ignition. Ecm is faulty because it shuts the lights off,turns engine,all lights, off .…”
“My 1996 cirrus with only 87+++ miles suddenly downshifts while driving over 40 mph. This is a recent purchase. I live in wyoming and it is winter time with icy road conditions nearly everywhere. I am a single mother with a 10 year old daughter. When this happened to us on the highway, it caused us…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chrysler cirrus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was smoke seen from the engine compartment. The contact also noticed that there was oil leaking onto the ground. The fire was extinguished using a fire extinguisher. The dealer was contacted…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chrysler cirrus. The contact stated that the rear lateral link fractured, causing the rear driver side tire to fold inward while driving 10 mph. The contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer or local mechanic for repairs or diagnostics. The failure mileage was…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chrysler cirrus. The contact stated that the driver was traveling 42 mph when the steering wheel became excessively loose. This made it difficult for the driver to maintain control of the vehicle. The vehicle independently veered off the road, and crashed into a…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 chrysler cirrus. The contact stated that the driver was traveling 42 mph when the steering wheel became excessively loose. This made it difficult for the driver to maintain control of the vehicle. The vehicle independently veered off the road, and crashed into a…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA03011 Opened 2003-07-17 · closed 2004-01-30
AUTO TRANS IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS…
InvestigationEA03011 Opened 2003-07-17 · closed 2004-01-30
AUTO TRANS IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS…
InvestigationEA97016 Opened 1997-09-29 · closed 1997-11-20
LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT FAILURE
BY LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 6, 1997, THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THIS AGENCY OF ITS DECISION TO INITIATE A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO CORRECT THE DEFECT IDENTIFIED IN THIS EA.THE RECALL WILL ALSO COVER 1996 AND 1997 CHRYSLER CIRRUS/DODGE STRATUS VEHICLES, AS WELL AS 1995 THROUGH 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Chrysler Cirrus as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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