Sebring 2.0 Crd Common Faults Etc

[Ckent14]

hello new hear so i pick a sebring up tomorrow 2009 with all the extras i think my question is why are they so cheap second hand also this is the vw passat engine i think isn't it ? 

any common faults to look for and generally any info i need to check for before driving off and doing the deal

 

sorry if this is in the wrong place on the site I'm new

[T14086]

Make sure the door lock recall has been done (if required) or you might find yourself locked out / in.

 

Alloy wheels corrode badly, battery have a high failure rate, few turbos but overall not too bad. Cheap because no one really knows the car.

[iratecabbie]

Common  faults I have found in  the  four sebrings my father and I run as cabs.  

​1.   Sticky  brake calipers.     The  caliper pins  are prone to corrosion and  will jam inside the calipers.  This makes the caliper work incorrectly and  you will only wear one pad out on each caliper affected rather than evenly wearing  the pair, also they will be a real bugger to get off.
​ 
​How to fix.
    Remove the caliper pin,   If corroded  rub down or replace,   and   before  re-assembly   use copper grease on the pin---making sure none goes near the pads or disk!

2. Dash lights failing.  

​How to fix. 
  I have had this in 2 of the four  sebrings  we run and it  can be a very expensive fix if your auto sparky  doesn't know sebrings.   The problem is caused  by a failed  inverter   that is connected to the dash display unit.  once the dash display is taken out,  its a simple job to remove the inverter and replace it with a stock one that can be easily bought from most electrical part stores.               This vid  shows how to do the  repair.  https://youtu.be/x8cbH26D9p4

 ​3. Airbag lights.      2  of  our four have had the dash lights come on and stay stuck on.  
​ 

How to fix.
  Not fixed them yet, but its probably a  dirty slipring/clockspring  in the steering column.

4.  Tyre Valves breaking.     This is a problem every sebring gets nd it is entirely due to them using aluminium  to make the tyre valves and it is a costly and annoying problem.
    
​ how to fix.
  if you want to keep your  TPM (tyre pressure monitors)  working you have no option but to buy replacement  Chrysler sebring  valves,   you can alleviate the corrosion with lube, but I found this only partially effective.    Alternatively   as they fail just replace them with standard valves and accept that you will lose tpm  on that wheel.

 

​5. Oil pump failure.   A  problem common to all vehicles that use the Volkswagen 2.0 CRD  engine.     it is caused by a design flaw in the oil pump balance shaft where two hexagonal shafts that  drive it wear smooth and  eventually stop driving the pump.          First indication you will get of this failure  is your oil light coming on.     When this happens, STOP  driving straight away and dip the oil  levels,   if  it isn't low, then odds on its your oil pump balance shafts,  don't drive it  till fixed.     if you continue to drive  the vehicle,  you will  eventually go into limp mode, (revs limited)   and   then your brake pedal will go hard.  at this point your turbo will begin to ake a lot of noise--as it runs without lube,  leading very quickly to it being damaged.  eventually  your big ends  will  fail and the engine will seize up, so you see why it is important to stop as  soonb as you see the oil light come on.

​How to fix. 

 Basically you need to replace the failed oil pump balance shaft unit.   As this engine is shared by a  lot of vehicles  its easy to find a replacement.   There are several firms out there  offering replacement and upgrade services for this part- just do a search for  them on google.  it should cost about £200​  Fitting is  simple enough,    though unless your a confident mechanic, id advise taking it to a garage.  (if the turbo is noisy   after    the oil pumps repaired, then  you  have killed your turbo)

Do a search on  youtube using the following term "Volkswagen and Audi TDI oil pump balance shaft"   

​6 Cruise control,  It never bloody works!!!     3 out  of the 4  we have   don't have working cruise control.   

​7. rear inner wings come undone,,      
how to fix,     Either replace the plastic studs that hold them in, or  apply some  glue to them.

​8.  Turbo pipes splitting, 2 of our four have had  turbo pipes split, a costly and annoying failure.      Usually it is the top one that goes and these can be sourced for about £70,   if however the bottom one goes (as did one of mine after a  pillock left it unbolted after changing my cambelt)   it will cost you about £170.      signs that a turbo pipe has a hole will be lots of smoke when you rev,  and the car going into limp mode..   in an extreme  case you will hear air rushing when you accelerate.

I cant think of any more right now, though as I still have three on the road I am certain I will add to this at some point.   but  while this list is long, its actually not bad considering that my cars all do about 50 000 miles a year.   overall   I rate the sebring very highly indeed.
 

[jonnoj]

Iratecabbie the tpms issue isn't an expensive problem, origional pressure sensors are pricey, but get some autel Mx sensors, I got 4 and a programmer for £120, once installed they picked up and started working within half a mile.

 

I just reached the 110k mark and now had to change inner and outer tie/track rods.

Also chasing a abs issue (u0121) lost communication

Glow plugs 2 and 3 are flagging up as in fault

Finally engine overboost condition..

 

But I still think it's a great car!