The Chrysler Cirrus, a four-door family sedan built between 1995 and 2000, was one of the most popular mid-sized cars available a few years ago, and today is an extremely affordable car to purchase second hand. Whether from a dealership or from a private seller, examples of this car can occasionally be found with a good-condition interior and low-mileage engine, as well as little, if any rust, particularly on cars purchased in the southern states. This isn’t to say that the Cirrus is entirely without problems, though. The most oft-mentioned problems that drivers deal with include problems with the engine and electrical systems, particularly on vehicles that have relatively high mileage. While you can get a good deal on these cars, it’s a good idea to be prepared for eventualities that may come up in a ten-year-old vehicle.
The Chrysler Cirrus’ engine options, including a four-cylinder 2.4-liter engine and a Mitsubishi-sourced 2.5-liter V6, are both backed up with a four-speed automatic transmission. Typical problems that you may run into include damage to the transmission due to previous owners having used what is called Dexron transmission fluid. In fact, the relatively new Ultradrive transmission required special transmission fluid. As a result, many owners reported problems with the Chrysler Cirrus’ transmission, giving it the reputation of being unreliable. It didn’t help, of course, that this was an all-new transmission for Chrysler, that some engineers felt was rushed into production before it was really ready.
Problems such as these are made that much worse by former owners who did not take proper care of the car while it was in their possession. Irregular oil changes and a lack of service to the cooling system of the car can lead to significant repair bills.
Other common problems you may run into include clutch failure and electronic problems. You have to remember that at the time they were introduced, the Chrysler Cirrus was attempting to be a luxury-minded sedan that was affordable. While they did succeed in that, the problem that comes with it is overly complicated electronic systems. Stated simply, there’s more that can go wrong with the Cirrus, more electronic parts and switches that can break.
If you plan to purchase a used Chrysler Cirrus, it would be a good idea to look into the purchase of an extended warranty to protect yourself and your purchase from any of these problems. Not only will it save you money over the long-term, but it will help to ensure that your car runs great for as long as possible.