Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 1900101 | 03/23/2001 | 1900300 | 619127 | Some owners may experience loose feel or clunk in the steering wheel as the wheel is moved from side to side. *tt | 05/15/2001 |
| 1900300B | 10/06/2000 | 190300A | 618868 | Some vehicles may experience loose feel or clunk in the steering wheel as the wheel is moved from side to side. *tt | 05/03/2001 |
| 0042 | 09/13/2000 | 615695 | Advance service information for loose steering. *tt | 01/28/2001 | |
| 190300A | 09/08/2000 | 190300 | 6092235 | Experiencing loose feel or clunk in the steering wheel as the wheel is moved from side to side. *tt | 11/29/2000 |
| 190300 | 06/02/2000 | 614153 | A condition may exist where a loose feel or clunk in the steering wheel as the wheel is moved from side to side. *tt | 09/29/2000 | |
| 190899 | 12/31/1999 | 610017 | Information when servicing the inner tie rod end to steering gear attachments. *tt | 04/14/2000 | |
| 190397 | 02/14/1997 | 52029 | Steering gear cold - squawk noise. *tw | 07/17/1997 | |
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||||
| 190798 | 10/02/1998 | 602894 | Information on steering gear mounting bushing service. *ak | 11/16/1999 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | ||||||
| EA99031 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 10/29/1999 | 09/13/2001 | STEERING SYSTEM RACK AND PINION | ||
| There is no summary currently available | ||||||
| PE99044 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 06/28/1999 | 10/29/1999 | STEERING SYSTEM RACK AND PINION | ||
| Consumers have submitted 36 reports involving failures of the tie rod bushings or bolts at the attachment of the tie rod to the steering rack and pinion unit in the subject verhicles.ten of these incidents were reported to have resulted in a loss of vehicler control.additionally, 27 reports have been received which allege failure of the steering gear rack and pinion unit, including five which resulted in a loss of vehicle control.no vehicle crashes were reported, but the failures are of concern in that they may pose a compromise to steering control.a prelimiary evaluation has been opened on this issue. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 03/15/2012 | 118550 | ||
| On 15mar12 at approximately 5:30pm i was driving around a slight curve when the steering wheel suddenly pulled to the left. i immediately corrected while letting off the accelerator. after i regained control, the steering still felt extremely loose. | |||
| 02/01/2011 | 56000 | ||
| I have owned a 1996 dodge intrepid for 6 months now and when i bought the car i was aware that the steering was a little loose, what i did not know was that the entire rack and pinion system as well as most of the tie rods around them were completely shot. my steering wheel grinds when i turn it left and right now and my steering has a horrific drift when turning from extreme to extreme. the bushings on the rack and pinion (as told by my mechanic) are completely gone. the broken pieces are rattling and vibrating so violently that the shimmying i feel on my car is actually caused by the steering. when i brake at high speeds (50mph) the steering pulls to either an extreme left or right. after doing research, i found out that i wasn't the only one struggling with these same issue. it seems like every owner of a 1996 dodge intrepid is experiencing the exact same issues. my mechanic said to me that he has no guarantee that my steering will work right. driving down the road now i'm afraid i'll lose control of the vehicle. my girlfriend might frequently drive the vehicle but i am afraid that the steering may go out when she is driving it. i spoke with my mechanic and i am in the process of getting the defective parts replaced. i plan to save the parts that are defective in hopes that i will get some compensation for them. | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 115000 | 1 | |
| Rack and pinion problems, the bushings that hold the rack and pinion keep going bad i've had the bushings replaced (november 2007) but then it failed again (september 2008). when ever i go around a turn there's a delay in my sheer almost resulting in a crash. *tr | |||
| 11/19/2008 | 143000 | 1 | |
| It started out my steering would get really tight and you couldn't move it at all and it happens everyday now we took it to the dealership and they said it was the rack-n-pinion and so they fixed it and its still doing it. *tr | |||
| 11/19/2008 | 98000 | 1 | |
| Bolts holding tie rods to steering gear (rack) broke. unable to steer vehicle. fortunately, i was just leaving my parking lot and didn't cause any accidents and/or injuries. paid $700 to have car fixed. *tr | |||
| 10/07/2008 | 148689 | 1 | |
| Repeated overheating problems resulted in replacing my radiator two times, thermostat three times and thermostat w/ breather housing two times. cooling system includes external metal pipes which help circulate coolant to heater. the pipes are hidden from clear view and when mine sprung leaks due to their placement the leaks were diagnosed as being blown head/head gasket by three separate shops. replacement of pipes solved overheating. moisture gets trapped in and around the frame and subframe areas where the motor and transmission mounts are located and allows for unnecessary premature deterioration of all the mounts, bushings, main frame and subframe. this hidden condition has resulted in all mounts needing replacement, transmission dropping, front inner&outer tie rods and bushings going out, rack n pinion problems and the subframe collapsing. documented records show that from 2004 through 2008 on average i drove 7000 miles a year. in that 28000 miles i replaced all motor/transmission mounts, all 4 inner&outer tie rod bushings/ends twice, radiator twice, thermostat housing twice, coolant pipes once and have gone through two sets of tires. i am replacing subframe, transmission mounts and front axle again. i continue fixing the car because i cannot afford to replace it but i am getting very concerned about the steering, axle or brakes giving out while driving on the highway or in heavier traffic. so concerned my documentation has been given to family members in case of fatality resulting from the defects mentioned. *tr | |||
| 03/29/2008 | 100000 | 1 | 02/05/2008 |
| The steering system in a 1996 dodge intrepid totally failed while driving down the road. there was no advanced warning of any kind. it is by the grace of god that i did not wreck. the left bolt that screw into the rack/pin steering box stripped out and caused the right bolt to snap causing the entire steering to fail. *tr | |||
| 01/24/2006 | 1 | 10/10/2005 | |
| Yes, i would like to enter a complaint on the 1996 dodge intrepid steering problems. many people have had numerous problems with the steering , some even leading to death. i have not yet have any failures of my steering system, but it is going bad day by day. i don't have enough money to fix this problem (dealer quoted over $400), and it is my only form of transportation. i find myself praying every time i step into my casket on wheels that something wrong doesn't happen to me. i would like to know why there hasn't been any government recall for this item. this is not a maintenance issue with most other models so why should intrepid owners have to pay for the faulty design. please help me out in this issue. thanks. *ak | |||
| 08/26/2005 | 85000 | 5 | 05/28/2005 |
| Purchased 1996 dodge intrepid in may 2005. following week had to take car back to dealer re: brakes, to no avail. a mechanic stated brakes will need to be replaced. was advised that tires were not in such great condition either. kept hearing strange sounds (rattling noises) from the car. in august, smoke started coming from under the hood. car would not steer at all. had to take car to mechanic, who told us fan belt had come off while driving. power steering pump had to be replaced and power steering line. he also advised that rack and pinion would need to be replaced. finally, on august 26th, was getting in car to drive and did not get very far, when the car came to a sudden stop and made a loud noise. got out of the car and found two bolts on the ground. please help !!! distressed. do we have any recourse here? have receipts, but do not have old parts. *jb *ak *nm | |||
| 04/03/2005 | 74189 | 1 | 01/15/2004 |
| Have just began having problems apparently with the cernter take off system, have had it at the dodge dealership in kingsport (1-423-247-3155), they put steering bushings on it, costly repair, still did not touch the problem. i have a horrible problem steering the car, apparently there was a report issued to them about the system in 01-31-1999, but they did not notify the car owners. have thought i had problems with a starter pulley, noticed some engine shake, slightly, a little smoke around the back bumper, the car has 74 thousand miles on it, i have my records and the previous owners records of repairs and oil changes that have been kept up. online i have read of thousands of people who have wrecked and died because of the faulty center take off system of these cars, (bushings, the rack and pinion geer interface, inner tierod, on the steering gear) failure is unavoidable without a costly repair of the defective steering system at the owners expense. i have also read of engines siezing up at around 40 thousand miles even with proper matinence. i have no choice but to drive this car, i am disabled and cannot afford to buy another or have the factory defects fixed at my own expense. the dealership should have known about the noice of the lh family of cars, but instead have sent me down the road of costly repairs knowing full well that the repairs made will not fix this car. these cars are a hazzard and i cannot believe that the gov does not get involved and protect the consumer and others on the road from the prospect of horrible injuires and possible death due to this big corperation's faulty equipment. where do i go from here? *ak | |||
| 03/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| Steering is loose, which makes it difficult to control the vehicle. consumer is concerned that this will increase the risk of a crash. manufacturer was notified by consumer. *ak | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| Thermostat broke twice, check engine light wont stay off, and the steering which is supposedly a common defect stopped responding and is not able to be fixed. | |||
| 05/01/2003 | 113000 | 1 | 02/01/1997 |
| While traveling 10 mph and without any indication two half inch bolts had broke. dealer has been contacted. *ak the consumer crossed over the rail road tracks when the steering wheel turned completely around without changing the direction of the wheels. the bolts which held the rods to the rack and pinion gear box had broken into two parts. *scc *scc *jb | |||
| 03/03/2003 | 77000 | 2 | 04/15/2002 |
| Steering issues rampant with my 1996 dodge intrepid. i have already had to have some work done on it and now i have a problem with the steering making a clunking noise when the steering wheel reaches the center point.*jb | |||
| 03/01/1997 | 4 | 04/23/1996 | |
| On several occasions while driving there is a gas odor. recall campaign 98v184000 fuel injection was performed, but after recall repair the fuel odor returned, the recall repair has been done four times yet the problem still exist. *tt the heater didn't work properly, the power door lock wouldn't lock, the doors wouldn't open, the water pump was leaking, the headlights were too dim, the doors squeaked, there was a vibration coming from the brakes, there was play in the front end of the vehicle from the inner tie rods and power steering gear bushings. *jb | |||
| 02/01/2000 | 2 | ||
| Tie end rod has been repaired one time before, repair the steering, it was uncontrollable, when car hits rocks, the care would jerk to one side of the highway. | |||
| 05/01/2001 | |||
| Steering wheel has too much play in it. vehicle is very difficult to control when driving above 25 mph. consumer has not contacted dealer. please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 09/05/1999 | 0 | ||
| While driving when it rains steering feels real loose. it feels as though consumer is on glass. *ak | |||
| 01/26/2000 | |||
| Consumer experienced a steering problem. vehicle taken to dealer, and informed consumer that both tie rod ends and bushing needed to be replaced. repairs made at consumer's cost. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1996 | |||
| Ea99031, while turning there is a cracking noise and movement underneath the pedal, indicating a problem within the steering system which may cause a loss of vehicle control. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 01/13/2003 | 1 | ||
| While traveling about 35mph on the highway the steering column locked up.please fill in additional information dealer is aware of the problem.*jb | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||
| 12/14/2004 | 72000 | 1 | |
| While at a steering wheel locked up. the vehicle was towed. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 07/23/2004 | 66000 | 1 | 09/03/1995 |
| When the steering wheel was turned to the right, vehicle went to the left. upon lifting the hood consumer noticed that the steering rod was hanging down off the gear box, and a sheared bolt was laying in the engine compartment that was cut in half. vehicle was towed to the dealership, who indicated that gear box was in pieces and needed to be replaced.*ak *tc | |||
| 06/15/2000 | 70000 | 1 | |
| Defective steering gearbox bushings. bushings went defective after 70,000 miles, most of which were highway miles. have noticed knock when first starting to turn wheel progressively getting worse. have called manufacturer who stated that it is not a defect in workmanship. it is a defect in workmanship.*ak | |||
| There is a bolt loose in the steering gear, causing the tires to wear. also causing the driver to lose control. dealer has not seen vehicle. *ak | |||
| 10/22/1998 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| While driving approximately 15 mph and attempting to make a right hand turn the wheel went right and the vehicle kept going straight. the manufacturer has been notified.*ak replaced parking brake, and fuel pump. *yd | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 05/10/2001 | 55000 | 6 | 07/30/1998 |
| I have a 1996 dodge intrepid i bought in 1998 i have had numerous steering problems with this vehicle and have spent much money to fix this car. the bushings have been replaced,the bearings have been replaced, the power steering pump has been replaced, the steering hoses have been replaced,all this was done at under 55,000 miles and luckily gefore my fiance and my children were seriously hurt in an acident due to steering lose or control. these problems totaled around 2,500.to fix. now we are having the same problems again with the car having 90,000 miles now the power steering pump is out again and the rack and pinion is out and it is impossible to steer. we are a low income family so trade the car in is out of the question and getting it fixed right away is sometimes not possible. just by pure luck i was looking for prices of rack and pinions and i just stummbled across this web site and i am glad i did.*ak | |||
| 12/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| Consumer hears a banging noise in the steering column that goes down the shaft and feels like it's under the accelerlator, when the car warms up, the noise goes away, the power steering tensioner fell out and was replaced and the problems went away for a while, now the banging noise is present even when the vehicle has warmed up. *slc | |||
| 10/29/2000 | 1 | 05/01/1999 | |
| As my wife was in a parked position in a parking lot, she proceeded to pull out. to do this she had to go around a light pole. as she pulled out she hit the light pole. she got out of the vehicle and inspected the damages. the damages were, crushed left front bumper, a small nic on the hood and a damaged left front headlight light assembly. with damaged not looking severe, she proceeded to bring the automobile home. on her way she immediately experienced a check enginge light, alternator ligh. as i went to inspect the car, i noticed the power steering pully was completely missing and the main serpentine belt was missing. the frame was no bent and the is no way that anything could have touched the power steering pump causing the pully to break off. i am courios to ask if this is a nown problem. thank you for your time, larry roudebush. *ak | |||
| 02/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| Power steering pump leaking. nlm | |||
| 02/01/1996 | 1 | 02/01/1996 | |
| Power steering pump failed. yh | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1996 | |
| Power steering has constant whine when turning or accelerating. transmission shudders and skips when shifting during acceleration. dealer states power steering pump and entire transmission must be replaced. | |||
| 02/02/1999 | 1 | 10/01/1996 | |
| This vehicle has had a failure in every major system. the timing belt failed which led to the damage to the water pump. the power steering pump developed a leak and had to be replaced. there is no excuse for a car to have these kind of mechanical failures in such a short period of time. *ak | |||
| 12/05/1998 | 4 | 07/01/1997 | |
| Vehicle has gone through 3 sets of brake pads and rotors have had to be turned and doesn't do well with any pads we have used, always noisy, have only had car for 1 1/2 years, front plastic center wheel caps keep falling off, have lost 4 already. also, power steering pump is leaking, as well as, the o-ring recall problem. it also has a problem with the gas gauge, have run out of gas 2 times. the car also has a problem with overheating, doesn't matter if temperature is hot or cold outside, sitting in traffic or not. | |||
| 10/28/1997 | 1 | 03/01/1996 | |
| Valve cover gasket failed, power steering pump failed. | |||
| 12/09/1997 | 3 | ||
| While driving vehicle steering wheel had a lot of play. took to dealer & informed rack & pinion was problem. dealer did not have parts to repair. on back order. steering power pump, rear bearings, doors needed adjusting & water pump failed. *ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 12/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| Consumer hears a banging noise in the steering column that goes down the shaft and feels like it's under the accelerlator, when the car warms up, the noise goes away, the power steering tensioner fell out and was replaced and the problems went away for a while, now the banging noise is present even when the vehicle has warmed up. *slc | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 0 | ||
| Engine overheated. consumer pulled to side, added coolant, and it immediately reheated. took vehicle to dealer, and they said engine head gasket needed to be replaced. also, vehicle was unsafe because there was no power steering when car went dead. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Steering makes popping noise when turning to right. power steering seems to go out with no warning. this has been a continuous problem, that may cause a crash, and serious injury. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| Bushings in rack and pinion system along with tie rods failed resulting in vehicle wobbling severely. dealer states that this is common for those vehicles. please describe details | |||
| 01/26/2001 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| While backing out of driveway, right side inner tie rod connecting bolt broke causing loss of steering to right front wheel and total loss of contol of vehicle. further inspection revealed failure of both inner tie rod bushings.veh towed to dealer for repair. daimer chrysler contacted and refused to compensate for repairs. cost of repair $ 1600.00 which includes cost of a remanufactured steering unit because the tie rod bolt shearred off inside the unit. | |||
| 12/06/1998 | 1 | 11/01/1998 | |
| We have had three fuel rail problems they were all covered under recall notice. i dont think that it should have to be corrected that many times. the water pump went out a few weeks after we bought it dealer repaired it. the steering rack went out 2 weeks after we bought it dealer replaced. the tie rod bolts came out 6months of steering was replaced. dealer replaced. there stillis a problem with transmission and the lines. also with the oil sending unit . i think this car is a real lemon. how many major components of a car can fail there are a few more that i have not reported on this form lower intake gasket tie rod bolts . i think the company should buy back this car because there are too many major problems with it for only being 5 years old. *ak | |||
| 11/13/2000 | 2 | 01/01/1998 | |
| This is supplemental to odi no. 736871 - further examination of parts indicates that neither set of bolt retaining tabs had been set at the factory- allowing both tie rod bolts to back out almost half way - one set of tabs had been set to stop further turning by someone, probably during servicing - the other bolt continued to back out a couple of turns - sometime during all of this, both bolts broke thru past the halfway point and both broke the rest of the way on 11/13.2000 - disabling the steering. *ak | |||
| 11/13/2000 | 2 | 11/01/1998 | |
| Inner tie rods both failed during a backing operation - backing out of parking area - both bolts apparently sheared after partially backing out - it looks as if the keeper plate was crimped on an edge of the bolts instead of the flat- steering was lost entirely. *ak | |||
| 11/21/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Had the lt tie rod replaced and now the rt is bad, my wife normally drives the car and i happened to drive the car . i noticed the car was steering odd and when i went around a corner it felt like the front end was shifting. when letting off the gas and giving it gas the car would torque steer very bad jumping to the left. i took the car to a local shop who found the problem right away, recommended that we didn't drive the car. he also showed me the steering rack bushings were going bad, he says the only way to repair is to replace the entire rack as the bushing are not available by themselves as are the 95's and below. he told me that both are very common problems for the dodge intrepid and both could have serious problems with their failures. i am going to have the repairs to the tie rod done promptly and if the rack is road worthy i will delay that repair but keep a close watch on further deteriation of the bushings. *ak | |||
| 09/22/2000 | 2 | 02/01/1996 | |
| Bushings worn on both left and right inner tie rods. this caused steering to shake and could have resulted in loss of wheel(s) while driving. tires were worn badly due to tie rod problem. remedy consisted of replacing both tie rods and both front tires. | |||
| 09/29/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Steering rack bushings,sway bar links,and inner and outer tie rod ends. experienced loss of steering control, barely avoiding a major accident with children in car. | |||
| 08/25/1999 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| The rubber that fits between the inner tie rod (ite) and the bolt that attaches the itr to the steering gear was completely worn away | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 2 | 02/01/1996 | |
| All of the problems have been reported to the dealer, as well as the chrysler corporation. the fuel line problem was corrected. the tie rods were corrected, but the problem recurred. the delearship claims they cannot reporduce the problem with the vehicle dying. chrysler corporation would not offer asssistance with any of the problems. the dealership had the vehicle in for various problems 25 times in less than 3 years. i am unable to take the vehicle out of town at all, fof fear it is not safe to drive at highway speed. | |||
| 06/04/1999 | |||
| Steering tie rods collasped while driving. the dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 0 | |||
| Tie rods are defective, causing steering to become loose, resulting in loss of control. 2. a leak from water pump is dripping onto timing belt, possibly stretching the belt, and ruining engine. also, dealer has replaced rack and pinion steering. *ak | |||
| While driving tie rod disengaged from the rack and pinion, causing loss of steering control. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - ROD - RELAY - CONNECTING | |||
| 01/05/2009 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1996 dodge intrepid. while driving approximately 5 mph on normal road conditions, proceeding to make a left turn. there was a loud popping noise outside of the vehicle. suddenly, there was a complete loss of steering. immediately, the driver stopped in the middle of the roadway. the vehicle was towed to the residence. a certified mechanic inspected the vehicle. the failure was contributed to broken bolts which supported the tie rod bushing, and the rack and pinion. the vehicle was repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was unknown. the current mileage was 177,000. | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 09/14/2007 | 20 | 07/15/1996 | |
| There are severe problems with the steering and front components such as tie rods, bushing failure- multiple replacements, etc. steering hasn't been right for years. low mileage, strange noises, handling. car doesn't stay in alignment, wheel doesn't return to center, car jumps out of driving lane. *jb | |||
| 08/10/2005 | 112000 | 1 | |
| My son was traveling to work on august 10 2005. he was driving a 1996 dodge intrepid. he was turning a corner when his steering control was suddendly and completely lost. his car went over a curb at an elementary school before he was able to stop. no one was hurt. inspection of the car showed that 2 bolts that connect the tie rods to the rack and pinion steering were completely severed. a picture here is worth 1000 words. if you go to this site : http://www.allpar.com/fix/intrepid-steering.html you will see a clear picture of 2 center bolts that connect the inner tie rods to the rack and pinion steeing. these were the 2 bolts that suddenly broke leaving the car with no steering control. if that had happened a week earlier when i was traveling with my son on a super highway i am quite sure that several people would be going to the hospital or worse. after the incident, i fould on the internet that this is a common problem with this car. i feel that a recall should be done to replace these bolts. his car had 112,000 miles on when the incident occured. you're recall of these cars i feel would save other people's lives. thank you! | |||
| 05/15/2004 | 112500 | 1 | |
| Car started shaking violently at around 55-65, took it to the mechanic and tie rods had to be replaced. has much other damage (maybe partly due to the bad tie rods or maybe due to the deficient design) that i can file other reports on if needed.*ak | |||
| 07/28/2000 | 68000 | 1 | 07/07/2000 |
| Two weeks after buying my 1996 dodge intrepid es i felt a strange jolt from my front passenger side wheel when turning corners. this jolt was accompanied by a popping noise. upon investigation by a professional, i was told that my tie rod was about to come loose from the wheel and that i was lucky i noticed the problem in time. had the tie rod actually come loose i would have lost control of that wheel, leaving me control of just the drivers side wheel. *jb | |||
| 09/10/2002 | 2 | ||
| While traveling on highway heard a noise coming from the front of vehicle. dealership is aware of problem.*akboth of the inner tie rods and eight bushings needed replacement. the dealer informed consumer that this failure was premature. *jg | |||
| 03/12/1999 | 1 | 06/01/2096 | |
| I am submitting a complaint about deficiencies in the durability of the inner tie rod bushings and rack and pinion steering bushings on a 1996 dodge intrepid, vin 2b3hd56f0th231577. premature wear out of these items are a safety concern. on multiple occasions, it felt like i was losing control of the steering on the car. some of those occasions occured while driving across an uneven, washboard type asphalt road surface. other occasions were on a smooth concrete or asphalt road. on all occasions, i had to slow down considerably to regain control of the car. i have had to replace the inner tie rod bushings twice, once in march of 1999 at 49,818 miles and again in august of 2002 at 89,404 miles. the rack and pinior steering bushings were also replaced during the august, 2002 repair. none of these parts should be considered normal maintenance items. total repairs have cost me $1,071. i have read numerous other postings of a similar nature on intrepids and other related chrysler vehicles and am concerned about the safety of these cars. | |||
| 08/08/2002 | 04/01/2096 | ||
| When are you guys going to take some action against this very serious design/part failure. i have searched the database and there are a lot of complaints about steering failure. this will cost someone their life if it hasn't already. here is the problem. the bushings on the inner tie rod deteriorate. on my car it happened to the passenger side bushing at 30,000 miles. i was able to replace the tie rod(they didn't just sell the bushing). at about 33,000 the other one went out so i replace it. had i not known what to look for (the wavering to the left and right on a straight road allerted me) i could have eventually sheered the bolts on the gear housing. at 71,000 the stearing started acting up again. well this time the bushings that hold the gear housing to the frame have deteriorated. fortunately it was caught in time. what happened here was as you steered left or right the gear housing would move about three inches. as you would oversteer, the steering gear box would go as far one way as it could then it would actually turn the wheels. it is obvious to me that there is a major defect in the design of the steering. please do something before someone dies and before we have to waste more money paying dodge for something that should break this easy. they sell us a piece of crap and we have to pay them big to repair it. do something already!*ak | |||
| 01/05/2002 | 2 | ||
| The right side tie rod separated from the rack and pinion, the bolt connecting the tire rod to the rack snapped, four months later the exact same failure occurred again. *slc | |||
| 01/11/2002 | |||
| While turning vehicle to right it kept going straight. driver took vehicle to a mechanic, and they stated that rack and pinion steering had disintegrated. mechanic replaced rack and pinion and tie rods. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2000 | 2 | ||
| Tie end rod has been repaired one time before, repair the steering, it was uncontrollable, when car hits rocks, the care would jerk to one side of the highway. | |||
| 01/31/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1998 | |
| Was backing out of parking spot when i felt a small thump. lost all steering capability. dealer salvaged rack and pinion (said bolts holding it to firewall completely sheered off...i left instructions to save the part but of course, the parts disapeared.) dealer also refused to let vehicle leave without new tie rods and control linkages which they said were damaged (could be true.) my brother is a mechanic with over 25 years in the business and has never seen anything like this before. i've lost confidence in my ability to keep this vehicle running safely, regadless of how much money gets sinked into it. can you imagine driving at 55mph on a slow right hand curve and this item failing, sending you into on-coming traffic? kids in the car?*ak | |||
| 10/08/2000 | 1 | 11/04/1995 | |
| The two inner tie rod bolts sheered at the steering gear side of the tie rods, causing total steering control loss of the vehicle, the bolts were removed and replaced, the original rack assembly was also replaced. *slc | |||
| 08/17/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer backing out of driveway & turned the wheel to head down the road, heard a loud noise, steering wheel spinning freely and lost control of the vehicle, due to both inner tie rods had sheared off.*et | |||
| 2 | |||
| Manufacturer reimbursed consumer for defective tie rod, recently the other side went out but manufacturer refuses to reimburse consumer for the other tie rod. nlm | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| The front tie rods and the bushings in the rack and pinion failed. the steering at first became very sluggish and then the steering wheel got to where it would not return to center. it got so bad that it would not trigger the turn signal switch. we first had the tie rods replaced and the car aligned but that did not take care of the problem. we contacted several repair shops and then were told that the entire rack assembly would have to be replaced. we contacted champion chrysler in independence, mo and were told that there was an upgrade kit available to replace the bushings in the rack. we purchased the kit but no one would take on the repair other than the dealer, so we were forced to have it repaired by the dealer.*ak | |||
| 08/10/2000 | 2 | 12/01/1995 | |
| While pulling out of a parking space, the steering failed. subsequent examination showed that the inner tie rod attachment bolts both shearred off and the tie rods separated from the steering rack. the vehicle had these tie rods replaced in sept 98 and the steering rack replaced in jan 1999. unknown if this is related to tsb 190899 but attachment bolts do appear to have failed from improper torque values. | |||
| 2 | 02/01/1999 | ||
| Reported to dealership that theree ws excessive play in steering wheel. they replaced the inner tie rod bushings in november of 1999 at a cost of $300. sixteen thousand miles and 7 months later the same problem has occured. they say their service warranty is only 12 months or 12 thousand miles. i am now faced with another repair bill. also my cruise control has quit working. it would cut off or pick up speed then one day just quit working totally. i dont know about the cruise control but i think there is something wrong with the front end of these intrepids that they didnt correct when they replaced the bushings.*ak | |||
| 06/28/2000 | |||
| Ea99031, steering rack and pinion and inner tie rod broke, which could cause loss of vehicle control. common problem. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1996 | |
| Steering wheel is shimmying and knocking. *ak right tie rod failed. *yh | |||
| 01/01/2000 | |||
| While driving at any speed on rough road or hitting a small bump, front end of the vehicle rattled. when vehicle was taken to the dealership, owner was told that steering rack and pinion assembly,and inner tie rod ends would need to be replaced because of bad bushings. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| Rack & pinion steering & bushings were changed approximately 13 months ago. now problem has returned. rack & pinion steering/inner tie rod ends are wearing excessively. this causes vehicle to be either thrown to the left or to the right, if cuts or deep cracks are in the road. will be taking vehicle back to dealership to check. *ak | |||
| 01/26/2000 | |||
| Consumer experienced a steering problem. vehicle taken to dealer, and informed consumer that both tie rod ends and bushing needed to be replaced. repairs made at consumer's cost. *ak | |||
| 01/19/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1996 | |
| Left tie rod failed originally in june 99. in jan. 2000. the left tie rod separated from the rack and pinion gear assy. tis resulted is loss of steering, but car was brought to a safe stop. this is the second failure of the tie rods and the firstt failure of the rack and pinion gear assy. i have never seen a car have this kind of failure before. i have grave concerns about trusting the safety of the rack and pinion steering on this car. *ak | |||
| 09/13/1999 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| Steering was getting shaky and uncontrollable due to a faulty inner tie rod. dealer has replaced the inner tie rod. *ak | |||
| 12/23/1995 | |||
| There is noise coming from the front end of the vehicle due to the inner tie rods breaking. dealer replaced the tie rods/stuts/ sway bar, and did a front end alignment. *yc | |||
| When traveling at any speed consumer noticed play in the front end due to the tie rod which went bad. also noticed a noise coming from the front end. consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced the steering wheel rack and pinion ea99-031. please provide any furhter details. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1999 | |||
| Ea99031, while driving there is a knocking noise and seemingly too much play in steering which may result in loss of vehicle control. dealer replaced the inner tie rods and rack and pinion steering due to a worn out bushing. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1997 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Two different sets of rubber bushings in the steering have failed on this vehicle. the tie rod end bushings failed on the right side causing a shimmying in the steering wheel. the more dangerous failure is the four rack and pinion bushings that hold it in place. the failure of these bushings allow the entire rack to move laterally, causing loss of steering control in sudden maneuvers. one night while avoiding a dog in the roadway, i attempted to move the car a foot to the left, but instead the car lurched all the way into oncoming traffic, nearly causing an accident. the dealer makes you buy the entire rack at a cost of $700 or more because no aftermarket manufacturer makes this component yet. i complained while the vehicle was still under warranty at 32000 miles of a creaking in the front while turning the steering wheel, but they did not identify the problem until complete failure at a later date. *ak | |||
| 08/26/1999 | 10/16/1996 | ||
| Innertie rod has become defective ,affecting rack and pinion, and causing loss of control. *ak | |||
| Front tie rods wear prematurally, causing steering difficulty. dealer has inspected vehicle. *ak | |||
| The vehicle pulls to one side when braking or accelerating and the steering is uncontrolable due to the bushing coming loose on the inner tie rod. dealer has fixed problem. *ak | |||
| 05/26/1999 | 2 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Tie rods failed. yh | |||
| 10/26/1998 | 1 | ||
| Rubber grommets inside the inner tie rods were worn/cracked causing vehicle to shake violently. | |||
| 01/05/1999 | 02/01/1996 | ||
| Front tie rod bushings broke. bolt holding tie rods into rack and pinion steering came off. driver lost steering control. *ak | |||
| 02/20/1998 | 2 | 10/01/1995 | |
| Premature failure of both front tie rods at low milage. suspecting bad design, basically materials used in bushings in tie rod ends. contact with mechanics and other vehicle owners indicate this occurrence not an isolated case. failure causes poor steering response and pulling of vehicle right upon acceleration, and left upon deceleration. drivers control of vehicle degraded. one owner contacted reported item failure was not covered by warranty during warranty period. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1998 | |||
| Front end tie rods keep loosening and steering wheel tends to creep to the left and not position itself back to center. after making a turn driver must manually turn the steering wheel. dealer contacted, and repair work was done. incident ocurred two times. problem still exists. provide further information. *ak | |||
| 1 | 03/01/1996 | ||
| Tie rod ends failed. | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 77000 | 4 | |
| I would first and formost like to report the premature wear of the steering rack on my 1996 dodge intrepid at around 77,000 miles. the rack had to be replaced at a hefty price. i have since learned that this is an alarmingly widespread problem with chrysler lh bodied vehicals, especially dodge intrepids, and has been for many years. i had the rack replaced about three years ago and already my car is showing symptoms of more steering related problems. i drive only a moderate amount so this could not be just usual wear and tear. in addition to the steering rack, within the last three years i have had to have an axel replaced, all of the breaks due to prematurly warped rotors (the breaks actually went out once and i almost rear ended someone), the multifunction switch had to be replaced, the transmission shifts hard and gets stuck in gear for a mysterous reason no one can figure out, and a loose wire caused the car caused multable drivability problems. (the date below is not accurate, these things occured between 2003 and present) | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 3 | 06/05/2004 | |
| Front end of car shook mildly at high speeds. taken to mechanic, who said struts would need replacing within next 3 months. about a week later, whille pulling onto a busy road, rack and pinion steering system fell apart, one wheel went one way, the other wheel went another way, car thudded to a holt violently. towed to repair shop, has been in shop 2 months already, have had rack and pinion, water pump, struts, tires, power steering pump, and power steering pump sensor relpaced. vehicle still will not turn, and is no longer drivable or repairable. vehicle was purchased from dealer certfied used car 4 month earlier, approx 90000 miles. total repair costs so far are $1,500 - $3,000 and climbing every day. old part is available.*ak | |||
| 11/11/2003 | 98000 | 4 | 11/11/2003 |
| The rack an pinion bushing failed had to replace the whole rack and pinion.also the axle had to be replaced the ring for the abs and tracion control come off the axle.theres a short in the igntion switch, the gauges dont work, and the car wont drive it gos in default.*ak | |||
| 12/09/2003 | 30000 | 1 | 04/18/1996 |
| In apirl 1996 i purchased a new 1996 dodge intrepid (vin 2b3hd56f3th52925) from philips motors in philip sd. after approximately 2 years and 30,000 miles i began to notice a grinding noise and clunking in the steering while driving the vehicle from a cold soak condition. after approximately 5 minutes and once the car warmed up, the noise would cease. over the course of the past 5 years i have taken the vehicle to five different repair shops in an attempt to isolate and repair the problem. only when i moved to germany (current assignment in the usaf) did a german mechanic discovered the problem; worn rack and pinion steering gear bushing which are allowing the entire unit to shift left and right whenever the steeringwheel is moved. over the past five years i've lived with this problem, i've noticed a continued degredation is steering crispness and increase noise as described above. only when i researched the problem on the internet did i find 2 service recalls for this problem (19-03-97a and 19-001-01). the problem has gotten so bad, about 3 weeks ago i nearly lost control of the car in a sharp turn on a country road here in germany. i was able to recover from the turn (with the assistance of the front tire hitting the curb and bouncing me back into the lane) -- no one was hurt and the car (except the tire) was undamaged. i find it amazing that published service bulletins go un-noticed and high risk components such as steering systems go un-recalled despite potentially catastrophic consequences. my particular problem is further exasperated by the high speed nature of german autobahns.*ak | |||
| 09/04/2003 | 79800 | 1 | 07/03/2001 |
| Problems with my dodge intrepid: at 75000 miles i had to replace the rack and pinion steering, then i had problems with the bolts that connect the rack and pinion to the steering backing out and it actually fell out and one wheel was strait and the other was turned. luckilly i was at a stop sign getting ready turn .had to have towed home. found out thousands of people are having same problem. at 80000 miles which has been a couple of weeks ago driving down the road car automatically shift into low one. does this a couple of times. had new filter and fluid replaced. even worse now. find out that thousands of people having same problem. find out that dodge and chrysler lh with 42le automatic trans are defective. they have used these trans from 1994 to present and they fail. i could believe it. chrysler even has its own special tranny fluid to help prevent failure problems but it doesnt work. i would like chrysler to be accountable for selling moreless junk. if i were to sell a defective product to consumers, they would come after me to either recall it ,fix it ,or re-emburse the consumers, yet nothing is being done that i know of to get chrysler to help the consumer fix their failing transmission problems. i am now going to spend $1500.00 to replace my tranns with another one that will fail in the near future. i cant afford another car, and i will never ever buy another chrysler product. can you tell me if anyone is adressing this issue. i got a lot of information from: http://www.daimlerchryslervehicleproblems.com/ i was interested in seing if any one else has had these problems and according to this web page and some of my own research their are thousands of us with problems with our chryslers.*ak | |||
| 04/27/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving the rack and pinion bolts became loose and caused the consumer to lose control of the steering. *nlm | |||
| 01/08/2003 | 06/05/1998 | ||
| Excessive rack and pinion steering noise especially in cold weather, rack and pinion mounting bolt bushings almost completely gone. car has severe steering shifting when rounding corners or curves. diagnoses requires new rack and pinion replacement. | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 1 | 12/01/2099 | |
| First to go was the brakes and rotors, then the rack and pinion system. next was the transmission and now the diffentail and tie rods. dt | |||
| 11/01/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that vehicle's steering wheel was wandering excessively resulting in loss of complete control. problem was progressively getting worse until rack and pinion assembly failed while driving. ts | |||
| 09/23/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2000 | |
| No description given. nlm | |||
| 03/12/1999 | 1 | 06/01/2096 | |
| I am submitting a complaint about deficiencies in the durability of the inner tie rod bushings and rack and pinion steering bushings on a 1996 dodge intrepid, vin 2b3hd56f0th231577. premature wear out of these items are a safety concern. on multiple occasions, it felt like i was losing control of the steering on the car. some of those occasions occured while driving across an uneven, washboard type asphalt road surface. other occasions were on a smooth concrete or asphalt road. on all occasions, i had to slow down considerably to regain control of the car. i have had to replace the inner tie rod bushings twice, once in march of 1999 at 49,818 miles and again in august of 2002 at 89,404 miles. the rack and pinior steering bushings were also replaced during the august, 2002 repair. none of these parts should be considered normal maintenance items. total repairs have cost me $1,071. i have read numerous other postings of a similar nature on intrepids and other related chrysler vehicles and am concerned about the safety of these cars. | |||
| Bushings in rack and pinion system along with tie rods failed resulting in vehicle wobbling severely. dealer states that this is common for those vehicles. please describe details | |||
| 03/01/2001 | |||
| When making turns there is a creaking sound coming from front of vehicle, mostly after first start. mechanic stated rack and pinion needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 01/23/2002 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Steering wheel makes a grinding noise while turning vehicle, dealership is aware of problem, rack pinion failure caused vehicle to run off the road.*ak *slc | |||
| 01/11/2002 | |||
| While turning vehicle to right it kept going straight. driver took vehicle to a mechanic, and they stated that rack and pinion steering had disintegrated. mechanic replaced rack and pinion and tie rods. *ak | |||
| 01/04/2002 | 1 | 02/01/1996 | |
| The failure component is the steering rack assembly. the failure indication was a clunking sound, heard when the vehicle was cold (under 40f.). once the vehicle/steering warms up, the clunking noise goes away. apparently, from reading other reports, the clunking sound is the precursor to total steering failure. in my case, i am having the dealer replace the assembly at a cost of approximately $1200. this is a very basic component, which should not fail during the normal course of vehicle ownership. i am attempting to have damler/chrysler either cover the cost of failure up front, or reimburse me for the repair. so far, the dealer has indicated to me that the failure is not covered by any warranty process. i feel that this is a very serious safety issue and should be covered by the manufacturer. loss of life could occur if the steering fails.*ak | |||
| 11/10/2001 | |||
| Two bolts sheared off bracket in rack and pinion, causing a loss of steering. contacted chrysler, and chrysler will open a file out on the problem. but, vehicle has too many miles, and no warranty/ recall. *ak | |||
| 07/15/2000 | 2 | 02/01/1998 | |
| Steering rack assembly sways from side to side making the vehicle go out of control. cause is poorly designed steering rack assembly that causes stress on steering rack bushings making them fail prematurely. bushings have been replaced twice. problem re-occured a year after first replacement. inner tie rod bushings are affected by this problem.*ak | |||
| 07/15/2000 | 2 | 02/01/1998 | |
| Steering rack and pinion assembly sways from side to side making the vehicle go out of control. cause is poorly designed steering rack and pinion assembly that causes stress on steering rack bushings making them fail prematurely. bushings have been replaced twice. problem re-occured a year after first replacement. inner tie rod bushings are affected by this problem.*ak | |||
| 09/21/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving approximately 5 mph, bolts in rack and pinion steering broke, resulting in loss of steering control. consumer was able to stop vehicle without incident. a private repair shop diagnosed the problem. please provide any additional information / attachments. *note: parts available for inspection.*ak | |||
| 09/13/2001 | 1 | 08/01/2001 | |
| The rubber bushings (under the bolts) that connect the rack and pinion to the chassis of the automobile eroded and disintegrated making the bolts loose and rendering the rack and pinion to become very loose. the bolts could have broken or snapped off and the entire rack and pinion could have fallen off, maybe at a high rate of speed causing a major accident. the rack and pinion is now damaged and will have to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 07/25/2001 | |||
| Rack and pinion steering broke while driving. vehicle has been repaired, and manufacturer has been notified. please provide additional information.*ak | |||
| 06/15/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving at any any speed steering wheel would shake and had too much play. vehicle taken to dealer, steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced.*ak *slc | |||
| 07/22/2001 | |||
| Steering gets loose and making a clunking noise. over bumps vehicle moves around alot. consumer has repaired rack and pinion a total of 3 times. driver's side is the most recent. mehanic has seen5 different vehicles in the past few months.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 2 | 12/01/2000 | |
| Rack & pinion are major problem which i need manufacturer to consider looking into dont have the money for the car a week after i bought it started falling apart suspension was lose car is a complete danger zone. *ak | |||
| 01/31/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1998 | |
| Was backing out of parking spot when i felt a small thump. lost all steering capability. dealer salvaged rack and pinion (said bolts holding it to firewall completely sheered off...i left instructions to save the part but of course, the parts disapeared.) dealer also refused to let vehicle leave without new tie rods and control linkages which they said were damaged (could be true.) my brother is a mechanic with over 25 years in the business and has never seen anything like this before. i've lost confidence in my ability to keep this vehicle running safely, regadless of how much money gets sinked into it. can you imagine driving at 55mph on a slow right hand curve and this item failing, sending you into on-coming traffic? kids in the car?*ak | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Defective part unable to be fixed upon complaints to dealership as there were no leaks until it went completely out. serious safety concern! no safety defect. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2000 | |||
| When first starting vehicle and turning wheels there is a loud scraping sound coming from front end. also, steering rack and pinion needs to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 02/13/2001 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Steering wheel became hard to turn at slow speed (5 mph) and would not turn at all when vehicle came to a stop. *ak | |||
| 11/30/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1996 | |
| When it was cold out we heard a chunk noise from the front under the car when the steering wheel was turned in either direction . this went away when it warmed up in about 5 minutes. we took i t to the dealer and he told us it was the rack and pinion and it needed to be replaced. we did not beleive that this was an item that should ever have to be replaced ,especailly at $1300, so we contacted the manufacturer and we received a letter telling us they could not help because it was out of warranty. i asked a salesman how could a 4 year old car have to have the rack and pinion replaced and he told me it was quite common.*ak | |||
| 2 | |||
| Consumer states that a popping noise could be heard while turning the steering wheel, the vehicle had been taken to the dealer several times, however no problems were found, now that the vehicle has 24000 miles on and is out of warranty, the dealer is stating that the rack and pinion steering needs replaced. *slc | |||
| 08/01/2000 | 0 | ||
| Rack and pinion steering was making noise. then, took vehicle to repair shop and it was repaired.*ak | |||
| 10/08/2000 | 1 | 11/04/1995 | |
| The two inner tie rod bolts sheered at the steering gear side of the tie rods, causing total steering control loss of the vehicle, the bolts were removed and replaced, the original rack assembly was also replaced. *slc | |||
| Rack & pinion: when steering wheel is turned back and forth a loud metallic noise is heard. dealer says the whole rack and pinion must be replaced. many tsbs on you site. transmission (automatic) when it shifts gears there is a shutter. again many tsbs on your site. i spoke to the reps at diamler , they will record my complait. meanwhile dealer said approx. $4000 to repair all.*ak | |||
| 12/10/2000 | 1 | 05/14/1996 | |
| There was a thunk noise under car that consumer could hear through steering. took vehicle to dealer, and they said it was a bushing in the rack and pinion steering. *ak | |||
| 11/30/2000 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| In cold weather (under 40 f) after the first couple of years the steering makes loud banging noises when wheels are turned for the first 10 minutes after startup. cause: rack & pinion bushings dry out. ultimate risk: steering will loosen over time. cure: on 1996 model only, bushings are not replaceable. entire rack must be replaced at a cost of $1200. poor design means 1) potential for steering failure 2) warm-weather drivers won't have any warning 3) price discourages repair. this could turn into a problem as these cars age. *ak | |||
| 11/15/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| The rubber bushings that hold the rack and pinion power steering to the frame have worn out and this makes the steering of the car extremely loose, (excessive play). i have been told that the repair costs between $800.00 and $1000.00. *ak | |||
| 09/07/1999 | 1 | 02/01/1996 | |
| No summary | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| The front tie rods and the bushings in the rack and pinion failed. the steering at first became very sluggish and then the steering wheel got to where it would not return to center. it got so bad that it would not trigger the turn signal switch. we first had the tie rods replaced and the car aligned but that did not take care of the problem. we contacted several repair shops and then were told that the entire rack assembly would have to be replaced. we contacted champion chrysler in independence, mo and were told that there was an upgrade kit available to replace the bushings in the rack. we purchased the kit but no one would take on the repair other than the dealer, so we were forced to have it repaired by the dealer.*ak | |||
| 09/25/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1996 | |
| Loss of steering due to poorly designed rack and pinion bushings that mount the assembly to the chassis, 90 degrees of excessive amount of play in the steering causing .crashed into the a hill side at 15 miles perhour.vehicle is impossible to drive in a straight line, excessive wear on tires.most important, possible life threating defect.vehicle had this since i bought it,not as bad but gradually deteriorated with time.$1500 to repair, the bushings cannot be replaced since they are pressing into the assembly. please advise!!!*ak | |||
| 07/04/2000 | 1 | 03/16/1996 | |
| Consumer was turning into driveway & rack and pinion steering broke . dealer repaired it, but wasn't sure why it happened. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2000 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| Bushings on rack and pinon gone car makes loud noise when wheel turned for sharp turns. *ak | |||
| 2 | 02/01/1999 | ||
| Reported to dealership that theree ws excessive play in steering wheel. they replaced the inner tie rod bushings in november of 1999 at a cost of $300. sixteen thousand miles and 7 months later the same problem has occured. they say their service warranty is only 12 months or 12 thousand miles. i am now faced with another repair bill. also my cruise control has quit working. it would cut off or pick up speed then one day just quit working totally. i dont know about the cruise control but i think there is something wrong with the front end of these intrepids that they didnt correct when they replaced the bushings.*ak | |||
| 07/07/2000 | |||
| Consumer heard noise under hood & went to the dealer. dealer indicated that the whole rack & pinion had to be replaced because it comes as a unit and was caused by some of bushings being worn out. consumer has an extended warranty on the vehicle, but replacement was not covered under warranty. dealer finally agreed to have replacement done and to pay for part of the cost. *ak *ml | |||
| 06/28/2000 | |||
| Ea99031, steering rack and pinion and inner tie rod broke, which could cause loss of vehicle control. common problem. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 08/01/1998 | 07/01/1996 | ||
| My problem started out with the steering making a popping noise when turning to the left. this problem had worsened to a point where the steering would lock up at a certain position while turning left. it gradually progressed to be a safety issue and also started to be a problem when turning right. now this problem is so bad my wife refuses to drive the car at all, especially if the children are in the vehicle. i had just noticed recently that the middle portion of the gear rack, where the tie rods connect, is very loose. it almost seems that the rack may be broken at that area. the car has never been in any accident at all. it is obvious to me that this part is defective, and may be a hazard to the vehicle ocupants as well as people in other vehicles. this defect has the potential for loss of steering capabilities at any time. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | |||
| While driving at any speed on rough road or hitting a small bump, front end of the vehicle rattled. when vehicle was taken to the dealership, owner was told that steering rack and pinion assembly,and inner tie rod ends would need to be replaced because of bad bushings. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| Rack & pinion steering & bushings were changed approximately 13 months ago. now problem has returned. rack & pinion steering/inner tie rod ends are wearing excessively. this causes vehicle to be either thrown to the left or to the right, if cuts or deep cracks are in the road. will be taking vehicle back to dealership to check. *ak | |||
| 1 | 03/01/1996 | ||
| Rubber bushings in steering rack and pinion gear deteriorated prematurely causing sloppy steering. | |||
| While driving 5 mph out of a parking lot steering rack and pinion broke, causing no steering control. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| When traveling at any speed consumer noticed play in the front end due to the tie rod which went bad. also noticed a noise coming from the front end. consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced the steering wheel rack and pinion ea99-031. please provide any furhter details. *ak | |||
| 08/01/1996 | |||
| Ea99031, in cold climate, 35 degrees or below, or when first starting and the vehicle is cold, steering rack and pinion makes a noise and feels slow which may result in loss of vehicle control and crash. this clunking noise is heard for ten to fifteen minutes or until vehicle is warm. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1999 | |||
| Ea99031, while driving there is a knocking noise and seemingly too much play in steering which may result in loss of vehicle control. dealer replaced the inner tie rods and rack and pinion steering due to a worn out bushing. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 01/07/1998 | 1 | 06/27/1997 | |
| Rack and pinion steering replaced due to cold steering problem. mjs | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Cracked bushings in front left rack & pinion. not accident related. | |||
| 10/30/1999 | 2 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Rack & pinion has been replaced once & same symptoms are occuring again. there is a popping noise in the front when turning. due to the failure of the steering, we have had to replace tires & struts sooner then normal. brakes have also been replaced because rotors were bad & brake pads were warped. rear window glass was removed & a new section between the rear door & back glass was replace while under warranty. the same condition exists again. the back door is very difficult to open due to misalaignment. dealer refused to provide any service after original warranty. chrysler corp. authorized the replacement of rack & pinion, water pump, & rear wheel cylinders at 45450 miles. due to defects, mainly in the steering, i continue to pay a mechanic to assess the safety of operation of this vehicle. | |||
| 07/01/1997 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Two different sets of rubber bushings in the steering have failed on this vehicle. the tie rod end bushings failed on the right side causing a shimmying in the steering wheel. the more dangerous failure is the four rack and pinion bushings that hold it in place. the failure of these bushings allow the entire rack to move laterally, causing loss of steering control in sudden maneuvers. one night while avoiding a dog in the roadway, i attempted to move the car a foot to the left, but instead the car lurched all the way into oncoming traffic, nearly causing an accident. the dealer makes you buy the entire rack at a cost of $700 or more because no aftermarket manufacturer makes this component yet. i complained while the vehicle was still under warranty at 32000 miles of a creaking in the front while turning the steering wheel, but they did not identify the problem until complete failure at a later date. *ak | |||
| 08/26/1999 | 10/16/1996 | ||
| Innertie rod has become defective ,affecting rack and pinion, and causing loss of control. *ak | |||
| While turning into the driveway vehicle lost all steering. steering wheel turned, but vehicle kept going in same direction. dealer replaced the rack and pinion. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 1 | 02/01/1996 | |
| This vehicle was driven primarly by a women who knows nothing about a car. the few times i had driven this vehicle i thought some thing was wrong for quite some time. i feel chrysler knows they have a problem with there rack and pinion steering but won't admit it is a fault. | |||
| 09/14/1999 | 2 | 05/01/1997 | |
| 3 times to the dealership for front end repairs. struts and bushings have been replaced. last time taken in the steering rack was loose. | |||
| 09/29/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Steering rack bushings,sway bar links,and inner and outer tie rod ends. experienced loss of steering control, barely avoiding a major accident with children in car. | |||
| 08/29/1999 | 1 | ||
| Consumer was pulling out of the parking lot with the steering wheel to the left when there was a loud noise coming from the vehicle.rack pinion bolts broke, causing the steering wheel to spin, and the tires went straight. *ak the four bolts holding the steering housing to the firewall failed caused the steering to fail. *yh | |||
| 05/20/1999 | 1 | 07/24/1998 | |
| Rack and pinion failed causing the bolts and tie rod to shear off, loss of steering control. mjs | |||
| 1 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| Vehicle wandered badly. replaced rack & pinion. then found broken frame weld from factory. factory repaired weld. problem not solved . car wanders and wears out tires rapidly | |||
| 0 | |||
| Tie rods are defective, causing steering to become loose, resulting in loss of control. 2. a leak from water pump is dripping onto timing belt, possibly stretching the belt, and ruining engine. also, dealer has replaced rack and pinion steering. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1998 | |||
| Reported this to the dealer less than a month of owning the car. no response. no defects discussed in summary. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1998 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| We bought this car as a program and it sure has been in the shop alot. i also heard from the area mechanics that they have replaced alot of the racks on the dodge intrepids and how come there is not a recall on this item. | |||
| 07/07/1998 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| The bushings and the rack and pinion steering are very loose, causing the vehicle to wander all over the road. the problem was noticed the first time by the dealer. at that time, the bushings were tightened, which did not solve the problem. the bushings have been loose again. the steering system needs to be replaced at this time. *ak | |||
| 12/09/1997 | 3 | ||
| While driving vehicle steering wheel had a lot of play. took to dealer & informed rack & pinion was problem. dealer did not have parts to repair. on back order. steering power pump, rear bearings, doors needed adjusting & water pump failed. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 05/28/2000 | 80000 | 2 | 10/04/1996 |
| Vehicle pulls to the left while driving 25 mph. consumer was able to drive the vehicle home. then, consumer noticed that the bushing was worn out, and steering rack broke. manufacturer was notified.*ak | |||
| 09/29/2004 | 93700 | 1 | 10/18/1997 |
| While driving children to school my wife stated the car drifted in the lane a lot without steering input. i took it for test drive, noticed a strange feel to the steering and the drift she spoke of. i decided it was unsafe for her to drive and took it to a local repair shop to be checked. the mechanic put it up on the rack and immediately recognized the problem--the left side steering rack bushings were completely gone. he gave us a quote for the repair (it is being done today), and then he pulled me aside to let me know he had seen this type of failure several times before and suggested i contact the dealer to see if they would goodwill it (his term) as he says it was his understanding the part was defective as originally manufactured and that a new style bushing was available that did not deteriorate like this one and was much safer. contacted the dealer in auburn and talked to the service manager, he said car is too old (1996) so we are out of luck and quoted me a repair price almost double the local mechanic. *ak | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1996 | ||
| Steering rack sways from side to side producing a clicking sound. the body member (a plate) underneath the rack also sways. the dealer (woodbridge dodge,nj) says, that the rack bushings have worn out. which is very abnormal. but they won't replace the bushings-only. the cost of rack replacement is more that $1500. | |||
| 12/03/1997 | 2 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Power steering rack came loose causing a dangerous situation in 12/97 & 11/99. same problem each time as well as many other problems, such as engine being rebuilt, air conditioning unit replaced and several other problems. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1999 | |||
| Steering rack bushings deteriorated which could possibly lead to loss of steering control. the dealer and manufacturer have been notified. *ak | |||
| 03/04/1999 | 2 | 06/06/1996 | |
| When at any speed and making any type of turn there is a popping sound coming from the steering, and consumer's tires are bald, and the consumer had the tires rotated and the tires are not any good, which can cause a safety defect while driving. *ak | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 06/01/1998 | 1 | 09/01/1997 | |
| Premature bushing failure in steering column. i reported it to the manufacturer, but they told me too bad and there was nothing they could do about it. another words pay the $500.00 to get it fixed. i feel that this is a safety defect and should be paid for by the manufacturer. | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| There is a problem with the steering column bushings wearing out prematurely causing a banging noise in the steering it has been happening for a while now and i also found out that a coworker of mine who has the same car has the exact same problem and he only has 20,000 mile on his vehicle, so i called a couple of dealer and their service departments informed me that this is a known problem with the intrepids. i called the manufacturer (800-992-1997) to request a repair authorization and they were ignorant and short with me and said that there was nothing they were going to do about this. i would like to have them recall this as a defective part which it clearly is.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Problem w/steering column affected alignment causing need for new tires. | |||
| 04/10/2000 | 0 | 05/14/1996 | |
| Bushings and the seals in the steering wheel are bad and make a loud noise. this has not effected the steering of the vehicle yet. took vehicle to dealer and was told that the bushings are non-replaceable, and that the only way to correct the problem is to replace the entire rack and pinion. owner feels that the vehicle would not pass safety inspection in its current condition. *ak | |||
| 03/10/2000 | 0 | 05/14/1996 | |
| Bushings and seals in steering wheel are bad, and make a lot of noise. took vehicle to dealer, was told that the bushings are not replaceable, and that the only way to correct the problem is to replace the entire rack and pinion. owner feels that the vehicle would not pass safety inspection in its current condition. *ak | |||
| 04/10/2000 | 0 | 02/13/1996 | |
| Bushing and seals in steering wheel are bad and make a loud noise. took vehicle to dealer, and was told that the bushings are not replaceable, the whole rack and pinion would have to be replaced to correct the problem. owner does not think the vehicle will pass safety inspection in its current condition.*ak | |||
| 12/03/1997 | 2 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Power steering rack came loose causing a dangerous situation in 12/97 & 11/99. same problem each time as well as many other problems, such as engine being rebuilt, air conditioning unit replaced and several other problems. *ak | |||
| 08/01/1999 | |||
| While making a left turn steering wheel would not return for normal driving. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 09/07/1998 | |||
| While driving and attempting to make turns driver has to hold the steering wheel with both hands because the wheel is very loose. dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 12/09/1997 | 3 | ||
| While driving vehicle steering wheel had a lot of play. took to dealer & informed rack & pinion was problem. dealer did not have parts to repair. on back order. steering power pump, rear bearings, doors needed adjusting & water pump failed. *ak | |||