Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 021699 | 12/31/1999 | 030298 | 609986 | Some vehicles may exhibit a constant lead or pull on a flat non-crowned road. *tt | 04/12/2000 |
| 020398 | 05/29/1998 | 601681 | Vehicle leads or pulls on flat non-crowned road. *yc | 11/10/1999 | |
| 020897 | 10/03/1997 | 54120 | Conditions with vehicle leads or pulls on a flat non-crowned road. *yc | 03/30/1998 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||||
| 020697 | 06/27/1997 | 52537 | Vehicle lead to right under acceleration. *tw | 08/14/1997 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 05/21/2012 | 190000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. the contact reversed and drove over a two inch beam. as a result, the front passenger side control arm fractured. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the contact was told that the control arm would need to be replaced. the mechanic informed the contact of a recall associated with the failure under nhtsa campaign id number: 99v215000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower arm). the recall however, was only issued for the 2004 model dodge intrepid and not the 1997 model. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure and the current mileages were 190,000. kmj | |||
| 05/21/2012 | 190000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. the contact stated when they backed up over a two inch beam the front passenger side control arm broke. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the contact was told that the control arm would need to be replaced. the mechanic told the contact that there was a nhtsa recall campaign id number: 99v215000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower arm) issued for the 1994 model year, but not the 1997. the mechanic also stated that the frame for this vehicle was the same from 1993 to 1999. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage and current mileages were 190,000.rl | |||
| 02/01/2008 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. the contact noticed that the ball joints, tire rods, sway bar bushing and motor mounts wore prematurely and needed constant repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, did not offer any assistance since there were no recalls. the current mileage was 128,000 and the failure mileage was 98,000. kmj | |||
| 02/01/2008 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. the contact noticed the ball joints, tire rod, sway bar bushing, and motor mounts all wore prematurely and needed repairing constantly. the dealer had not been notified. the manufacturer was aware of the failure; however, did not offer any assistance since there were no recalls. the current mileage was 128,000. the failure mileage was 98,000. bw | |||
| 11/14/2008 | 95700 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. while driving relatively low speeds including 10 mph, there was shaking sensation accompanied by difficulty steering. the dealers technician stated that the control arm would cost $1000.00 to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 95,700 and the current mileage was 95,890. | |||
| 02/15/2004 | 3 | ||
| Third failure of my dodge 97 intrepid for power steering and tie rod failure. replacements were as follows: 3/27/98 7,999 miles-power steering pump replaced(previous owner) 11/2/01 41,530 miles-thump noise in front end-repaired strut assembly (previous owner) 11/9/01 41,923-i purchased vehicle from dodge ewald-driving home i heard a thumping in the right wheel upon turning. took back to dealer who replied this is normal i stated no way!!!! replaced strut assembly and frozen outer tie rods and adjusting sleevings. 8/7/02 68,116 miles-pulling out of driveway-steering went. towed to dealer. replaced rack assembly and inner tie rods. 2/16/04 85,344 miles-backing out of parking spot-thump heard, no control of steering and right wheel severely facing in. towed to dealership. replaced rack assembly, tie rods. wheel alignment done however took hands of steering wheel and immediately pulled to the right. took back to dealership told that right wheel is worn (i wonder why!) -spoke to service and informed them that this part was replaced three times-stated that there is obviously something wrong. also each time the rack had to be special ordered due to none in stock (i now know why!) previous time i had to pay deductible but this last time my warranty expired and was told that the parts are only guaranteed for 1 yr. i had to pay $1,600 for this repair! researching this problem on-line has revealed that this is a well documented problem on the intrepid vehicles-multiple years!!!!!. *jb | |||
| 07/06/2001 | |||
| Bracket which holds strut into place has worn out and caused strut to release, and front left wheel to fall over while driving at 20 mph. dealer was notified. feel free to provide any further information on this matter.*ak | |||
| 01/15/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| I was driving my intrepid, a new engine was just put into it, and they did a complete inspection of everything at the same time. i was going 50 miles an hour swerved to miss an animal, suddenly the left wheel must of broke, put me into a spin, i spun around several times ending flipped over into a ditch. no explanation except their must of been manufacturer defect in the steering or wheel assemblies. it was a slight swerve nothing extreme. i am hurt pretty badly, unable to barely move today, and my car was totaled after having to just had to put out money for an engine that blew up approximately a month earlier. please help! i am a single mother, this was my dream car, now i have nothing, due to no fault of my own. thank you, sincerely, robin stanley phone 707 428-4751, my cell number is 707365-3829, and my address 368 tulip st, fairfield, ca 94533. i am now unable to work from the injuries, not sure for how long, and so there is no money for a new car! what do i do. any assistance or advice would be extremely helpful. thank you again for your time. *ak | |||
| 1 | 03/19/1998 | ||
| Noise heard from suspension in front and rear. mjs | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 11/22/2003 | 115 | 1 | 06/11/2002 |
| While backing-out and to the left from a parking spot, a loud bang was heard and the vehicle, a 1997 4dr dodge intrepid was undrivable. an assessment by a qualified mechanic concluded a serious problem occurred in the front right passenger side wheel area. the low control arm was ripped away from the engine cradle. the vehicle was towed to the nearest dealership in paris,tennessee. (pepper's dodge attn. lori 731-642-5661). digital pictures of the ripped metal and damage area are available at dc8videoman@msn.com follow-up reporting to chrysler headquarters about the seriousness of this event concluded that, senior staff decline assistance. (chrysler file # kmm590568v86801l0km / ref# 11849430). my insurance carrier (usaa 1231595) said that they will begin an investigation this week. pepper's dodge has been advised and said they will wait for usaa to conclude their report. i have been told by two mechanics that this appears to be very rare and dangerous, and could have happened while driving. i am requesting a full investigation into this matter by the nhtsa as soon as possible. thank you. *la | |||
| 2 | 01/28/1998 | ||
| While driving, steering locked. could not turn wheel left or right. took to mechanic to change rack and pinion. dealer contacted. *ak a worn belt was replaced but did not remedy stalling problem, now radiator leaks. consumer states that when replacing the air filter, the plastic case that holds the screws instantly breaks. dealer stated vehicle had a recent front end alignment, however the tires wore in 8000-10000 miles. *tt | |||
| 02/23/2001 | 1 | 06/01/1999 | |
| This vehicle has always pulled to the right. even after having it aligned, it still pulls right on some roads. going just 30 mph both left & right tie rods went out. i had just exited the freeway going approx. 70 mph. if this had happened @ that speed, it most certainly would have resulted in an accident. tie rods should not go out at 40,000 miles. have '92 ford truck and have never replaced tie rods. i noticed on the data base numerous complaints regarding the same problem. a recall should be initiated on this part.*ak | |||
| 10/25/2000 | 06/01/1999 | ||
| Loud clunking noise in the front end. steering wheel pulls left and right while driving. mechanic said needed new steering rack and pinion and that vehicle is not safe to drive.*ak | |||
| 10/24/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1999 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Front wheel out of alignment. nlm | |||
| 10/27/1997 | 3 | 07/01/1997 | |
| Sun roof- problem existed at time of sale, dealer aware that parts were defective and no replacements available. still not fixed as of 5/24/1999. car drifted to the left on flat roads and crowned highways-right lane. drift was severe. full lane change within 300 ft or less. dealer response- all components set to manufacturer's specs. nothing he can do. last trip in march 1999 dealer noticed wear on tires and rotated them. also ordered power steering pump and a steering idler arm. car does not drift anymore. front end has had a vibration from day 1. dealer can't seem to notice it of find out the cause. changed tires, rotated tires, checked on brake discs, etc. still no full solution. vibration is less the first noticed but still present at 5/24/99. some was corrected 12/08/1997, more remains. lights do not seem to be bright enough or the throw pattern is wrong. leaves blind, bark areas in front of car especially the high beams. dealer response: lights are set according to specs. they seem to throw lights more upward-short range and to the sides. oncoming traffic complaints. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 05/13/1999 | 1 | 01/20/1998 | |
| Right front ball joint and axle failed/broken causing damage to steering and suspension components. mjs | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 09/07/2006 | 0 | 4 | 07/10/2006 |
| I had a recall performed on vehicle last year at martin dodge in bowling green, ky. after getting the services rendered i noticed several problems. one was that the turn signals were no longer operable, automatic transmission would not shift past second gear and would miss gears repeatedly, and abs brakes failed. also noticed that suspension was worse after they performed suspension recalls. i have tried on several occasions to contact the dealership and they only suggested that i bring it for a diagnostic at my cost, even though the problems existed after getting the recalls fixed. i incurred court cost of $166.00 because of improper equipment and the buy, here, pay here lot was requesting $2,280 for a car that i had no choice but to junk it because no being able to pass inspection for the road. i would appreciate anything you could do to aid in me absorbing the cost of this situation. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 12/12/1996 | 07/04/1996 | ||
| Vehicle experienced the following problems: tie rod end replaced, brakes pulled to left, transmission and shocks replaced three occassions, windows won't stay up, steering wheel crooked, reservoir cap replaced twice, brake rotors out of round, rack and pinion replaced twice, fuel gauge replaced, driver window fixed 3 times, tires replaced 3 times in 4 years, child safety seat belt won't adjust and needs replacement. *ak *ml | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||
| 03/16/2008 | 11 | 2 | 02/20/2007 |
| 1997 dodge intrepid-169,610 miles > > i only had this car for 1-1/2 years with less than > 3,500 miles driven. > > today on march 16, 2008 at 1:15pm, i came back to > college from spring break. i noticed that i was 29 > miles away from the college and the steering wheel > started to jerk to the right and move on its own. i > turn the steering wheel back to the left and had to > force the wheel to turn and move where i need to go. > > > the steering wheel never made noises as i was > driving > today, but i noticed that i had to force the wheel > hard to make a turn into the parking lot. when i > tried to park, the wheel would not respond, so i had > to force the wheel to turn and still did not work. > i'm now trapped in the parking lot because i'm not > sure that i'm safe on the road. > > i'm located in southfield, mi and in 8 weeks, i need > to drive back to indianapolis, in (approximately 312 > miles, 7-9 hours). incident two i was 4 miles away from school and noticed that i had steering problems. as i was forcing the wheel to corporate a truck was to my right and i could not control the car as the car jerked to the right. causing me to hit the trunk from my front right to the passenger tire. now my engine is having several problems that deal with one of the cylinders not responding after the incident. the car shakes violently if idled for seconds and moving sometimes. when this happened, my steering still didn't work so could not move the car without help and my car blocked several cars. i have spent over $1400 in keeping the engine from collapsing to the ground after the incident, a part that keeps the car from flipping over when turning. i still continue to have problems with the steering wheel. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 03/16/2008 | 11 | 2 | 02/20/2007 |
| 1997 dodge intrepid-169,610 miles > > i only had this car for 1-1/2 years with less than > 3,500 miles driven. > > today on march 16, 2008 at 1:15pm, i came back to > college from spring break. i noticed that i was 29 > miles away from the college and the steering wheel > started to jerk to the right and move on its own. i > turn the steering wheel back to the left and had to > force the wheel to turn and move where i need to go. > > > the steering wheel never made noises as i was > driving > today, but i noticed that i had to force the wheel > hard to make a turn into the parking lot. when i > tried to park, the wheel would not respond, so i had > to force the wheel to turn and still did not work. > i'm now trapped in the parking lot because i'm not > sure that i'm safe on the road. > > i'm located in southfield, mi and in 8 weeks, i need > to drive back to indianapolis, in (approximately 312 > miles, 7-9 hours). incident two i was 4 miles away from school and noticed that i had steering problems. as i was forcing the wheel to corporate a truck was to my right and i could not control the car as the car jerked to the right. causing me to hit the trunk from my front right to the passenger tire. now my engine is having several problems that deal with one of the cylinders not responding after the incident. the car shakes violently if idled for seconds and moving sometimes. when this happened, my steering still didn't work so could not move the car without help and my car blocked several cars. i have spent over $1400 in keeping the engine from collapsing to the ground after the incident, a part that keeps the car from flipping over when turning. i still continue to have problems with the steering wheel. *tr | |||
| 1 | 11/01/2099 | ||
| Car started to vibrate bad around 74000 miles. took to 3 different repair facilites, was told by first the rack and pinion needed replaced, was a bad design and they see it all the time. was told other components were wore also because of the rack and pinion, total cost- $1500. midas muffler gave me a similar estimate for $1600. this week a firestone dealer checked the car, the right rear cradle cap bushing was gone,right front separated and about to fall apart. other suspension/steering components wore and needed replaced. they told me to take it to a dodge dealer and complain. this car is the second largest purchase we have ever made, besides our house. we feel cheated by dodge. we are afraid to drive the car for fear it will fall apart like others i have seen on this site.dodge should repair this car fully or buy it back from us. we will not be able to afford to take our children to see the ocean ( we live in ky) as we hoped to do this summer and the car is not dependable enough to drive out of my driveway!!*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 08/02/1999 | 7 | 07/01/1999 | |
| I have made a number of phone calls to the dealer in the past three weeks without a response. no safety defect mentioned. *ak | |||
| 02/11/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1997 | |
| Rust on oil level dipstick. handle broken off oil level dipstick due to heat. metallic scraping noise from left from of vehicle. clunking from left front when wheels turned to right and driving in reverse. steering column moves up and down contacting the dash over bumps. car taken to dealer for all issues except dipstick tube. none of the problems were corrected. charged $300 for sway bar end links and power steering pump. new power steering pump still noisy after driving 500 miles as directed by dealer. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 06/02/2006 | 139092 | 1 | 08/01/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the rear end of the vehicle bounced up and down after driving over a bump. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, where the rear struts were replaced. the vehicle then began to make a clunking noise in the rear end. the repair shop was alerted, but did not inspect the vehicle. | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 03/16/1999 | |||
| Rear torsion bar buckle broke, which may have caused a loss of vehicle control and accident. please provide further information. *ak | |||