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 | |
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||||
| 220499 | 10/29/1999 | 612159 | Subject concerning the steering wheel vibration. *mjs | 06/06/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 05/01/2012 | 191963 | ||
| As i was driving along and approached my exit, the steering wheel locked up and would not allow me to control the car. i was able to stop the car safely hitting some brush on the side of the road. no damage or injuries were incurred, but this was very frightening! now, the steering is still getting stuck on turns and i have no horn! the airbag light is now showing and i don't know whats going on with this car! something needs to be done. no warnings, or recalls have been made, and there a many concerns of others going through the same issue with this car. please advise on what is going to be done about this problem before someone gets killed! | |||
| 04/17/2012 | 150 | ||
| My 2000 intrepid s engine blew up 2 years ago and again 2days ago there was no warning. master cylinder is failing and the steering pin broke in the car and left me helpless i ended up in a ditch. i called dodge and they said they couldn't help because it was out of warranty past 7 years and its only been 2 | |||
| 01/26/2010 | 130000 | 1 | |
| 2000 dodge intrepid the power steering started acting up, problem's like wining and hard to steer at times. than finally it went out all together we took the car to the local shop after two power pumps and a new steering rack-n-pinion the mechanic still couldn't figure what the problem was.when he called and said that there was nothing else he could do about the steering problem and he didn't know what was causing it to steer so hard,so he told us to come and get the !@#$% | |||
| 07/03/2009 | 160000 | ||
| Almost lost control of the steering while driving on the interstate highway. car started shaking so we pulled of to the side of the road as soon as possible. the inner tie rod bushings were completely gone with just the bolt and washer holding the tie rod on the steering rack. had to replace the inner tie rods, but still need to replace the steering rack. | |||
| 05/07/2009 | 140364 | 1 | |
| Backing out of a parking space in 2000 dodge intrepid es with 140k miles, there was a loud pop and had complete loss of steering in the front left wheel. the bolt that secures the tie rod to the rack and pinion had completely pulled out of the rack and pinion. if this had occurred while driving, it would have resulted in a major accident. rack and pinion needs to be replaced to fix the problem. i did not have the part replaced, so i still have the old part. i have parked the car and refuse to drive it. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| The 2000 dodge intrepid es 3.2l model has a rack and pinion problem. mine started around may of 05 at about 63,000 miles. it started out just as a clunking noise. i had replaced all kinds of parts within the past few years like lower and upper ball joints, inner tie rods (twice), front end alignments, etc., thinking that the noise would be fixed. after all that was replaced on this car, i figured that the car was just made that way. as of this year, the steering started making a louder clunking noise when turning and straightening the wheels. at this point it just keeps getting louder and louder. i've had this looked at twice by different mechanics. the dealer in pittsburgh says that the replacement is $875.00 (which does not include labor) and that it is on back order and that the remanufactured ones are no longer available. i went online and found an unbelievable amount of consumers having the same type of problems with many chyrysler/dodge vehicles. it seems alot of them have been sent to you. the one site is: http://www.dontbuydodgechryslervehicles.com/dodge_chrysler_steering_problems.htm there was another site that i contacted earlier this year (www.dodgechryslersteeringproblems.com) (which as i looked today are no longer there) and they said to contact you which i am doing. please reply to this. this seems to be a very serious problem. when i asked the dealer about this, they said my year should not have this problem! guess what... it does! as i look at the questions that are listed below, luckily i can say i don't have to click on yes to any of them or to put in the number of deaths.....and hopefully i won't need to. but from what i'm seeing, my days are numbered. *tr | |||
| 08/28/2008 | 67445 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. when turning the vehicle, the steering would not return to its normal position. the contact had to pull the steering wheel back manually. the vehicle then began making a clunking noise in the front end. the diagnosis was that the rack and pinion steering had internal play and the steering gear needed to be replaced. the contact referenced technical service bulletin number 1900101 (steering). the current and failure mileages were 67,445. updated 10/03/08 *bf updated 10/06/08. *jb | |||
| 09/20/2005 | 3000 | 20 | 01/20/2000 |
| Steering on car makes loud clunking noises and freezes/locks at low to medium speeds( preventing any operator control for 1 to 5 seconds). usually seems to be when turning left however that is not steadfast either. even turning wheel to back car out of driveway will make large clunking sound in front end. seems to be usually within first five to 10 minutes of car running however that is not steadfast. this car has not crashed yet but the potential has presented itself more than once. at this point i refuse to let my small children ride in car. *jb | |||
| 05/31/2005 | 20000 | 1 | 04/04/2004 |
| Dt: 2000 dodge intrepid bought in april used with 11,000 miles. since then it has been in shop 9-10 times, mostly consisting of steering problems, such as rack and pinion and the steering coupler. there were other issues, but this was the main concern. one week ago the consumer was involved in an accident, front end impact for which the air bags did not deploy. consumer sustained injuries. no repairs after the accident because there was over $6,000 worth of damage. *ak emergency brake handle was loose. the dealer determined the it was not connected. the dealer repositioned/reassembled the emergency brake. the key wouldn't come out of the ignition because the shift interlock cable broke. the check engine light illuminated. the dealer replaced the wiring to the brake light switch. *nm | |||
| 03/03/2005 | 5 | ||
| Steering sticking while turning car. nability to correct turn once inputed, has lead to the car leaving the road several times.*ak | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 58017 | ||
| Engine in 2000 chrysler intrepid started tapping noise at 58017km brought to dealer with complaint, told they would not take engine apart to check noise. i told them i had been told that the 2.7 engine had problems with sludge that prevented the oil from circulating properly. they still refused to check engine. at just over 62000 km engine became noisy. brought it back to dealer who kept the car for two weeks, then told me engine needed to be replaced at a cost of $6500.00 and there would be no warranty coverage or goodwill. i gave them a complete history of maintenance records showing that proper maintenance was done with in the required mileage and time. they have told me that the invoices do not clearly identify my 2000 black intrepid and that it could of been another car. i only own one 2000 intrepid. the invoice shows the work the mileage and my name and date. next me they told me the invoice numbers were too close together. the work was done at four different garages. then they told me there was sludge that showed the vehicle was not properly maintained. then they asked me the brand of oil the garages used as it may have been faulty. end result is that they refuse to change their position in regards to warranty coverage or goodwill repairs and i will have to replace an engine that was bought brand new in may 2001. i am frustrated and do not know where to turn. any assistance would be greatly appreciated. | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| Since i bought this car on october of 1999, i have taken it to the dealer 31 times to fix things. i have been without a car 100 days. i have paid out of pocket $3,137.64. i am now on an extended warranty. i still owe $8,000.00 on my car. it has 60,000 miles. i have maintained it every 3,000 miles as suggested in the owners manual. i only use 97 octane gas. i am a very cautious driver. i take care of the car but the car has left me stranded in the middle of highways putting my life and the lives of my passengers in danger. i never know when the car is going to break down again and where so i am always under terrible stress. i pray as i drive that i make it to my destination. this car has been a lemon since i bought it. the biggest problem is the engine blowing. my brother in law was driving and i was the passenger on south dixie highway (us1) in south miami when we were at a red light and then started to go when the light turned green and without any warning lights, noises, or anything the car stopped running. it died in the middle lane. we had to push it to the side. it was rush hour and this highway is filled with very aggressive drivers. they were all cursing, beeping, signaling, and driving so close to us as to almost touch us. i was petrified. i thought a car was going to hit us. i paid for the engine repair out of my pocket, because the extended warranty company told the dealer they could not cover it because there was sludge build up. they send an adjustor who reported it to them. the dealer told us to fight it because the sludge was normal for that type of engine. we provided the extended warranty all the receipts for the maintenance that we religiously did about every 3000 miles. we also had another mechanic go in and look at the car. the other mechanic said that these types of engines always had the problem of sludge build up and that it was normal for the engine and that the extended warranty should cover it. | |||
| 11/15/2003 | 68254 | ||
| Steering developed 'play' in late 10/03. by 11/12/03 it was clunking, wheel was cocked to the right. steering wheel would stick/lock up. contacted dealer in santa rosa, ca. was quoted $175 estimate. later, same day learned that rack was broken and pump was leaking and cost would be a minimum $2000 to repair. i opted to go to another mechanic and had the car towed away from the dealer shop. | |||
| 06/15/2002 | 42000 | ||
| Traveling at 70 mph on interstate 65, the vehicle was drifting right and then veered right. vehicle would not respond. vehicle hit right guardrail and was deflected to the left across 3 lanes and impacted the center concrete divider. | |||
| 04/28/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving at any speed and with no warning steering bolt will lose and it is causing the steering wheel to jump around, making it hard for consumer to steer the vehicle.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2001 | |||
| I have found an excellent and informative website against daimler chrysler at www.daimlerchryslervehicleproblems.com for anyone who would like more information mainly in regard to intrepid, 300m, concorde, lhs premature engine, steering, transmission and other common failures. i have experienced many of these problems myself and daimler chrysler simply does not care, i could have even been killed in one instance. after own another vehicle and putting nearly 30,000 miles on it i have not had any of the ridiculous problems experienced with chrysler's dodge brand of vehicles. there is a lot of information consumers need to know that daimler chrysler does not want you to know about these vehicles and their common problems chrysler ignores, some of which are potential safety concerns such as the defective seat belt design chrysler continues to use and defective steering design and or components that can cause sudden looseness or change of response in steering, which can lead to a serious accident. these guys have been receiving complaints daily about these problems and have been referring consumers to the nhtsa, i hope that in turn the nhtsa will add this to the list of their complaints so others will also know about this. thank you very much for your time. *nlm | |||
| 06/02/2002 | 42000 | 1 | 12/06/1999 |
| Loss of steering control. vehicle veered right and would not respond. *jb | |||
| 07/19/2002 | 1 | ||
| The steering locked up, which caused consumer to loose control of the vehicle.*jb | |||
| 09/16/2000 | |||
| When driving vehicle and making a left turn steering wheel will turn, but wheel won't follow through. connection is not able to impact. consumer was traveling about 35mph on highway, went to turn vehicle left, and vehicle went straight. he ended up in a ditch.*ak | |||
| 04/01/2000 | 1 | ||
| Steering mechanism feels loose. at a high way speed vehicle need continual adjustment it wanders. this defect is not allowing consumer to have full control of vehicle. dealer has not acknowledged defect or provided remedy.*ak the vehicle was at the dealership three times but the problem was not solved and the vehcile is unsafe. *yh | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 06/28/2004 | 1 | ||
| When driving at undetermined speed steering wheel failed, causing the driver to lose control the vehicle and hit another vehicle head on. consumer stated that steering wheel locked up, and both front air bags did not deploy. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealership for inspection, and mechanic determined that the steering column bolt snapped. *ak | |||
| 06/16/2001 | 1 | 08/22/2000 | |
| While driving home, all of a sudden the steering wheel loosened up and vehicle was almost unable to steer, vehicle was taken into dealership and consumer was informed the tilt mechanism was coming apart at the column, steering column was replaced, consumer is also requesting reimburesment for rental fees that were incurred due to dealer having vehicle for over three weeks.*jb | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 05/12/2003 | 57000 | 04/02/2001 | |
| The day after we had gotten new tires put on and aligned on our 2000 dodge intrepid the car pulled strongly to the right and made loud sounds on turns. took it to the dealer and had him look at it and said steering gear had dropped and had to be replaced. replaced the steering gear and did an alignment to the turn of $1400. went to the dealer in the first place to get seat fixed on free recall and ended up spending over $1800 dollars there. noticed lots of complaints about steering on mycarstats - is this a mfg defect that should be covered?*jb | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 09/10/2004 | 2 | ||
| While driving 15 mph vehicle stalled. consumer was unable to restart the vehicle, and had it towed to a garage for inspection. mechanic determined that the steering power assist pump and timing belt needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 09/15/2004 | 67000 | 1 | 11/20/2000 |
| The power steering hits against a fitting and it puts a hole in the power steering line. this caused power steering fluid to leak, and when turning the vehicle a whining noise was heard and that was when consumer discovered the defect. *ak the consumer stated that the vehicle had a premature engine, door lock , ac failure. the vehicle power steering pump makes noise. *tc | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/31/2007 | 117400 | 1 | 02/15/2007 |
| Noticed play in steering getting worse as time went on so i went to a local firestone to have tires replaced and complete alignment done on vehicle. they replaced the tires but refused to do an alignment because they said there was too much play in the inner tierods and that the steering gear may need to be replaced. they quoted me a price of 300.00 for each inner tierod and said i would have to find a different shop to replace the rack and pinion because they can not. car still drifts all over the road and the steering still has play. i refuse to have my two small children in this death trap. *tr | |||
| 10/03/2005 | 80000 | 2 | 07/13/2001 |
| After driving approximately 12 miles to work the car was pulled into a parking space and while straightening the wheels a loud pop was heard and the car had no steering. the inspection revealed that (2) two 1/2 inch threaded bolts (that bolt the tie rods to the steering rack had sheared off. one of the tie rod bushings was gone and the area the bushing was in was extremely worn, requiring replacement. the rack and pinion was replaced on this vehicle at 20,000 miles under warranty. the car was repaired by removing the rack, backing out the old bolt ends and installing new bolts. the one tie rod was replaced. i contacted chrysler corporation customer service and they offered no help on the repair. the district rep was ask to help and he denied any help. (he did not even look at the damage. i was told that he would not over rule detriot). *jb | |||
| 07/02/2005 | 50000 | 1 | 09/29/2000 |
| Dt: 2000 dodge intrepid with 60,000 miles. the steering failed. it started with a lot of loose play in the steering. wheel. currently when driving straight the wheel was upside down. this problem started approximately 10,000 miles ago, complete failure occurred on july 27, 2005. the vehicle became impossible to drive in a short period of time. the vehicle is currently at the dealership, and they have not looked at it. it showed rack and pinion steering failure symptoms. chrysler was not willing to help with the problem. the vehicle did not go in a straight line, the tires were recently replaced and the vehicle was balanced and aligned.*ak the tie rod was replaced. *jb | |||
| 06/28/2004 | 37000 | 2 | 03/14/2000 |
| Check oil light kept coming on, took to dealer and they repaired problem, two times to get it done. dealer said oil pressure was fine /28/04 - timing chain failure, only 37,000 miles on car. bought new in 2000. engine valves were damaged. dealer took 2 1/2 weeks to repair lso had to replace tie rod ends.*ak | |||
| 02/23/2004 | 64500 | 1 | |
| While driving at any speed consumer heard a noise coming through the engine. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the technician determined the need for a new engine at consumer's expense of $8,800. the consumer checked the web site and found many similar complaints. *ak there was also a loss of power. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they suggested that there was a problem with the rod bearing. *sc | |||
| 06/17/2003 | 75000 | 1 | 05/10/2000 |
| While traveling on the highway, the consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the front of the vehicle, causing rack and pinion to go out. *ak. the consumer noticed slack in the steering and rattling in the front at around 75000 miles. the steering became stuck during left and right turns. *ts. the tie rods were replaced and also the rack and pinion needed to be replaced, however the consumer declined the repairs. *jb | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 10/31/2007 | 117400 | 1 | 02/15/2007 |
| Noticed play in steering getting worse as time went on so i went to a local firestone to have tires replaced and complete alignment done on vehicle. they replaced the tires but refused to do an alignment because they said there was too much play in the inner tierods and that the steering gear may need to be replaced. they quoted me a price of 300.00 for each inner tierod and said i would have to find a different shop to replace the rack and pinion because they can not. car still drifts all over the road and the steering still has play. i refuse to have my two small children in this death trap. *tr | |||
| 09/18/2007 | 98971 | 2 | 08/01/2002 |
| Vehicle information: 98,975 miles on the car bushings broke september 18, 2007 took the car in for steering noise and accessive shaking they were replaced and within that same day the bolts broke off in my drive-way than my mechanic did his homework and found this defect online....car is no longer driveable. what do we do??? do we fix the car and park it until dodge does something or leave as is.... please help.... *tr | |||
| 07/10/2007 | 100000 | 3 | 09/01/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge intrepid. while driving 50 mph, the vehicle would veer to the right. the repair shop performed an alignment and the power steering pump was replaced. however, the failure still occurred. the vehicle was taken to another repair shop and they stated that the steering gear rack and pinion needed to be replaced. a complaint was filed with the manufacturer and the contact was issued reference number 16542975. the current mileage was 114,000 and failure mileage was 100,000. | |||
| 10/03/2005 | 80000 | 2 | 07/13/2001 |
| After driving approximately 12 miles to work the car was pulled into a parking space and while straightening the wheels a loud pop was heard and the car had no steering. the inspection revealed that (2) two 1/2 inch threaded bolts (that bolt the tie rods to the steering rack had sheared off. one of the tie rod bushings was gone and the area the bushing was in was extremely worn, requiring replacement. the rack and pinion was replaced on this vehicle at 20,000 miles under warranty. the car was repaired by removing the rack, backing out the old bolt ends and installing new bolts. the one tie rod was replaced. i contacted chrysler corporation customer service and they offered no help on the repair. the district rep was ask to help and he denied any help. (he did not even look at the damage. i was told that he would not over rule detriot). *jb | |||
| 09/19/2005 | 123000 | 1 | 01/28/2000 |
| I picked up my car from the dealership after the rack and pinion was replaced and noticed a problem on the way home it was very difficult to turn left and extremely easy to turn right i returned the car to the dealership and they checked it again the rack and pinion is bad and needs to be replaced. | |||
| 07/15/2002 | 52000 | 1 | 01/28/2000 |
| I thought i had filed a complaint about this incident before but it does not show up in the searches. the steering would lock-up when turning to get the car to straighten out i would have to force the steering wheel with all of my strength later the steering failed completely the dealer replaced the rack and pinion. i noticed that there are a lot of complaints about this component failing more than once on several vehicles. *nm | |||
| 09/17/2005 | 123000 | 1 | 01/28/2000 |
| While driving my 2000 dodge intrepid i lost all steering the dealership told me it was the rack and pinion this is the second time this part has failed the first time was in july of 2002. *nm | |||
| 05/18/2005 | 48000 | 1 | 04/12/2004 |
| Steering clunks and sticks at random with no warning, told rack and pinion is in need of replacement. vehicle has only a little over 48,000 miles on it. *nm | |||
| 08/17/2004 | 93335 | 2 | 06/25/2002 |
| Dt: on 8-17-04 the consumer took the vehicle to for regular maintenance, and the dealership told him that the steering needed alignment and the tie rod ends needed to be replaced. the consumer had not been experiencing any problem at that time. the consumer had the outer tie rod ends replaced and the front end aligned. afterwards, on 9-15-04, the consumer experienced too much free play in the steering wheel. the consumer took vehicle back to the dealership, and they told him that the gear in the steering rack was worn out, and he needed to replace the rack and pinion. the consumer had not had it fixed as of yet. the steering rack got much worse and now has to be manually pulled back to center when turning. *ak | |||
| 07/02/2005 | 50000 | 1 | 09/29/2000 |
| Dt: 2000 dodge intrepid with 60,000 miles. the steering failed. it started with a lot of loose play in the steering. wheel. currently when driving straight the wheel was upside down. this problem started approximately 10,000 miles ago, complete failure occurred on july 27, 2005. the vehicle became impossible to drive in a short period of time. the vehicle is currently at the dealership, and they have not looked at it. it showed rack and pinion steering failure symptoms. chrysler was not willing to help with the problem. the vehicle did not go in a straight line, the tires were recently replaced and the vehicle was balanced and aligned.*ak the tie rod was replaced. *jb | |||
| 05/11/2000 | 31278 | 50 | 04/26/2000 |
| It started with a small noise in the right front end. the dealer said they couldn't find anything. after 2 years of listening to the small noise, the steering started acting strange. when making a turn, it wouldn't go back to the center. then it started locking up and would not return to the center position unless i use all the strength i have. i took it to the local dodge dealership but they couldn't find anything. i took it to a local repair shop and they determined the entire rack and pinion steering is shot and needs to be replaced at somewhere around $1000.00. so as it stands, i have a 2000 dodge intrepid with 35,000 miles, no warranty, and no help from dodge either. | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| While driving the engine light illuminated, and blinked. then, engine completely shut down. it was later determined that there was sludge in the engine. *ak the vehicle's rack and pinion also failed. *nm | |||
| 01/26/2005 | 48000 | 1 | 10/10/2000 |
| I was making a right hand turn.the steering wheel locked up on me and i went over the sidewalk and off the road into some ones front yard. luckly this was late at night and no one was on the sidewalk. i had the car towed to a mechanic. he said it has a bad rack and pinion. i have a 2000 dodge intrepid that i had since new with only 49,000 miles on it.the mechanic said their is no way this should have went out. it cost me over $1200 to fix this . please check this out before some one gets seriously injured. thanks. *ak | |||
| 01/10/2001 | 37000 | 1 | 11/29/1999 |
| After puchasing my 2000 dodge intrepid es in november of 1999 and began noticing a steering vibration at approximately 37,000 miles. the vibration increased to steering difficulties while at various speeds. after opinions received from three separate mechanics, the rack and pinion assembly required replacement at a cost of approximately $1,700.00. after numerous attempts to find any recall notice for the intrepid, no dealer was able to provide any assistance. several other claims of similiar occurances have been found posted on the internet all matching the descriptions of steering assembly failures. the original rack and pinion assembly was inspected by the mechanic and was noted to have fractured thereby causing the steering problems.*ak | |||
| 04/16/2004 | 63696 | 3 | 06/19/2001 |
| December of 2003 steering started grinding and making a clunking noise when beginging to drive and drifting when driving. took it to dealer, had to replace rack and pinion steering system. april of 2004 same problem only this time steering completely went out. not the power steering, there was no way to steer the vehicle. replaced rack and pinion steering system. november 2004 same problems again got it there before the steering complely went out again. once again replaced rack and pinion steering system.*ak | |||
| 10/27/2004 | 34000 | 1 | |
| Rack and pinion steering system failed causing wheel position to lock up on a left hand turn. had to physically correct the wheel, almost caused a collision.*ak | |||
| 11/09/2004 | 39000 | 2 | 09/14/2004 |
| I bought my 2000 dodge intrepid from ideal auto exchange. in a few days i heard some knocking on turns. i took the vehicle to my mechanic who states that rack and pinion has a problem , and must be replaced. i have a warranty with dealer under lemon law to replace rack and pinion. however, dealer states that after careful check on the vehicle they can't see any problems, and external knocking sound on turns is normal. afterwards they refused to replace the part. please advise what should i do.*ak | |||
| 08/04/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving at 60 mph steering wheel shook and pulled to the left or right. vehicle was taken to independent shop, and technician determined that rack and pinion needed to be replaced at consumer's expense. *ak | |||
| 05/26/2004 | 62403 | 1 | 07/29/2000 |
| In jan 2004, our 2000 dodge intrepid experienced 3 separate occasions where we would turn the steering wheel to the right and after about 2/3 steering wheel turn, it would stop. we would turn the wheel back to the left and then to the right noting that it would then turn as if nothing was wrong. when we went to the dealer, they said that the rack and pinion would need replacing. i described the problem on a newsgroup and it was suggested to change the power steering fluid. we did (since it was cheaper) and the problem didn't reoccur. about 3 weeks ago, we would notice an occasional rattle from the front end. i initially attributed it to normal suspension wear since it was aperodic and no consistancy to it. as time went on, the rattles would occur more often. it would do it going over rough roads or railroad tracks. finally, i could get the rattle to occur regularly while driving by putting the car into neutral and then back into drive and letting the car perform a jerk as the transmission engaged. that prompted me to to a search on alldata for tsb information about the suspension. i came across tsb 19-01-00 that matched my experience to the letter. i took the car to the dealer and they replaced the steering gear (rack and pinion). replacing it also cured a knuckling sound that i again attributed to just an age noise. *mr | |||
| 11/19/2003 | 68870 | 1 | 11/21/2003 |
| The problem started with the steering wheel sticking and making loud clunking noises when attempting to make turns. i took my car to my mechanic who couldn't identify the problem. needless to say, the problem got progressively worse. the steering was so loose, i could turn the steering wheel from the 10 o'clock to the 2 o'clock position and the wheels would not even move. on november the 19th, i took my car to a dodge dealership who identified the problem as the rack and pinion.... a problem that would cost me over a $1000 to repair. i had no choice but to come up the money or risk killing myself or some one else due to steering failure. my car is less than 3 years old and has approximately 68000 miles. after much research, i have discovered that there are many people who are experiencing the same problem. this is a serious safety issue that needs to be properly addressed. undoubtedly a recall is in order and a reimbursement for those who have already had to pay for these repairs. *la | |||
| 07/24/2003 | 51000 | 1 | |
| Consumer stated while driving on the highway, the steering became more difficult while being driven. before total loss of steering, there was a loud squealing noise that came from the engine compartment. *ph | |||
| 06/18/2003 | 24979 | 2 | 10/01/2000 |
| The rack and pinion was replaced at 24,000 miles and was covered by warranty. the rack and pinion failed again at 39000 miles and had to pay a $300.00 deductible. *ak also the valve cover gaskets leaked. *ts *jb | |||
| 06/17/2003 | 75000 | 1 | 05/10/2000 |
| While traveling on the highway, the consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the front of the vehicle, causing rack and pinion to go out. *ak. the consumer noticed slack in the steering and rattling in the front at around 75000 miles. the steering became stuck during left and right turns. *ts. the tie rods were replaced and also the rack and pinion needed to be replaced, however the consumer declined the repairs. *jb | |||
| 06/14/2003 | 44500 | 02/24/2003 | |
| I bought my 2000 dodge intrepid in feb. 2003 with 37,295 miles on it. started to notice the car pulling to the right and a lot of play in the steering wheel. i took the car to keystone chrysler to be serviced on may 15, 2003. steve haller(rep.) said it sounds like an alignment problem. when i called mr. haller to check how things were going, he said they were having some trouble trying to align the car, but they will get it done. i dropped the car off at 7 a.m. and the car was not finished until 2:30 that afternoon. that seems like a long time for an alignment. when i picked the car up, i still noticed a lot of play in the steering wheel and the drifting to the right. it was as if i had no control over which direction the car was going. i then took the car back to the dealership and they said they would correct the problem. mr. doolittle(another rep.) then called me at home that afternoon to tell me that there is no alignment problem, but there is a problem with the rack and pinion. he said it needs to be replaced soon, but will cost $1200. he also told me that the car is unsafe to drive and he recommend that i do not drive it home. well, i had no other choice but to go pick up the car and drive it home. i did not have $1200 to fix the rack and pinion. on june 14, 2003, my car lost control. it pulled to the left and would not budge. it now sits in my driveway collecting dust. i recently been investigating into this rack and pinion problem with intrepid's and i realize i am not the only one with this problem. yet the problem is so common that the part is on back order because of high demand. doesn't that say anything to the chrysler corporation? the steering problems with the dodge intrepid is so serious, it is taking lives and injuring many people. i feel the rack and pinion should be recalled and fixed before it injures or kills anyone else. *nlm | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer requesting refund for work done on vehicle. *mr the steering was loose due to internal play in the rack and pinion. the rack and pinion was replaced. scc | |||
| 04/14/2003 | 73000 | 1 | 01/29/2000 |
| My dodge intrepid has 73000 highway miles. i am having severe steering problems that will require me to replace my rack and pinion steering to correct. the cost of this replacement will be $1500.00. i feel the rack and pinion steering problem should be considered a safety failure subject to recall. *nlm | |||
| 02/21/2003 | 54500 | 1 | 06/21/2001 |
| The shocks and cooling fan had to be replaced. the vehicle continued in a straight path although the steering wheel was turned left. the rack and pinion was replaced. *jb *ph *nlm | |||
| 01/06/2003 | 52000 | ||
| Vehicle's steering wheel is malfunctioning. the dealership indicated that the rack and pinion has to be replaced. ph | |||
| 09/17/2002 | 07/01/2002 | ||
| I have only made 4 payments on this car, and i am scheduled for my 7th repair attempt on 12/3/02. to date, i have had 2 steering pump replacements, 1 rack & pinion replacement, a complete steering fluid change with fluid supposedly specified by dodge, 1 appointment that ended up being a test drive only-was advised to take car home pending response from dodge on how to proceed with repairs..(was told response didnt really pertain to my car..), 1 vent wire and oil sender unit replaced, and in august 02, i had a 1 month auto check up. these repairs, while not all in sequence, took place between 9/17/02-11/20/02.my steering problem returned in full force 11/25/02. the steering is loud and does not quiet when driving. i am terrified to drive this car for fear of causing an accident. this car, in my opinion, is very dangerous! of late, dodge is covering it's inability to repair this car with arrogance, and i'm frightened enough of this car that i intend to start a lemon law arbitration. as you may notice, i was unable to answer some of the mechanical questions on this form, so i left them as they were. dt | |||
| 07/09/2002 | 11/01/2001 | ||
| I purchased my 2000 dodge intrepid with only 26,000 miles in nov. 2001. since then i have replaced my input/out transmission sensors, and have been told that i must now replace my rack and pinion assembly due to steering problems. after doing some research i have found that this premature failure is very common and an on going problem with dodge intrepids. the manufacture should be held accoutable and forced to recall all vehicles having these and other common problems with defective parts. the problem with the steering defect on this vehicle is a very dangerous and will cost lives if not address by nhtsa. mr | |||
| 08/29/2002 | |||
| Consumer states while driving and rack and pinion . please provide additional information . ts | |||
| 08/29/2002 | |||
| Consumer states while driving the rack and pinion went out causing lost of steering. mr | |||
| 09/10/2002 | 1 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| Rack and pinion failed with steering getting stuck. driver describes that there is extensive amount of play and binding. please describe details. *ak | |||
| 1 | 01/01/2000 | ||
| The service department told me they had also had this problem with a chrysler concorde at about 60,000 miles. no safety defect stated. | |||
| 01/01/2001 | |||
| Steering very loose. my mechanic identified problem. i took vehicle to a chrysler dealership, where they confirmed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. vehicle 2 yrs. old. problem started before 45,000 miles. spoke to dealership, who consulted with chrysler. will not even provide partial compensation. mechanic deems vehicle unsafe. steering could go completely.*ak | |||
| Steering wheel has a knocking noise due to the rack and pinion. dealer contacted. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 07/13/2006 | 58000 | 6 | 09/06/2001 |
| My 200o dodge intrepid has 61,000 miles on it. i started having problems with the steering at about 58,000. whenever i made a turn left or right my steering wheel would lock and i would not be able to straighten out. i would sometimes have to turn it forcefully and it would make a terrible clunking and grinding noise. i have almost been in a terrible accident on more than one occasion. the wheel locked up as i made a right turn and i was forced down an embankment, fortunately i was alone in the car and no one was on the embankment as they usually are. i have brought the car to a dodge dealer and they are repairing it for $1067.00. they said it is the steering gear and rack. after reading all the complaints on this vehicle with the exact same problems. i fee this is a safety issue an should be on a recall status. i was hoping to purchase a 300 chrysler now i'm not sure if i want to stay with this company. *nm | |||
| 06/03/2005 | 63500 | 3 | 08/18/2003 |
| Dt: while driving i noticed the steering wheel was off set. the steering locked up. after driving home the wheel locked up again. took vehicle to mechanic, and they said the rack and pinion was completely broken. also, they said that it would be dangerous to drive the car. called the manufacturer, and they said that they could do nothing. this was going to cost consumer about $900.00 to repair.*ak | |||
| 09/03/2004 | 1 | 07/29/2000 | |
| Car steering wheel play left and right and hang up after sharp turn. took in for problem and was told not safe to drive. dealership replace steering rack. car only had 46000 miles.*ak | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 45000 | 1 | 06/25/2001 |
| While driving 40 mph, the rack gears stripped off without warning. as a result the vehicle lost steering. no impact reported. *ak *tc *jb | |||
| 04/21/2004 | 47000 | 10 | 03/20/2004 |
| 2000 dodge intrepid with 47,000 miles just got 2 months ago. steering wheel had 2 of play in it but still drove okay and i thought i could live with it untill i could save enough $$ to get new rack and pinion. *ak was turning left and steering locked up, had to slam on the breaks before i hit someone walking!!! guy thought i was trying to kill him and he gave it to me. i yanked on the steering wheel and got the heck out of there. now when i drive the car i expect the lock up and able to control it but is very scary because its getting worse and i cant afford to get it fixed and its my only car. oh well just have to die to get action. thanks for not helping us out here. | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 21000 | 1 | 09/15/2000 |
| My 2000 intrepid has a steering problem that causes the steering wheel to lock-up intermittently, especially in cold weather. this is extremely dangerous as you might expect. dodge service told me the car needs a steering rack, along with stabilizer links and bushings costing $1,500. the car is out of warranty ( and i do not have an extended warrant) but it as less than 25,000 miles. i called customer service (case # 12074847)and spoke to damon who said that he could offer no assistance. he seemed to be fixated on the fact that several days after my purchase, i dropped my extended warranty coverage. in my mind, this does not change the fact that i have no extended warranty coverage, and it should not matter when i made the decision not to have this coverage. i dropped it because i was relying on dodge standing behind a quality product and that the car would last without a major repair for at least 50,000 miles. i did not plan on keeping the car much longer than 5000-0 miles. mon refused to consider providing me with any financial assistance with this repair. i would have been happy with 50% of the cost of the parts. still frustrated that a 3 year old car with under 25k miles should need this kind of safety-compromising repair, i called the nhtsa and learned that they are currently investigating steering rack problems on this car and that they would be very interested in inspecting steering rack that failed prematurely. so i've asked the service manager to keep it for me. they did not and said the core had to returned for remanufacturing. i can't believe that dodge is not willing to do that right thing and accept some of the responsibility for this repair. *ak | |||
| 11/10/2003 | 68185 | 1 | 06/07/2000 |
| Steering failure - broken rack in 2000 dodge intrepid. mileage 68,254. *la | |||
| 03/21/2003 | 38000 | 1 | 10/14/2001 |
| Steering rack problems in a 2000 dodge intrepid with less 40,000 miles. read on websites that this is a common problem for this make/model. why not a recall? accident potential as well as some reported. costly replacement for consumer. this has turned me off to chrysler products and i am very upset. i am a single parent with two kids and can't afford costly repair bills. this is obvious a manufacturer defect with so many complaints. why isn't something being done to help us consumers? we need safe, reliable vehicles to provide transportation for our families. what is the problem here?! *jb | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 51800 | 2 | 11/25/2001 |
| Dedember 2002 started car and engine making terrible noise. took it to the dealer and the engine had went out. they had to re-do the engine that cost me $1350.00. i had been hearing a knocking from the front of the car and the steering was loose. when i tyrned the wheel left or right it would stick and i had loud popping from the steering. i took it to the dealer and it was the rack and pinion. that was on january 21, 2003. in the same week i noticed oil leaking. the oil light was blinking on and off. the dealer said it was leaking due to the oil switch. to fix the rack and oil leak it cost me another $1300.00. i am trying to get the dodge company to fess up and pay for the repairs. the car has been well maintanenced and only 51,000 miles. | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 02/11/2011 | 113410 | ||
| While backing out of a parking stall, front drivers side wheel lower control arm broke free from engine cradle resulting in total immobilization of vehicle. upon inspection it was obvious that the mounting bracket which is welded to the engine cradle frame had rusted out causing failure. similar failures on older models have had nhtsa recalls, see nhtsa campaign id # 99v215000, issued due to loss of power or control resulting in a potentially life threatening condition. it is understandable for wear parts such as brakes, shocks and suspension joints to fail due to use and mileage but frame members should be made solid and the responsibility of the auto manufacturer to ensure long term reliability. | |||
| 2 | 06/25/2001 | ||
| The steering wheel makes a squeaking noise when vehicle is cold, consumer was informed that a new steering column was needed and it would take 8 weeks before the part could be replaced, a few days after the steering wheel began to make noise again.*jb | |||
| 06/01/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving then stopping steering wheel will lock up, making a turn. could occur without a prior warning. *ak *slc | |||