Recalls


CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
97V169000CHRYSLER CORPORATIONfrom 01/01/1994 to 08/31/1995V (Vehicle)37500011/15/1997ODICHRYSLER GROUP LLC10/07/199710/10/1997
Defect SummaryVehicle description: passenger vehicles. the steering column coupler can become disconnected when the vehicle experiences an underbody impact.
Consequence SummaryLoss of steering control can occur.
Corrective SummaryDealers will replace the steering column coupler with a coupler design that collapses on impact.
NotesOwner notification is expected to begin during november 1997.owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chrysler at 1-800-992-1997.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.

Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
STEERING
190299REVA10/22/1999190198612149Vehicles may experience clunking or rattle in steering wheel/steering column. *mjs06/06/2000
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
19039806/11/1998600899Power steering system noise following cold engine starts in low ambient temperatures. *yc06/11/1998
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
18259412/01/199437859Cold start up steering column shake at idle. *tw01/11/1995

Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
STEERING
PE94095CHRYSLER GROUP LLC12/28/199404/25/1995LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL
 There is no summary currently available
EA97009CHRYSLER GROUP LLC04/30/199710/08/1997LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL97V169000
 Alleged loss of steering control resulting from separation of the steering column coupler.
PE96069CHRYSLER GROUP LLC11/26/199604/30/1997LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL
 Allege loss of steering column couplings or any failure, malfunction ordegradation in performance of the power steering assist system that results in :a: loss of steering and vehicle control, loss of power steering assist and actual or perceived lockup of the steering wheel
STEERING - COLUMN
DP03002CHRYSLER GROUP LLC05/07/200307/22/2003STEERING COLUMN SEPARATION
 Mr. larry a. sackey submitted a petition to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) by letter dated april 18, 2003, requesting that nhtsafurther investigate the defective collapsible steering shaft system on 1987-1995 vehicles manufactured by the daimlerchrysler corporation.in part because of 49 cfr

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STEERING
12/03/2003203/10/2003
 My daughter was driving my 1995 dodge neon when the steering wheel locked and caused her to have an accident. she was traveling at approx 35 - 40 mph .there were no abnormal weather or road conditions. suddenly the steering wheel jerked the car off the road towards the right, at that point she had a loss of steering and no control of the vehicle. she was not applying the brakes or making a turn, just driving along as she normally would. previosly we have had problems, serious problems with the antilock brake system failing. when applying the brakes on two separate occasions the front wheels locked up once causing a minor accident , the other just caused damage to the tires. the accident when the steering failed was fortunately a minor one . but could just as easily been a very serios possibly fatal. since at the time of the steering loss, there was no way to control the direction of the vehicle, which resulted in damage to a residential homeowners yard and personal property that was located in the yard. the vehicle came to rest between two trees because it was stopped by a tension wire attached to a telephone pole which was struck and became wrapped around the front left tire. if not for that she would have struck a concrete culvert only a few feet away.. we are presently involved in proceedings to have the citation she received dismissed due to faulty equipment. also i did inquire with dodge motor corp re safety recall info...which i was informed that my vehicle has no incomplete recall work , but i also received a car facts report from consumer guide stating that there was a recall and there is no information stating the work had been completed by dodge to correct the problem. which if it had been corrected the info would have been updated to show that. if you could please help me with this matter, and possibly save someone from this mess. also i have a friend who lost her arm from her 95 neon crash from steering failure of which i was unaware until after mine.*ak
2
 When turning to the right at an intersection the steering locked up and engine cut off. *et
03/19/2000110/01/1995
 I have had this car since 1995. i do not use the car other than for very limited driving as seen in my low mileage. it is march 23 of 2000, my car has approx 29,000 miles, very low and all these problems. the car is currently in the shop being told that the head gasket that they replaced in 1/99 did not hold, which in 99, they thought was odd that it went so soon. i am also having the car fixed because the power steering switch sensor has failed. i believe that on a car with little mileage that i should be incurring this much problems. if this car has this many problems, they should redesign the car and not sell them until so. also, please feel free to contact fitgerald and they can tell you other problems with this car!!!l *ak
03/31/19950
 Driver made right turn , steering locked up ,lost control of vehicle, and crashed onto a curb when the gas tank ruptured, causing 4 deaths and two were severely burned and 1 had minor burns. all were occupants inside the vehicle, three in front and four in the back. gas tank had no rotective shield. *ak
09/29/1998
 While making a right turn steering went out, causing the consumer to run off the road. also, upon applying the brakes brake pedal went straight to the floorboard, causing the consumer to run into some brushes. consumer vehicle has been in for repairs three times, and there is still a promblem. dealer can't identify the promblem. *ak
 Vehicle hit a bump in the road at 15mph and the driver's and passenger's side airbags deployed. also the brakes went out, and the steering locked up. driver has burns on her arm and a sprained wrist. *ak
08/30/1997106/13/1997
 Steering failed, causing accident.
09/16/1997
 While wife was driving she hit a pothole in a convenience store parking lot and part of the steering mechanism came apart. driver lost control of vehiclebut managed to come to a stop without hitting another vehicle. *ak
07/01/19971
 While making a right turn, consumer experienced loss of power/ steering control but noticed no separation in the steering column. *ak consumer stated as she cautioned to make the turn, the power steering re-engaged.*jb
1
 When driving in wet/puddle area vehicle has intermittent loss of steering for about 30 seconds at a time. *ak
 While driving vehicle at slow speeds and in rain owner loses control of steering. when steering wheel is turned vehicle will not steer. steering wheel must be constantly rotated for wheels to turn. *ak
 Steering locks up, making it impossible to turn left or right. *ak
101/01/1995
 Steering locks up on wet pavement.
05/04/19970
 When turning the vehicle the steering pops out as if it is going to break. *ak
 Vehicle experienced loss of steering due to wet road conditions. could not turn the steering wheel, cause unknown. *ak
11/15/1996
 Vehichle experienced loss of steering. please descriibe. *ak
09/09/1996
 #pe96069, while making a left turn there was a complete loss of steering control that lasted only about 1 0r 2 seconds. vehicle has not been seen since by mechanic. *ak
10/26/1996
 Consumer states when turning a corner the steering locks and she has no control for two to three seconds. *ak
02/06/19946
 Steering failed going around corner, causing loss of control/accident/injury. *dh
12/07/19957
 Steering froze, resulting in accident. *dsh
12/11/1995
 Vehicle was involved in an accident due to loss of steering. tt
11/20/19951
 Vehicle went out of control resulting in vehicle accident. tt consumer states a detailed report had already been filed and did not give anymore specific information. *slc
 Lost steering control while driving auto-and had to run off road. tt
04/15/1995
 During emergency turning, lost steering control, also passenger air bag blew out the passenger window. tt
05/05/19951
 When making a turn there is a noise made by the car. tt
08/05/19941
 Loss of steering when accelerating and braking. tt
STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
10/20/19971
 Alarm system failure resulting in vehicle stalling and consumer trapped inside.
08/09/1998
 Vehicle was parked, lights were on and switch was off, smoke came from steering column. fire department came and disconnected the battery. vehicle towed for service. dealer stated the vehicle was fixed, and indicated that the alarm system caused the fire. noticed battery melted battery cable. dealer cannot duplicate the problem. *ak
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
08/29/20041
 As indicated on police report driver lost control of vehicle, ran off the side of a 2 lane highway, straddled a guard rail and some trees, before flipping over and catching on fire. vehicle totaled. driver and passenger were killed. two days prior to the accident, the driver complained about steering problem . steering column coupling recall 97v169000 repairs were performed on 02/06/98. cause of fire was undetermined.*ak
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID
11/11/1997
 When driving through little water or when it is raining the vehicle will lose steering power. the owner has to stop and wait a couple of minutes before the power resumes. the dealer is aware of problem. car is out of warranty. problem has not been corrected. *ak
02/02/19971
 Ea97009; vehicle is leaking power steering fluid. the whole power steering assembly component needs replacing. *ak
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
11/10/199707/28/1994
 While driving in water the steering wheel locks up due to the steering belt getting wet. this has happened more then once. *ak
11/27/1996107/01/1994
 During rain storms water splashes up into the power steering unit/belt, causing loss of power.
07/01/19951
 Whenever power steering belt gets wet, the belt slips and you lose steering control. *dsh
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
05/30/199611/01/1995
 No summary listed for above vehicle.
03/01/1997
 Loss of steering occurred when i drove through a puddle of water during a rainstorm and the steering power was cut causing me to hit a concrete curb at about 15 mph in a parking lot scratching the paint on the front bumper. second the wiring in the dome switch in the passenger door and the wires in the lights on reminder in the driver's door is shorted causing them not to work properly. after the recall for the steering coupler was performed the car tends to pull to the right and the steering wheel is not straight when driving on a straight road 2 alignments have been performed and the problem is still not corrected. the hood is not properly attached and the hood hits the right fender now causing rust to form. the original battery also corroded through both terminals first causing the car not to even start then after the terminals were replaced caused the check engine light to remain lit until the terminal was replaced again. also finally the brakes make loud screeching noise when applied and when i had them checked was told it was break dust and not to worry
12/31/1998210/01/1998
 The current owner was driving the car to work after dropping the baby off at the baby sitters. she had just gotten on the freeway and was accelerating to crusing speed when the steering wheel locked and she could not steer the car. the vehicle veered to the right and ran over the curbing along the side of the highway. this the second time the steering has locked up since she purchased the car. when she had the vehicle checked out, they could not see figure out what caused the wheel to lock up. she thought it was a fluke until it happened again this time. the manufacturer has already looked at the car an denied any liability. this is an 18 year old single parent with no money and no transportation to work, now. she would appreciate any help she can get, especially since there are so many complaints already reported about this problem with this vehicle. my name is larry e. johnson. i'm her god father. she has no one else to turn to. thank you.
10/05/1997
 The consumer has been experiencing problems with power steering. while driving power steering goes out. the defects are described in recall number 97v169000. *ak
09/25/1996
 When driving about 30-35 mph on wet pavements the power steering stopped working, making it hard to turn corners. dealer contacted, and stated steering was wet, cannot make any repairs. *ak
 When driving through a puddle the power steering is lost and it comes back on later. *ak
01/01/1995
 Vehicle experiences loss of steering control while driving during heavy rain storms. *ak
08/10/1996
 While driving driver lost power of the steering and clicking noise appeared in the steering column. this is under investigation ea-97 009. *ak
408/01/1995
 While driving vehicles experienced loss of steering. cause is unknown. *ak during rain, especially in puddles, the steering wheel locks or freeze and can not be turned. *yh
03/01/1997309/05/1994
 Power steering failed.
06/17/1997
 Power steering goes out when there is heavy rain. manufacturer told owner that the problem was common. *ak
06/01/19970
 Lost control of the steering when driving between 40 to45mph. the vehicle goes the opposite of the direction from where it's being steered. please describe details. *ak
1
 The power steering pump performs sluggishly.
09/01/199509/01/1995
 When driving in wet weather condition consumer experienced loss of power assist, making it very difficult to control the vehicle. *ak
11/01/1996210/01/1994
 While driving, at approx. 25mph, experienced power assist failure when hitting a bump, then made sharp turn, power assist suddenly became inoperative, causing steering difficulty. *ak
 Experienced loss of power steering under normal conditions. *ak
 When driving hit a puddle of water due to loose power steering. please describe.
12/28/19958
 Noisy power steering failed, causing accident. *dh
03/29/1996
 Loss of steering control caused an accident. *ak
 Power steering is affected when driven through puddle for several seconds. owner informed manufacturer is aware of condition. please describe details. *ak
 #pe94-095 consumer was driving and loss of power steering . tt
 When raining the steering locked up took to dealer put a new belt consumer still having the same problem. tt
10/01/19942
 During wet weather, experienced twice loss of steering power for 10 second, then it returned. *ak
06/19/19951
 While driving, steering failed resulting hitting curb. tt
05/08/1995
 Consumer was driving in wet weather and the steering was hard to turn. tt
03/04/19951
 Difficulty steering vehicle, equipped with power steering. tt
12/21/19941
 Riding on a hard surface when vehicle suddenly went out of control, resulting in accident/injury. tt& *ak
STEERING - LINKAGES
10/20/2000110/01/1995
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
03/29/19980
 The connector between steering and right wheel broke, and vehicle lost control, very closely to causing an accident. *ak
01/18/1995
 Only wet weather problem with steering, no control wheel wells water coming inside and hitting against the tie rods. tt
STEERING - LINKAGES - KNUCKLE - SPINDLE - ARM
03/01/199703/21/1995
 While driving through a puddle of water lower arm knuckle broke, causing vehicle to lose4 control, vehicle swung around to the left and went into a ditch backwards. *ak
STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
03/27/2005130916103/25/2005
 Dt: the caller said that brakes will not work one has to hit the brakes at the last minute. she said one can feel a pop, and then the brakes fail. she had to run into a ditch to keep form hitting someone. the police were called, and there a report was taken. there was a crash. there were injuries to the pedestrian. she said the hub assembly was bad and had it replaced. also, the tie rod wobbled and had it replaced. had another accident with the brakes when the car in front of stopped suddenly and brakes did not work. police came and a report was taken. the lady in the other vehicle was injured. dealer will take the car to dealer, and they will talk about it. manufacturer has not been contacted yet. caller said she was not informed about the problems the vehicle had when she bought it.*ak
05/12/1996
 The inner tie rods on the vehicle are bad and the abs system is not operating like it should. *ak
STEERING - RACK AND PINION
10/02/19990
 While turning there is a grinding noise. consumer took car to the dealer, and dealer said it was caused by defective rack and pinion steering. *ak
11/06/1997104/01/1996
 I have complained of a popping noise in the front end within 18 months of purchase. the dealers could not duplicate the popping noise. now with 60,000 miles on the vehicle, the rack is what always made the popping noise due to bad seals in it. chrysler corporation offered to pay 50%, but i feel they should pay 100% due to this has always been an existing problem.
 While driving 15 mph, owner heard a popping sound and felt abnormal response in steering wheel. owner now hears noise as though the power steering needs fluid, but container is full. cause of failure is that the rack and pinion cracked. please describe details.
04/25/19952
 Rack and piniom steering vibrates and makes a clunking sound. pulls to the left and is very stiff. tt
STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK
04/05/1996
 Whenever turning the steering wheel either left or right, it would make a clunking, popping noise. the sway bar went out. also, was informed the by the mechanic that power steering rack/ coil, and engine head gasket need replacing. *ak
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
12/22/19971
 Consumer feels that there may have been a defect in 1995 neon causing the driver to lose his life. *ts a recall notice was sent 5 months after the consumers son was killed. the consumer didn't pursue any legal action to determine if a steering defect as mentioned in the recall notice caused the her son to loose control of the vehicle. *jb
 While driving and without warning there was loss of steering due to defective column coupling which resulted in an accident. mechanic stated there was recall 97v169000; however, consumer was not notified. manufacturer stated they will repair defective component. other repairs were consumer's responsibility.*ak
08/08/2000
 Consumer calling in refenence to nhtsa recall 97v169000/manufacturer's recall 741. contacted dealer, but parts are unavailable until august 2002. *ak
03/15/2001
 When making turns in either direction there is a loud creaking sound. took vehicle to dealer, who found lower steering column coupler needed to be replaced. there is a recall 97v169000; but, this vehicle is not included due to vin. *ak
05/30/1996111/01/1995
 This accident while driving at 35mph. the car veered left and pass airbag deployed then driver airbag. i tried to turn the steering to the left but the car did not respond. i sustained injuries of a broken neck. two months after accident i received the recall notice for both the steering column and the brakes. i believe that the vehicle was purchased by a junkyard however i believe it was rebuilted. i would like to know if there are other reported incidents of this nature.*ak
07/01/2000101/28/2000
 When applying brakes they would grind. also, would have to pump brakes. dealership replaced rotors and brakes pads. but, problem still continued. it has been three weeks. *ak possible engine failure caused oil to leak. the steering wheel vibrate and vehicle pulls. *yh
 Lower steering column recall. steering not repaired, resulted in accident.
03/01/1997
 Loss of steering occurred when i drove through a puddle of water during a rainstorm and the steering power was cut causing me to hit a concrete curb at about 15 mph in a parking lot scratching the paint on the front bumper. second the wiring in the dome switch in the passenger door and the wires in the lights on reminder in the driver's door is shorted causing them not to work properly. after the recall for the steering coupler was performed the car tends to pull to the right and the steering wheel is not straight when driving on a straight road 2 alignments have been performed and the problem is still not corrected. the hood is not properly attached and the hood hits the right fender now causing rust to form. the original battery also corroded through both terminals first causing the car not to even start then after the terminals were replaced caused the check engine light to remain lit until the terminal was replaced again. also finally the brakes make loud screeching noise when applied and when i had them checked was told it was break dust and not to worry
01/16/1995801/16/1995
 Vehicle experienced failure of the recall component prior to recall repair (unable to be remedied), recall notice sent and repair was completed however vehicle continues to experience continued failure/loss of control. mjs (97v-169)
06/21/1999106/01/1999
 One week after purchase, all oil was gone from car. dealer first replaced the oil pressure sending unit, kept leaking, then replaced the valve cover gasket, kept leaking, then replaced the cam seals. dealer assured me that it was not the head gasket. still leaking oil. took it to personal mechanic and it is the head gasket leaking. dealer has refused to refund purchase price or replace vehicle. this has been over a 2 month period. the vehicle also has very noisy brakes, especially when it has sat for an extended period of time (overnight). the car has a shaking and rattling in the steering column when going over bumps, especially at slow speeds. the dash board reflects on the windshield when it is sunny and the glare makes it very difficult to see at times.
05/16/19981
 Vehicle began to drift, when corrected, the steering failed causing the vehicle to turn sharply to the left and collide head on into a barrier causing injuries to driver. nlm
03/31/199911/01/1994
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
08/19/1994706/01/1994
 1. car leaking oil at head gasket and other seals, possible fire hazard. other '95 neon owners have had similar problems when the car reaches 60k miles 2. left turn signal sticking in on position, 3. glue melted from around front and rear windows, afraid that windshield or rear glass may pop out, 4. car pulls to the left, and even though numerous attempts have been made to correct the problem. the car still steers to either a left or right direction, the steering wheel will not line up with the direction of travel. misaligned steering wheel become tiring on long trips. *ak
10/24/1998
 Defective steering column caused a fire in within that area prior to this recall. steering column was fixed. please add more information. *ak
11/30/19981
 Difficulty having steering coupler repaired under recall due to unavailability of parts.
107/29/1994
 Steering wheel is noisy.
1
 Steering column coupler failed resulting in vehicle collision due to loss of control, recall notice sent after incident. (attorney for consumer).
05/21/19981
 Recall work on the lower steering column coupler has not been competed due to scheduling problems with dealership.
 The consumer has a recall letter recall 97v-169, regarding steering column coupling. the dealer has not repaired vehicle yet. dealer has been contacted. *ak
11/13/19971
 Recall repair work completed on the steering column coupler, however damage to the boot at time of repair.
11/13/19971
 Recall work not completed properly on the steering column coupler.
108/24/1994
 Problem with steering. (qcaw)
07/01/19971
 Steering column coupler failure causing a vehicle collision prior to recal.
109/01/1995
 Ignition system failed and there was excessive play in the steering after the steering coupler recall repair.
01/16/19952
 Steering column coupler failed prior to recall work, work performed, however steering problems persist.
05/28/1998
 Consumer contacted superior mazda in reference to recall 97v-16900, manufacturer 741 to have repaires corrected, dealer corrected problem listed under recall. the day after repaires was were done consumer was involved in an accident due to the steering wheel locking up. consumer has contacted the dealer. please provide any further details. *ak
06/20/1998107/30/1995
 While making a left turn at 20 mph the steering column coupling fell out, resulting in owner having an accident. *ak
05/11/19982
 Traveling 25mph took off ramp steering wheel went very tight as if being turned. heard & felt steering wheel pop. steering wheel can be turned w/one finger. went from one ditch to another ditch. had received recall notice (97v169000) on 08 may 98. took to dealer to have steering wheel repaired. *ak
07/18/1997
 When traveling on dry roads and depressing the brake pedal to make a normal stop the abs brakes started operatiing, making it very difficult to operate the vehicle. consumer also having a problem when making a right or left hand turns, the steering wheel grabs and there is a griding sound coming from the front end. consumer has contacted the dealer. please provide any further details. *ak
12/30/1995
 Recall 97v169000. replacement part for recall does not fit properly on a vehicle with no power steering. *ak
11/18/1997
 Received recall notice (397v169000). called dealer to set up an appointment. was informed that they do not have the parts or tools for repairing the coupling on the steering wheel. *ak
110/18/1994
 Steering noise when turning.
07/22/1997111/01/1994
 While driving about 15 mph on a wet road conditions tried to make a right turn and the steering wheel wouldn't turn. consumer had to release the steering wheel and then turn again and heard a noise. consumer has not contacted the dealer. *ak
06/20/19971
 Ea97-009, while driving the vehicle's defective steering wheel came loose and the bolt came off, causing no steering control. almost resulted in an accident. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak
 When approaching to make either a left or a right hand turn the steering wheel makes a loud knocking sound, consumer has contacted the dealer, problem not determined, ea 97-009. *ak
04/01/199710/01/1996
 Ea97- 009; consumer states when pulling out of a parking space and when turning the steering wheel either left or right, noticed a loud sound coming from the steering column. consumer has yet to contact the dealer, please provide further details. *ak
06/13/1997
 While driving, an electrical short in the column, caused the steering column to caught on fire. cause unknown.
 After going over a bump, the steering wheel becomes very loose and vehicle loses its steering power. *ak
04/15/19961007/01/1994
 Steering wheel locks up usually after rain fall; also, sometimes during cornering at 10-20 mph. *ak
11/01/1996
 Pe96-069 active, steering lockup, lost power steering while driving in wet weather, making it difficult to turn steering wheel. the brake pedal becomes very soft. *ak
04/02/19970
 Steering wheel column had an electrical short and caught on fire while vehicle was parked for 6hrs. *ak
02/17/1997
 Steering column failure, steering is very loose and making clicking noise, pe96-069 active. *ak
12/28/1996
 The vehicle had a flat tire and it caused the steering wheel to blow up and explode and the airbag also exploded. *ak
 While driving experienced loose steering, when brought into dealership was informed by dealer not to continue driving vehicle because steering column coupling was at risk for evenually falling apart, and the mfr was redesigning that part. *ak
06/17/19967
 Steering column seal loose. *sd
04/01/19951
 Steering wheel fell off. *sd
03/03/19953
 Steering column failed. *sd
11/20/19950
 Loss of steering control, causing accident. *sd
09/10/1995
 Pe94-095 consumer was driving steering locked up. tt
08/09/1995
 Electrical system fire in the steering column of the vehicle. tt
03/15/19951
 Steering wheel locks up during wet weather; results in loss of steering power. tt
 When trying to prevent impact driver swerved and gained control. steering column failed w/wheel continuously turning, along w/abs brake lockup. tt
04/26/1995
 Noise in the steering column when turning. please describe. tt
12/05/19941
 Steering column being replaced due to burrs on length of shaft, causing column to make noise when turning. *skd