Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
07039705/09/199707-05-936088786Concerns with engine coolant usage. *nlm01/07/2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
070020202/04/2002070200629133Subject regarding low or no cabin head, engine cooling system system fill procedure. *tt03/27/2002
07020006/16/2000614154Some vehicles may exhibit engine overheating and / or coolant bottle failures after service has been performed on the engine cooling system. *tt09/29/2000
07039705/09/199752963Various car owner's have expressed interest in using engine coolants made with propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. *yc11/13/1997

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
01/02/2011145000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1994 chrysler lhs. within seconds of parking his vehicle the contact noticed smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. he also noticed yellow and orange flames coming from the hood. he stated he and the passenger got out of the vehicle.and ran to safety. within seconds flames shot 30 feet in the air. he called 911 and the fire department was on the scene within 5 minutes. he stated the fire was out within 15 minutes. the vehicle was destroyed. a police report was filed and he was not sure if the fire department filed a report. the contact stated he had made an appointment with an authorized dealer for january 3, 2011 because he had heard a noise coming from the rear end. he referenced recall 98v184000, fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system and stated his parents the original owners stated the recall was never performed on the vehicle. the failure and current mileage were 145,000. vwb
07/22/2004640001
 Recall 94v024000, while driving 60 mph vehicle stalled. dealership would not repair the problem because the vin was not included. *ak
10/16/199612
 Consumer states while driving there is intermittent bucking, the rpm races, the engine light and cruise control light is on and vehicle losses power and will not restart. this has happended 12 times. on other occasions, experiencing long cranking time. dealer replaced battery, water pump, tensioner, timing belt, idle speed motor, cleaned the throttle body, wiring at the crank sensor, cam sensor, positive terminal, connector to computer, found battery terminal corroded, and overhaled the transmission. the internal engine temperature is incorrect. dealer replaced coolant sensor and thermostat. fan belts are cracked. belts replaced. however, problem still exist. manufacturer notified. *tt
01/13/20010
 While driving temperature gauge went to red, part overheated and radiator light came on. consumer took vehicle to dealer, and they said that problem was with water pump freezing up, and causing engine to fail.*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
01/13/20010
 While driving temperature gauge went to red, part overheated and radiator light came on. consumer took vehicle to dealer, and they said that problem was with water pump freezing up, and causing engine to fail.*ak
07/18/2000103/01/2000
 Water pump seized at 49000 miles, causing timing belt to break and belt tensioner to melt.*ak
02/01/1997203/01/1996
 Reoccurring failure of the water pump caused timing belt and pulley to break, resulting in vehicle completely shutting down. manufacturer denies that a problem exists. *ak.et.
02/01/2000111/01/1997
 Water pump defective (froze) causing the tensioner and timing belt to burn, causing an electrical fire.
04/08/19972
 Water pump seized/leaking causing damage to the timing belt. mjs
04/28/1999304/01/1994
 We are not satisfied with the reliability and performance of the original and replacement parts on a chrysler lhs we purchased new in 19994. the following are the high failure parts and systems on the car: 1. water pump and associated parts (2 times) . it has failed twice, the first time was at 59,559 miles when it froze up and took the timing belt with it. the second time the pump developed a leak at 102,275 miles, which was 42,716 miles on the replacement pump. 2. disc brakes and associated parts (2 times and need to be turned again). the rotors warp due to overheat from the brake pads. the first time the rotors were turned at 56,441 miles and then again at 84,347 miles. right now the car has 102,750 miles and the rotors need to be turned again. 3. airconditioning system and associated parts (2 times). the airconditioning system evaporator coil leaked at 62,299 miles, but was covered by an extended warranty. the evaporator coil is leaking again at 102,750 miles and is not covered by warranty. this is a very expensive procedure in that the dashboard has to be removed. 4. fuel rail and associated parts (1 time). due to a strong gas smell the fuel rail was replaced. when the dealer insisted that the problem wasn't covered by warranty, we paid to have the problem fixed. we were later reimbursed by chrysler when we called their customer service.
2
 Water pump failed twice. *yc
 Water pump keeps going bad, causing wear on the timing chain which, in return , causes the vehicle to have a sudden shut down while driving. dealer has been contacted. *ak
108/01/1993
 Water pump failed.
04/16/1998104/01/1994
 Water pump froze up, causing timing belt to damage timing belt tensioner pulley and belt.
04/19/19981
 Traveling about 30mph, when a thumping sound was heard. suddenly vehicle died. coasted to side of road. vehicle towed to shop. was informed water pump seized up. the idler pulley had melted & caused all the belts, including timing belt, to break. *ak
11/20/1997107/25/1994
 Water pump failed.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
01/13/20010
 While driving temperature gauge went to red, part overheated and radiator light came on. consumer took vehicle to dealer, and they said that problem was with water pump freezing up, and causing engine to fail.*ak
2
 Thermostat failed twice. *yc
11/20/1997107/25/1994
 Thermostat failed.
11/20/1997107/25/1994
 Engine belts failed.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
06/07/20061470002
 Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph the vehicle started to jerk, the engine and cruise control light illuminated and the vehicle stalled and was unable to restart. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle remained for a month. the dealer determined the problem was the computer module (or chip) and it needed to be replaced coupled with a fuel injection cleanse. two miles later after leaving the dealer the vehicle presented the same problem and stalled. the vehicle was towed back to the dealer.
03/12/2003160000106/20/2000
 Fire in engine compartment that totally destroyed car. there was a large puddle of gas in driveway under car prior to fire. car had been idling in driveway for about 10 to 15 min. before driving the kids to the bus stop. wife and kids were in car with engine running and had smelled something like fuel. first bus had picked up 2 kids left then wife saw smoke heard noise saw flames from under hood and got other children out of car just before passenger compartment was starting to burn. car was totally burned through out. reported incident to chrysler due to a previous recall that had been performed to the fuel system about 3 to 4 year before incident. was told due to the extensive damage to car (after inspection by chrysler's inspector) that fire was of undetermined cause and was not their responsibility because recall had been performed. even though prior to their inspection i (a mechanic of 20+years ) could not see a problem with the fuel supply lines to engines fuel rail. would like a further investigation into this incident to prevent possible future injuries to people or possible loose of life. *jb
05/30/2001210/01/1999
 Plastic timing belt pulley shattered inside casing and broke the timing belt. *ak
04/11/20010
 Consumer was traveling about three miles on main street and vehicle just stopped, and there was noise underneath vehicle. vehicle had to be towed.*ak
09/20/2000
 Intermittently when accelerating to pass another vehicle transmission downshifts. when letting off the accelerator, transmission shifts up. vehicle surges and stalls. also, crank sensor was replaced last week, but the problem came back. problem was reported to the dealership. problem seems to be related to recall campaign 94v024000. please provide any further information.*ak
07/18/2000103/01/2000
 Water pump seized at 49000 miles, causing timing belt to break and belt tensioner to melt.*ak
02/06/2000111/01/1998
 The part listed above was smoking while i was driving. when i turned the car off, it wouldn't start again. *ak possibly something froze and caused the belt (pulley) to melt. *yh
12/24/1999105/01/1993
 The pivot bolt attaching the camshaft drive belt idler assembly to the engine block broke causing the engine to stop immediately while we were in an intersection. fortunately there was no other traffic endangered. the engine could not be restarted and the car had to be towed from the location of the incident. damage occurred to the tensioner pulley and the timing belt and to the valve train. major service was conducted on the vehicle at about 70,000 miles when the timing belt was replaced along with the water pump and other components. the official service manual does not even suggest replacing the idler assembly or pivot bolt (integral to the replacement assembly), and when i spoke with daimlerchrysler customer service at their headquarters they admitted that they also have no service bulletins suggesting that item be serviced. i still have the broken parts available.
04/24/19971
 Plug wires, pcv valve, and hoses failed causing engine to shake at idle and shake upon light acceleration between 35-50 mph. nlm
04/24/19971
 The gasket to throttle body failed. nlm
03/24/1999102/01/1999
 Poor original design of timing belt tensioner, new one metal. *ak
 Tensioner belt pulley is plastic, causing all parts relating to the belt to become defective and inoperative.dealer has replaced the part with a metal tensioner belt pulley. *ak
10/01/1997104/01/1997
 1) rack & pinion steering components are becoming worn after only 59000 miles. as the steering wheel is moved, a clunking noise is heard coming from the rack & pinion gear box, resulting in vibration through steering wheel at low or high speeds. 2) trunk is filling with water due to body welding cracks. welding cracks are located in each rear corner of trunk lid near each turn indicator. 3) engine ticking is coming from valve train wear. *ak
110/01/1995
 Timing belt/chain failed.
08/08/19984
 Vehicle had stalled out while traveling 30-40mph. happened 3 other times. oil light sensor came on, but oil was not low. not at dealer. *ak
04/19/19981
 Traveling about 30mph, when a thumping sound was heard. suddenly vehicle died. coasted to side of road. vehicle towed to shop. was informed water pump seized up. the idler pulley had melted & caused all the belts, including timing belt, to break. *ak
11/20/1997107/25/1994
 Gaskets failed.
10/01/1996104/01/1994
 Timing belt failed.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
108/18/2003
 There is a strong odor of gas coming into the vehicle. consumer can see the gas moisture under the hood. *ak
03/01/19991
 While traveling on the highway the vehicle shut down without prior warning. the transmission willnot engage in gear in cold weather unless the vehicle is warm. the dealership is aware of the problem.*jb
01/10/20020
 While driving about any mph engine will stall without a prior warning. consumer has to control vehicle off the road. please provide more information.*ak
03/15/200007/01/1997
 I was pussing on the gas to heat up the engine, while my foot on the gas pedal the gear changed from park to reverse, thank god there was no one behind the car because it moved in reverse direction like a rocket from the drive way to the street to hit another standing car and moved off the street. other than body damage the engine didn't work after the accedent and i had to replace it and until now since 4/2000 i'm fixing things related to the engine because it was used. right now i can change from park to reverse without pushing any where! not even on the brakes! i think what happend wasn't fair to me and i was lucky enough because i didn't cause any death or enjury to anyone. emad.thx. *ak
110/01/1995
 The vehicle is experiencing stalling, it will stall while stopped in traffic and while driving. *slc
12/12/20000
 Consumer received manufacturer's recall790 for an oil leak. vehicle hasbeen still leaking oil. consumer has contacted dealership.*ak
110/01/1994
 Vehicle will stall intermittently while driving or idling without warning . *ak the cranckshaft sensor replaced. *yh
01/14/2000306/01/1997
 Engine stalls without notice. this is the third time it has happened on the interstate in traffic and could cause an accident. there is no indicatio that it is going to stall. the first sign of a problem is when i press the accelerator pedal there is no response and the oil indicator light comes on . there is also a problem with the transmission not engaging in reverse and low in the the first time i go to drive it in that day. it takes about 2 minutes before i can get it to engage. when driving after the transmission is warmed up, there is some hesitation when accelerating. also the headlights are very dim when driving at night. the hood lift assist cylinders do not function allowing the hood to drop without notice. i was struck in the head twice while checking fluids.*ak
12/11/1999105/01/1993
 After starting from a full stop at a controlled intersection, the engine died without warning or indication. we rolled the car out of the intersection to the curb. it failed to restart. mechanical inspection revealed a broken pivot bolt in the tensioner assembly for the camshaft drive belt. the condition created was dangerour and without any warning in that the engine failed suddenly without warning leaving no power assists for steering and required guessing as to what was happening. the check engine light came on as the car was still rolling. i do not have the vin readily available as the car is not drivable since the failure also resulted in the engine bending valves in the combustion chambers. *ak
07/19/1999
 While driving on highway 55 mph white smoke came out the back of vehicle and car started to accelerate. pulled over, white smoke came out of engine then turned into flames. contacted fire dept. consumer contacted dealer and manufacturer. *ak
08/27/1998
 While driving the vehicle stalls which may cause an accident. cause unknown. please provide details. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak
12/15/1996110/04/1994
 The gears of the vehicle locked up, the vehicle (unmanned) moved down the driveway hitting small trees causing undercarriage damage. consumer refused to drive an unsafe vehicle due to recalls and problems, consumer left vehicle parked at dealership for over a year, when driving vehicle after it had sat for a long period of time, it stalled while stopped at a stop sign, consumer was able to restart with no problems, serpentine belt came loose, black smoke coming from under the hood. vehicle experienced a tire vibration between 40 and 65 mph. turn signals did not work. transmission experienced vibration in the 2-3 upshift, a drbiii test was performed and code 48 came up, this code indicates a problem between the transmission control module and the power train module under heavy acceleration. vehicle experienced high accereration across a busy intersection. *slc
09/23/1998
 Consumer was driving vehicle, stopped at a stop light, light changed,commenced to take off, and vehicle stopped moving. dealer notified. *ak
12/15/1996
 Vehicle would not shift into park (would only go as far as neutral) and engine could not be turned off. emergency brake was applied and had to be released manually. when released the vehicle suddenly accelerated crashing before it stopped. fuses had to be disconnected in order for engine to shut off.
12/15/1996210/04/1994
 Vehicle would not shift into park (would only go as far as neutral) and engine could not be turned off. emergency brake was applied and had to be released manually. when released the vehicle suddenly accelerated crashing before it stopped. fuses had to be disconnected in order for engine to shut off. consumer was injured in this accident. vehicle experienced an engine malfunction, the alternator belt burned, causing engine to smoke and stall. battery failed. turn signals did not work. tires were out of balance and caused vibration. transmission experienced vibration, gears malfunctioned, a code revealed a problem between the transmission control module and the powertrain module under heavy acceleration, consumer was informed this was possibly caused by a sticky throttle position sensor. brakes experienced vibration due to brakes being out of round, the front brakes and front rotors were replaced. *slc
1
 Owner states that while driving vehicle on highway the engine dies out, he also notes that dealer ran diagnostic test on vehicle and could not find anything wrong. *ak *slc
506/01/1993
 When slowing down engine dies, causing total loss of power steering and power brkaes, vehicle has been checked by two different dealers who can not duplicate the problem possibly engine related.*jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
04/24/19971
 Serpentine belt failed. nlm
07/01/1999
 While driving at 30 mph and without prior warning, lost power. dealer replaced engine belt and tensioner. *ak *ml
07/03/19981
 Serpentine belt cracked.
04/27/1998409/01/1996
 Drive belt became inoperative 3 times, causing the power steering to become inoperative, resulting in loss of control. also, dealer replaced a/c compressor 4 times , defect is still occurring. consumer also experienced transmission failure. *ak
12/15/1996210/04/1994
 Vehicle would not shift into park (would only go as far as neutral) and engine could not be turned off. emergency brake was applied and had to be released manually. when released the vehicle suddenly accelerated crashing before it stopped. fuses had to be disconnected in order for engine to shut off. consumer was injured in this accident. vehicle experienced an engine malfunction, the alternator belt burned, causing engine to smoke and stall. battery failed. turn signals did not work. tires were out of balance and caused vibration. transmission experienced vibration, gears malfunctioned, a code revealed a problem between the transmission control module and the powertrain module under heavy acceleration, consumer was informed this was possibly caused by a sticky throttle position sensor. brakes experienced vibration due to brakes being out of round, the front brakes and front rotors were replaced. *slc
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
05/01/199901/01/1999
 White smoke comes out of engine. brakes self applyed while driving. steering wobbles all across lanes.*ak
09/01/2000
 Consumer smelled gasoline fumes coming from vent area. dealership was aware of problem. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
04/24/19971
 Plug wires, pcv valve, and hoses failed causing engine to shake at idle and shake upon light acceleration between 35-50 mph. nlm