NHTSA Complaint #10020588 — 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

VERY DANGEROUS! WHEN DRIVING MY 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE THAT MY DAUGHTER USES TO GET TO SCHOOL, I NOTICED THE FRONT END SHAKING, AND A VERY LOUD THUMPING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND SLOWING DOWN. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I DID A VISUAL INSPECTION UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD GOOD TREAD EXCEPT ON THE INNER EDGE, WHERE THE METAL BELT WAS SHOWING THROUGH. THIS WAS THE SAME SIDE WHERE MY MECHANIC JUST CHANGED THE STEERING END AFTER FINDING THE ENTIRE RUBBER END OF THE JOINT GONE. ONLY THE METAL BUSHING REMAINED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC TO CHANGE THE TIRE AND ASKED HIM TO INSPECT FOR THE THUMPING NOISE. HE CAME OUT OF THE GARAGE AND TOLD ME THE CAR IS NOT TO MOVE ANOTHER INCH AND INSTRUCTED ME TO FOLLOW HIM TO THE LIFT. WHAT HE SHOWED ME HORRIFIED ME ENOUGH THAT I AM NOW WRITING YOU. THE MOUNTING BUSHINGS THAT HOLD THE FORWARD CRADLE OR SUBFRAME ON ARE COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY. THE THUMPING NOISE IS FROM THE ENTIRE FRONT CRADLE OF THE CAR TRAVELING UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTING BOLTS AND SLAMMING INTO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE CAR. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND DRIVETRAIN IN PLACE IS THE WASHERS ON THE HEAD OF THE BOLTS. IF THE WASHERS OR BOLT HAD BROKEN, THE FRONT OF THE CAR WOULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE FRAME, AND OBVIOUSLY MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE TOTALLY LOST CONTROL. THANK GOODNESS MY MECHANIC FOUND THIS. AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TT