NHTSA Complaint #10046986 — 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

I HAVE A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE LXI. MY BROTHER IN LAW HAS ONE THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL ALSO. WE BOTH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE STEERING GEAR BUSHINGS WEAR OUT AND ALLOWS THE STEERING TO WANDER. I HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT AS WELL AS MY BROTHER IN LAW WHILE GOING AROUND A CORNER AND EXPECTING THE CAR TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF STEERING BUT INSTEAD THE CAR WANTED TO GO STRAIGHT UNTIL THE STEERING GEAR HAD TRAVELED AS FAR AS IT COULD GO THEN THE STEERING REACTED. THIS PROBLEM ALSO CAUSES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END LEADING A MECHANIC TO BELIEVE THE ROTORS ARE WARPED WHEN IN FACT IT IS THE STEERING GEAR BUSHINGS. THESE BUSHINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH CHRYSLER. INSTEAD THEY WANT YOU TO PURCHASE A WHOLE NEW STEERING GEAR FOR OVER $1000. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON TO THE 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE LXI AND CHRYSLER SHOULD EITHER MAKE THE PART AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM OR REPLACE THE PART AT THERE OWN EXPENSE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROBLEMS WHERE SOMEONE MAY DRIVE OFF THE ROAD AND GET HURT OR KILLED AND NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW WHY OTHER THAN TO EXPECT THAT IT WAS THE DRIVERS FAULT. *LA