NHTSA Complaint #10064420 — 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

I OWN A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE WHICH HAS BEEN GIVING ME STEERING PROBLEMS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I FIRST NOTICED IT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS ON VERY COLD DAYS WHEN I WOULD LEAVE FOR WORK IN THE MORNING. AS SOON AS I PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND MADE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST TURN OF THE WHEEL THERE WOULD BE SOME LOUD POPPING NOISES AND THE STEERING WAS STIFF. ONCE THE CAR WARMED UP THE STEERING WAS MORE FLUID AND THE NOISE WOULD DIMINISH. THESE SYMPTOMS HAVE CONTINUED AND NOW I SEEM TO EXPERIENCE THEM EVEN IN WARMER TEMPERATURES. RECENTLY I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHENEVER I AM APPLYING THE BRAKES AND TURNING THE WHEEL I HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE AS IF SOMETHING IS BREAKING. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS NO LONGER STRAIGHT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHICH INDICATES AN ALIGNMENT IS IN ORDER. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC THIS MORNING AND AFTER INSPECTING IT HE INFORMED ME THAT THE RACK & PINION BUSHINGS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE SPECIFICALLY SAID THE PROBLEM IS WHERE THE RACK & PINION CONNECT TO THE BODY. HE ALSO SAID HE DOES NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY TOOL(S) TO REPAIR THIS SO HE REFERRED ME TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP WHERE I CALLED AND WAS INFORMED THE REPAIR WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF $1650 PERHAPS MORE DEPENDING ON IF STRUTS AND MOUNTS WERE ALSO NEEDED. I AM PLACING THIS COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA BECAUSE I FOUND SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE FROM OTHER CONSUMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE'S. IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER WILL ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND COMPENSATE IT'S CUSTOMERS FOR ANY/ALL COSTS RELATED TO THIS APPARENT DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. *JB