NHTSA Complaint #10124019 — 2005 DODGE MAGNUM

WE BOUGHT OUR 2005 MAGNUM RT, MAY 11, 2005. AS WE DROVE OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP THE SALESMAN PUNCHED THE TRIP METER AND A MILEAGE DIFFERENCE SHOWED UP BETWEEN THE PAPERWORK (25 MILES) AND THE ODOMETER (236 MILES). ON OUR TEST DRIVE WE DISCOVERED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL WAS BROKEN. DODGE ORDERED THE PART AND I RETURNED TWO DAYS LATER TO PICK IT UP. IT WAS NOT IN, BUT HAD THE SALESMAN DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO A FEELING OF PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND A STEERING VIBRATION. HE FELT NOTHING. THE NEXT WEEK, I TOOK THE CAR IN TO SEE IF THE STEERING WHEEL PART WAS IN AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE WHOLE SHROUD HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY DID THAT AND THE STEERING WHEEL STILL DID NOT ADJUST. THE NEXT MONDAY THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN WHICH FIXED THE ADJUSTMENT. THEY ALSO BALANCED THE TIRES AND ALIGNED THE FRONT END IN A ATTEMPT TO FIX THE STEERING PROBLEMS. THAT DID NOT WORK . I TOOK THE CAR IN JUNE THE 1ST TO HAVE A KIT INSTALLED TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THAT DID NOT WORK. SO THEY KEPT THE CAR AND ARE INSTALLING A NEW RACK IN THE STEERING MECHANISM. NOW THEY HAVE KEPT IT A THIRD DAY. I DON'T THINK THE DEALER KNOWS HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME TYPES OF PROBLEMS AS WWW.DODGEFORUM.COM SHOWS. I FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL AND PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. MY CAR HAS ONLY 1,800 MILES ON IT. IT MAY BE A LITTLE EARLY TO COMPLAIN, BUT I FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS UNSAFE AND THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED BEFORE CHYRSLER COMES WITH A FIX. MY WIFE DRIVES 80 MILES ROUND TRIP TO WORK A DAY. I THINK THE FRONT END PROBLEMS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I AM ALSO WONDERING IF I BOUGHT A CAR THAT WAS A LEMON THAT WAS BOUGHT BACK AND THEN RESOLD.