NHTSA Complaint #10192575 — 2005 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

2005 GRAND CARAVAN SXT WAS PURCHASED ON JANUARY 12, 2005. THIS IS MY SECOND DODGE CARAVAN. MY FIRST WAS A 1999. ON DECEMBER 21, 2005, AFTER LESS THAN ONE YEAR, WITH 17248 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I BROUGHT IT IN BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A WHINING SOUND WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND THERE WERE OIL SPOTS ON MY GARAGE FLOOR, UNDER THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND, SINCE IT WAS SITLL UNDER WARRANTY, I WASN'T TO WORRIED AS LONG AS IT WOULD BE FIXED. ON MAY 22, 2007, AFTER LESS THAN ONE AND A HALF YEARS AFTER THE FIRST RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT AND WITH 41558 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT IN BECAUSE THIS TIME I WAS HEARING A LOUD RUBBING/WHINING SOUND WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND THERE WERE OIL SPOTS ON THE SAME SPOT ON MY GARAGE FLOOR, UNDER THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I NEED TO PUT A THIRD RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN MY VAN AFTER ONLY LESS THAN TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF OWNERSHIP AND ONLY 41558 MILES ON THE VEHICLE! I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME AROUND $800-$900 FOR THE REPAIR, PARTS AND LABOR! I HAVE TO PAY THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY YEAR, OR YEAR AND A HALF, FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM?