NHTSA Complaint #10202009 — 1997 CHRYSLER SEBRING

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE ROAD AT 15 MPH, AFTER GOING THROUGH THE 2ND OF 2 SMALL DIPS, THE FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE ON THE 1997 SEBRING AND THE CAR STOPPED. WE GOT OUT, SAW FRONT WHEEL TURNED OUT AT SHARP ANGLE, THE RIGHT FRONT OF CAR DROPPED. SHERIDAN POLICE DROVE BY,WE MADE AN ACCIDENT REPORT. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED 2 BLOCKS, THE INS. CO. WAS CALLED WE CONTACTED PHIL LONG CHRYSLER IN LITTLETON CO. TO FIND PRICE ON THE PART. THEY ASKED FOR VIN NUMBER AND DETERMINED THERE WAS RECALL ON THAT VEHICLE. THEY SAID CAR WAS FIXED ONCE UNDER RECALL, THEY WANTED TO SEE IT. WE HAD IT TOWED THERE. BERNIE SAID THEY WOULD AT LEAST FIX THE BALL JOINT. THEY ESTIMATED THE DAMAGE AND CALLED DISTRICT REP TO COME SEE THE CAR. WE WERE CALLED AND TOLD DISTRICT REP SAID NO, THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE CAR UNDER THE RECALL. WE ALSO OWED THEM $100 (DIAGNOSTICS).WE WERE TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER, SCOTT VANSICKLE, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD, HAD 160,000 MILES. [RECALLED PART WAS FIXED AT 20,000 MILES IN 1998.] DECISION WAS MADE BY THE DISTRICT REP. AND, BESIDES, THOSE PARTS WEAR OUT. I ASKED FOR NAME AND NUMBER OF DISTRICT REP - CHRIS G. AT 1-800-992-1997. I CALLED, WAS TOLD BY ALEX, AFTER MUCH REFERRAL WITH HIS SUPERVISOR, THAT CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH DISTRICT REP, CHRIS G, HE SAID HE WAS NOT AT THAT NUMBER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A DISTRICT REP THERE, I NEEDED TO GO THROUGH DEALER FOR THAT. I ASKED HIM FOR HIS NAME, ALEX, AND SUPERVISOR'S NAME,RYAN.CHRYSLER'S REP, ( CHRIS G.) HAS OFFERED TO DO ABSOLUTELEY NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM AND IS UNWILLLING TO DO ANYTHING. I AM LUCKY I WAS GOING SLOW AND NOONE WAS HURT.THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND THE 3 OF US COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I FIND IT APPALLING THAT CHRYSLER CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULT OF THIS PART.