NHTSA Complaint #10573472 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

STARTED WHEN BACKING AND TURNING WHEEL TO LEFT A CLUNK OCCURRED AND LEFT WHEEL FELT 'STUCK'. THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE EXTREMELY FRIGID TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON. A SHORT TIME LATER I FELT CLUNKING UNDER MY FEET WHEN DRIVING OVER DIPS OR BUMPS AT ANY SPEED. FOR SOME I THOUGHT IT WAS AGAIN THE IDLER ARMS OR BALL JOINTS AS I HAVE HAD MANY MANY SUSPENSION REPAIRS. ODDLY IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED BY ANYONE AT THIS CHAIN REPAIR SHOP THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS OF ANY CONCERN. I DID BRING MY CAR IN TO A DIFFERENT CHAIN REPAIR SHOP FOR A DETERMINATION OF THE CLUNKING PROBLEM AND WAS SHOWN WHEN PUTTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE THE ENGINE FELL WAY DOWN THEN WAS SHOWN THE VERY RUSTED OUT ENGINE CRADLE AND GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $1800.00 FOR REPAIR WITH A USED CRADLE. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP TO VERIFY THE NEED OF THE CRADLE..THE CHARGES TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD TO BE TAKEN TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ESTIMATE BUT THAT IT WAS ALREADY KNOWN THAT THERE WOULD BE VERY LITTLE TO NO BENEFIT. HOWEVER IF THERE WAS ANY MONETARY BENEFIT IT WOULD NOT BEGIN TO COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR COST. BY THE WAY, THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL AND LIFT DOOR ARE RUSTED ALSO. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR 3 1/2 YEARS AGO THE RUST WAS BEGINNING-I CAN NOW STICK A FINGER THRU THE RUST ON THE QUARTER PANEL. HAVE SEEN ONLY ONE OTHER PACIFICA WITH SURFACE RUST. IT'S VERY EMBARRASSING TO ME AS NOT MANY CARS ON THE ROAD HAVE ANY RUST AT ALL. ARE MY YOUNG PASSENGERS SAFE?? I AM STUCK WITH THIS MONEY AND POSSIBLE DEATH TRAP. I STILL HAVE 1 1/2 YEARS OF PAYMENTS. BUMMER. *TR