NHTSA Complaint #10651169 — 2005 DODGE STRATUS

ONE DAY I WENT TO BACK OUT, I TURNED THE WHEEL AND HEAR THIS CRUNCHING, CLUNKING SOUND WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A HUGE ROCK SCRAPPING ON METAL. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND WALKED AROUND THE CAR AND SAW NOTHING. IT STARTED AGAIN AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR BACK UP. ANYTIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, I HEARD THIS SOUND. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE TIE-ROD ENDS. HE SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL YET. I CALLED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX IT SINCE THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS. NOPE ! THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT FOR FREE WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL RECALL. IT'S A COSTLY REPAIR $900-$1100 B/C IT REQUIRES MANY DIFFERENT SERVICES - TIE ROD ENDS, TIRES, BALANCE, ALIGNMENT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT DROP THE PRICE BY A SINGLE PENNY. NOW THEY ARE DOING A PIECEMEAL RECALL BEGINNING WITH THE TRUCKS. WHY NOT FORCE THEM TO RECALL THEM ALL ? I HAVE BEEN ON MULTIPLE SITES AND I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS FROM AS FAR BACK AS 2003 TO AS RECENTLY AS 2014. I WISH THE GOVERNMENT WAS A HARD ON THE DEALERS AS THE DEALERS ARE ON THE BUYERS. *TR