NHTSA Complaint #10667795 — 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

MY WIFE WAS PULLING AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP. SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE CRASHING. WHAT I FOUND WAS VERY DISTURBING. THE REAR ENGINE CRADLE MOUNTS HAD SEPARATED. CAUSING THE ENGINE CRADLE TO CONTACT THE GROUND ON ACCELERATION ALSO THE STEERING TRACK WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THIS CRADLE BECAME NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE CENTER RIPPED OUT OF BOTH REAR MOUNTS AND THERE IS NO MECHANICAL STOP TO PREVENT THE CRADLE FROM SEPARATING FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR WITH AMOUNT FAILURE. THIS CRADLE HAD BEEN REPLACED UNDER AA WARRANTY 14 MONTHS AND 11,000 MI.EARLIER. I HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT CRADLE MOUNTS WERE ALSO SEPARATED AND THEY COULD NOT PUT THE CAR ON THE LIFT TO PICK IT UP DUE SAFETY REASONS AND THE ENGINE CRADLE WOULD COME OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AFTER ABOUT A WEEK THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD WARRANTY THE MOUNTS AND NO LABOR AND ONLY IF THE REPAIRS ARE DONE AT THE DEALER. THE COST OF THE PARTS IS MINIMAL IN COMPARISON TO THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR AND WHAT COULD VERY EASILY HAVE HAPPENED IF THE MOUNTS HAD FAILED IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION AT A MUCH HIGHER SPEED AND NOT ON A CITY STREET. *TR