NHTSA Complaint #731955 — 1994 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM CHRYSLER REGARDING A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT. I INSPECTED THE SEAT ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THAT NO PROBLEM EXISTED AT THIS TIME . THE INSTRUCTIONS INDICATE FOR ME TO KEEP THE RECALL NOTICE IN THE EVENT THE COMPONENT FAILS AT A LATER DATE. WHILE INSPECTING THE RAILS THAT THE SEATS SLIDE ON, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC WEAR PADS THAT THE UPPER RAIL SLIDE ON THEN MOVING THE SEAT FOREWARD OR REARWARD WERE BROKEN. I CHECKED THE PASSENGER SIDE ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THE SAME PIECES WERE BROKEN. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER REGARDING THESE BROKEN PIECES AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AND INQUIRED IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER REPLACING THESE BROKEN ITEMS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE. THEY REFUSED TO CONSIDER REPLACING THESE ITEMS EVEN THOUGH BOTH SEATS ROCK SIDE TO SIDE AND FORWARD IF PUSHED FROM BEHIND. I CHECKED WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT TO ORDER REPLACEMENT WEAR PADS TO INSTALL IN THE RAILS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT AVAILABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IS TO BUY THE ENTIRE POWER SEAT MECHANISMS FOR BOTH SEATS. THE COST FOR THIS IS WELL OVER ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE, AND BELIEVE IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT ANY RANDOM SAMPLE OF LIKE VEHICLES, YOU WILL FIND NEARLY EVERY ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE BROKEN COMPONENTS COULD CAUSE THE SEAT TO TILT WHILE CORNERING AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK