NHTSA Complaint #733004 — 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

AT 20K AND 40K MILES I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF STEERING WHEN CORNERING ON WET PAVEMENT. THE STEERING WOULD SEIZE WHILE IN THE TURN SO I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA WHEN THIS OCCURED AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. ON BOTH INSTANCES I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO MY CHRYSLER DEALER. THEY INITIALLY REPLACED THE TENSIONER WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING BELT IT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM FOR 20K MILES. AT 40K MILES THEY ONCE AGAIN REPLACED THE TENSIONER THINKING IT WOULD CURE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE BELT AGAIN AS WELL. NOW I EXPECT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM EVERY 20K MILES AS IT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING UNIT IS LOCATED BESIDE THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND APPEARS TO BE PRONE TO WATER PROBLEMS. WHEN I ASKED CHRYSLER WHO WAS GOING TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS EVERY 20K MILES FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER AND HE WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION MILEAGE AND WARRANTY TO MAKE THAT DECISION. THEY IMPLIED THAT I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN I CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T BE THE ONLY PERSON EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES.*AK