NHTSA Complaint #751167 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

1999 DODGE INREPID ES: STEERING IS EXTREMELY LOOSE, FLIMSY FEELING AND OVER SENSITIVE. STEERING SEEMS TO HAVE FAR TOO MUCH PLAY. VEHICLE USUALLY JERKS OR SWAYS WHEN CHANGING LANES BECAUSE OF THIS. STEERING WILL ALSO USUALLY JERK WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. VEHICLE USUALLY STEERS AND PULLS TO THE LOWEST SIDE OF UNEVEN ROADS. STEERING ASSEMBLY FEELS LIKE IT VIOLENTLY JERKS ALL OVER THE PLACE WHEN DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR HEAVILY BUMPY AREAS. VEHICLE IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL DUE TO REALLY LOOSE, FLIMSY FEELING STEERING THAT MOVES WAY TOO FREELY. FRONT WHEELS SOMETIMES SEEM TO SLIDE, SLIP OR LOOSE TRACTION AROUND SOME SLIGHT TURNS AT 30+ MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS TRACTION CONTROL, NOT SURE IF PROBLEM IS RELATED. VEHICLE HAS 17" STANDARD ALUMINUM STARBLADE WHEELS AND STANDARD GOODYEAR TIRES. STEERING LOCK FOR WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED IS DEFECTIVE, NEVER WORKS OR IS NOT PRESENT. I HAD NEVER HAD THESE PROBLEMS WITH MY OLD 1995 DODGE INTREPID AND I DO NOT BELEIVE THAT THEY ARE NORMAL. I TOOK THE 1999 DODGE INTREPID ES INTO THE FIVE STAR DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT, HAD TECHNICIAN DRIVE IT, I WAS TOLD THAT IT HANDLED FINE AND THAT SOME VEHICLES HAVE SENSITIVE STEERING AND THAT IT WAS NORMAL AND NOTHING WAS WRONG. IT HAS BEEN DANGEROUS AT TIMES, I HAVE TO USUALLY KEEP BOTH HANDS TIGHTLY ON THE WHEEL BEING PREPARED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN IT STARTS LOOSING CONTROL OR I FEEL THE FRONT WHEELS SLIPPING OR SLIDING.*AK