NHTSA Complaint #754267 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

1999 DODGE INTREPID ES: 11/07/01: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN CITY STREET AND AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO ABOUT 10MPH WHILE PREPARING TO MAKE A TURN, EASING HANDS OFF STEERING WHEEL WHILE WAITING FOR TRAFFIC, STEERING WHEEL WENT LIMP TO THE LEFT. STEERING CONTROL BECAME EXTREMELY POOR. BROUGHT VEHICLE HOME FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED QUARTER TURN TO LEFT, LEFT WHEEL REMAINED STRAIGHT. STEERING BECAME VERY AWKWARD AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT IN, TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE HOWEVER FOUND MISSING BOLT OR WASHER FROM LOWER LEFT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM AND REPLACED. STEERING CONTROL IMPROVED AFTER. AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE AS NORMAL FOR ONLY ABOUT ONE WEEK BEFORE, THIS SECOND STEERING RELATED FAILURE OCCURRED. VEHICLE STEERING NEVER FELT RIGHT IN FIRST PLACE EVEN PRIOR TO BOTH FAILURES. STEERING HAS ALWAYS FELT LOOSE AND FLIMSY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED. TECHNICIAN DROVE VEHICLE AT TIME AND STATED IT WAS NORMAL. MY VEHICLE IS AGAIN AT THE DEALER OVERNIGHT. SERVICE ADVISER ASKED ME "DID YOU HIT SOMETHING?" WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN 11/08/01. ABSOLUTELY NOT. I FEEL THAT THEY THINK I AM CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS SOMEHOW OR SOMETHING. I AM VERY CAREFUL AND I AM A GOOD DRIVER. I AM ONCE AGAIN GREATLY INCONVENIENCED AND WITHOUT MY VEHICLE. I AM ALMOST HAVING TO BRING MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR SOME TYPE OF REPAIR SERVICE EVERY TWO WEEKS. AT 33685, MY ENGINE BLEW UP AND HAS BEEN REPLACED, TRANSMISSION FAILED AND OVERHAULED, TOURQUE CONVERTER REPLACED, MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, SPEED SENSORS REPLACED, SPEAKERS FAILED AND REPLACED, SPEAKERS FAILING AGAIN, COMPONENT FELL OFF LEFT LOWER SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM, STEERING FAILURE, STEERING FAILURE AGAIN. AGAIN, JUST 33685 MILES. ISN'T THERE A LEMON LAW? UPDATE: AS OF 11/08/01 1:15 DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE STEERING PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN SOUNDS VERY DEFENSIVE AND I COULD HERE HIM IN THE BACKGROUND YELLING THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT VEHICLE.*AK