NHTSA Complaint #756986 — 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

STEERING RACK AND PINION BEGAN MAKING LOUD POP AND/OR CREAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL RIGHT OR LEFT WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD (<30 DEGREES F). LATER THE SAME WEEK, AFTER STARTING COLD CAR IN PARKING LOT, PULLED OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND LOST POWER ASSIST IN STEERING - WITH POWER STEERING DRIVE BELT SCREACHING. NARROWLY MISSED COLLISION WITH PARKED CAR. AFTER ENGINE IS WARMED UP 2 OR MORE MINUTES, STEERING SEEMS TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. DEALER EVALUATION SAYS REPLACE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR AT COST OF $1868. TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS DEFECT. DEALER INDICATES THAT EARLIER MODEL YEARS (93-95) HAD BUSHING REPLACEMENT KIT FOR ABOUT $15, BUT '96 MODEL REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF STEERING GEAR AT $1500 PARTS COST. TWO MONTHS AGO HAD LOOSE TIE ROD REPLACED - WHICH MIGHT BE RELATED. I WILL NOT DRIVE CAR WITH THIS CONDITION - FEARING STEERING FAILURE. BUT CANNOT SPEND $1800 TO FIX - NO AFTERMARKET STEERING GEAR IS AVAILABLE.*AK