NHTSA Complaint #759816 — 2002 DODGE INTREPID

VEHICLE LATELY HAS NOT FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE AT TIMES. STEERING WHEEL MOVES ITSELF EXCESSIVELY AT TIMES AND MOVES EXCESSIVELY TO IMPERFECTIONS IN ROADS. STEERING CONTINUES TO DRIFT RIGHT OR LEFT. CLUNK STILL HEARD IN STEERING EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE. VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES ON SMOOTH SURFACES AT HIGHER SPEED. I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AS A PRECAUTION. I AM TRYING ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO TRY TO HAVE MY STEERING ISSUES CORRECTED. DEALERSHIP ADJSUTED TIRE PRESSURE AND STATED THAT STEERING WAS FINE AFTER ROAD TEST. SUPPOSED CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE AND SUPPOSEDLY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AS WELL AND STATED IT DROVE FINE AS WELL. SHOP FOREMAN STATED VIBRATION WAS BECAUSE WHEELS NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. ALSO STATED THAT IT'S NORMAL FOR VEHICLES TO DRIFT WHEN YOU LET GO OF THE WHEEL. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE EXCESSIVE RIGHT TIRE WEAR AND AGREED TO DO AN ALIGNMENT. DEALERSHIP STATED THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME AND SERVICE ADVISOR STATED AN ALIGNMENT COULD TAKE 7 HOURS. 7 HOURS......? I'M AFRAID THEY ARE GOING TO TRY AND ALIGN THE VEHICLE TO COUNTER THESE ISSUES OR IT'S GOING TO TAKE THAT LONG BECAUSE THERE'S A PROBLEM. THIS IS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK. DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALER ALONG SLOPED FREEWAY ONRAMP, AFTER LETTING HANDS OFF THE WHEEL THE VEHICLE ALMOST MADE A COMPLETE RIGHT TURN ON IT'S OWN. ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE WAS DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT. AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND FRONT WHEEL HIT A BUMPY PART IN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED ITSELF TO THE LEFT. STEERING WHEEL STILL FEELS LIKE IT STICKS AND DOES NOT RETURN LIKE IT SHOULD. I HAVE DRIVEN A CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AS A TEST AND IT DRIVES STRAIGHT WHEN YOU LET OFF THE WHEEL, THE WHEEL DOES NOT MOVE BY ITSELF AS THE INTREPID EVEN OVER REALLY BUMPY ROADS. THE WHEEL ALWAYS RETURNS HOW IT SHOULD. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE DRIVE MY CAR AND THEY ALL AGREE EVEN BEFORE I EXPLAINED HOW I FELT ABOUT IT'S STEERING. CHRYSLER'S DESIGN IS POOR IF THIS IS NORMAL.*AK