NHTSA Complaint #759881 — 2002 DODGE INTREPID

YESTERDAY I HAD A 4 WHEEL COMPUTERIZED ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. IT WAS DIFFICULT AND SOMETIMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL THE CAR WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT BECAUSE IT WOULD DRIFT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THAT NIGHT WHEN PULLING OUT AWAY FROM FRIENDS HOUSE, HAVING WHEEL TURNED SHARP AND WAITING AT IDLE SOMETHING IN THE FRONT END WAS VIBRATING AND IT WOULD CHANGE WHEN WHEEL WAS MOVED. LATER THAT NIGHT STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED UP AS IT HAD BEFORE ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN DRIVING. WHEEL WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO TURN ALL OF A SUDDEN, STEERING BECAME MUCH MORE SENSITIVE ALL OF A SUDDEN WHERE IT PREVIOUSLY WAS NOT. WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING WHEEL WOULD FEEL EVEN MOVE DIFFICULT TO TURN AND ALMOST STUCK. I TRIED TO GET A FRIEND TO DRIVE THE CAR. SHE STARTED TO DRIVE IT IN A PARKING LOT, I ASKED HER TO MANUVER WITH THE CAR AND AFTER DRIVING FOR A MINUTE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BECAUSE SHE FELT THE CAR WAS NOT HANDLING WELL AND DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. I MANUVERED IN THE PARKING LOT AND AT 15 MILE LOW SPEED MANUVERING AND SHARP TURNS TIRES WERE SQUEALING AS IF PERFORMING HIGH SPEED MANUVERS. AT ONE TIME I WAS ABLE TO SEND THE VEHICLE INTO A CONTROLLED SKID ALTHOUGH IT HAS ABS. I COULD NOT GET CAR TO SKID AGAIN AND ABS SEEMED TO BE WORKING FINE. I NOTICED A CLUNK FELT IN THE STEERING ASSEMBLY WHEN BRAKING HARD AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE STEERING ATTITUDE AND CHARACTERISTICS SHOULD NOT INTERMITTENTLY CHANGE. THE CAR STILL WONDERS ON THE FREEWAY AND WHEEL NEEDS CONSTANT ATTENTION. THIS CAR DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M CONTINUALLY BEING TOLD IT'S NORMAL. I HAVE DRIVEN 3 DODGE INTREPIDS AND KNOW HOW THEY SHOULD DRIVE. I EVEN HAD SOMEONE WHO HAS DRIVEN 3 SECOND GENERATION RENTAL CAR INTREPIDS AND HE DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY MY INTREPID DROVE AT TIMES EITHER. THE STEERING ASSEMBLY SEEMS TO BE DETERIORATING QUICKLY OVER TIME AND SOMETIMES FAILS TO PERFORM AS IT SHOULD. THE VEHICLE ALSO CAME OUT OF THE FACTORY OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND WITH TWO TIRES THAT NEEDED TO BE BALANCED AND SINCE CORRECTED. NLM