NHTSA Complaint #765956 — 1996 DODGE INTREPID

I AM SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT ABOUT DEFICIENCIES IN THE DURABILITY OF THE INNER TIE ROD BUSHINGS AND RACK AND PINION STEERING BUSHINGS ON A 1996 DODGE INTREPID, VIN [XXX]. PREMATURE WEAR OUT OF THESE ITEMS ARE A SAFETY CONCERN. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, IT FELT LIKE I WAS LOSING CONTROL OF THE STEERING ON THE CAR. SOME OF THOSE OCCASIONS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ACROSS AN UNEVEN, WASHBOARD TYPE ASPHALT ROAD SURFACE. OTHER OCCASIONS WERE ON A SMOOTH CONCRETE OR ASPHALT ROAD. ON ALL OCCASIONS, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN CONSIDERABLY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE INNER TIE ROD BUSHINGS TWICE, ONCE IN MARCH OF 1999 AT 49,818 MILES AND AGAIN IN AUGUST OF 2002 AT 89,404 MILES. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BUSHINGS WERE ALSO REPLACED DURING THE AUGUST, 2002 REPAIR. NONE OF THESE PARTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS. TOTAL REPAIRS HAVE COST ME $1,071. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS OTHER POSTINGS OF A SIMILAR NATURE ON INTREPIDS AND OTHER RELATED CHRYSLER VEHICLES AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THESE CARS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR