1996 CHRYSLER LHS Steeringrack And Pinion Problems

STILL IN NEED OF REPAIR, NEEDS RACK & PINION BUSHINGS, RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END, ALREADY HAD INNER TIE ROD REPLACED. *TR

WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE RACK AND PINION SNAPPED AND FAILED. THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

I PURCHASED A USED 1996 CHRYSLER LHS IN AUGUST. WHEN THE WEATHER TURNED COLD, I NOTICED A "KNOCKING" SOUND IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL SOON AFTER STARTING THE CAR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND BEING MADE AWARE OF OTHER SIMILAR SYMPTOMS THAT RESULTED IN DANGEROUS LOSS-OF-STEERING SITUATIONS, I TOOK MY CAR INTO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER SERVICE CENTER. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A "BAD RACK-AND-PINION GEAR ASSEMBLY." *LA

IN JANUARY 2002 A CHRYSLER CERTIFIED MECHANIC PUT BUSHINGS INTO MY STEERING MECHANISM. I SAY PUT THEM THERE BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS ONES (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD, HAD COMPELTELY DISSINTEGRATED. IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR MY HUSBAND WAS APPROACHING THE END OF A FREEWAY. WHEN HE BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN, THE BOLT ON THE D SIDE FELL OFF AND THE STEERING MECHANISM FELL APART. HE WAS TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR AT THE MOMENT THE STEERING MECHANISM FELL APART. IT IS A MIRACLE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, INJURIES OR DEATHS AS HE WAS SWERVING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO THE OTHER. THE D SIDE WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF THE STEERING.*AK

POWER RACK AND PINION BUSHING FAILED TO WHERE RACK WAS MOVING WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL GIVING THE DRIVER SO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL THE CAR I ASSUME THE FRONT STEERING LINKAGE WHICH WAS PREMATURALLY WORN ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS UNCONTROLLABLE STEERING.THE LEFT REAR TRRAILING ARM COMPLETLY FAILED WHEN IT RUST ALL THE WAY THRU CAUSING THE CAR TO BE UYNSAFE TO DO DRIVE AS THE AXILE WAS SPLAYED OUT AND PUSHED BACK. I REALLY GIVE THE MILAGE OF JUST 75000 THAT THIS WAS A PREMATURE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION THAT COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS RAMIFICATION HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO BRING THIS CAR UNDER CONTROL. AS FOR THE A/C EVAPORATOR CHRYSLER FIXED TRHAT AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE RECALLED FUEL RAIL. *AK

THE RACK AND PINION MOUNTING BUSHINGS FAILED. NLM

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED, STEERING WILL IS NOT STRAIGHT AND THE WHEEL POPS AND SCRAPES WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. NLM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO DIFFERENCE INCIDENTS: FIRST, WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT 70 MPH TIE ROD END BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING (NO COLLISION OR INJURIES). SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, RACK AND PINION CAME LOCKED DUE TO VALVE FAILURE AND CAUSED STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK, ALMOST CAUSING A VEHICLE COLLISION (AGAIN NO DAMAGES TO OTHER VEHICLE OR INJURIES RECEIVED). ON BOTH OCCASIONS, REPAIRS WAS DONE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK *ML

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS TIRES WOULD WOBBLE AND VIBRATE DUE TO THE BUSHING ON THE INNER TIE ROD GOING BAD. DEALER SAID THE RACK AND PINION ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*AK

MY CAR WAS REPAIRED AT OLSON TIRE - STORE # 06-17 IN PORT ST LUCIE FLORIDA ON MAY 11, 1999. MY INVOICE SAYS THEY REPLACE A RACK AND PINION UNIT AND A TIE ROD END AT A COST OF $1521.86 INCLUDING LABOR AND APPLICABLE TAXES. ON FRIDAY, OCT 8, 1999, I WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE WHEN I HEARD A "CLUNK" I LOOKED AROUND SAW THAT I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND TRIED TO PULL FORAWRD. THE CAR JUST ROCKED IN PLACE. I GOT OUT AND SAW THAT MY D. SIDE TIRE WAS TURNED AND THE P.SIDE TIRE WAS STRAIGHT. BOTTOM LINE WAS THAT THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE RACK IN WAS SHEERED OFF (BROKE). ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD , THESE BOLTS JUST DON'T BREAK. MY WARRANTY COMPANY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR BEACUSE A BOLT IS HARDWARE??? AND OLSON WANTED TO CHRAGE ME $300++++...

STEERING GEAR FAILED BY LEAKING STEERING FLUID ON INSIDE BUSHINGS ON TIE RODS. BUSHINGS DEGENERATED AND SUDDENLY HAD SUBSTATIAL PLAY. CAUSED STEERING WHEEL TO HAVE ABOUT 4 INCHES OF PLAY AND MADE CAR DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN THE ROAD EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. CAR WOULD VEER LEFT THEN RIGHT - CAUSING OVERSTEERING JUST TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT. COST OF REPAIR HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $2,000. DEALER (JIM COGDILL DODGE) SAYS CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE IN CURRENT CONDITION.

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL LOCKRD UP, AND CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL. THEN RACK PINION BROKE, CAUSING ONE WHEEL TO GO TO THE RIGHT AND ONE TO THE LEFT. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. *AK

AS WE WERE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CAR SHUTTERED AND THEN MADE A NOISE AND FELT LIKE A FLAT TIRE. I STOPPED THE CAR AND LOOKED FOR A FLAT AND FOUND NONE. THE CAR THEN WOULD BARELY GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND I HAD NO STEERING CONTROL. NEXT MORNING, IN DAYLIGHT, FRONT TIRES WERE AIMED AT A 90 DEGREE VARIANCE. BOLTS HOLDING STEERING RACK HAD SHEERED AND BEND/BROKE TIE RODS ALSO. I SEE A SIMILAR PREVIOUS REPORT IN YOUR FILES. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN HIGH SPEED SITUATION!

EACH OF THE FAILURES OCCURRING IN MY 1996 CHRYSLER LHS HAS BEEN COSTLY. THE FAILURE OF THE O RINGS, THE FAILURE OF THE STEERING LINKAGES, AND LASTLY, THE FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION BUSHINGS. THE CRITICAL FAILURE OF EACH OF THESE COMPONENTS OCCURRED WITH THE ITEMS MADE OF RUBBER. IN THE CASE OF THE RACK & PINION, MY MECHANIC FINDS IT INCREDIBLE THAT HE CANNOT JUST REPLACE THE BUSHINGS. AS IT IS HE HAS TO BUY A NEW RACK ASSEMBLY + CHARGE ME FOR THE LABOR AND EXPENSE OF REMOVING AND REPLACING THE RACK. I THINK THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DESIGN DEFECT, AND SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER!