1996 DODGE INTREPID Steering Problems

ON 15MAR12 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30PM I WAS DRIVING AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED WHILE LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR. AFTER I REGAINED CONTROL, THE STEERING STILL FELT EXTREMELY LOOSE. *TR

I HAVE OWNED A 1996 DODGE INTREPID FOR 6 MONTHS NOW AND WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I WAS AWARE THAT THE STEERING WAS A LITTLE LOOSE, WHAT I DID NOT KNOW WAS THAT THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM AS WELL AS MOST OF THE TIE RODS AROUND THEM WERE COMPLETELY SHOT. MY STEERING WHEEL GRINDS WHEN I TURN IT LEFT AND RIGHT NOW AND MY STEERING HAS A HORRIFIC DRIFT WHEN TURNING FROM EXTREME TO EXTREME. THE BUSHINGS ON THE RACK AND PINION (AS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC) ARE COMPLETELY GONE. THE BROKEN PIECES ARE RATTLING AND VIBRATING SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE SHIMMYING I FEEL ON MY CAR IS ACTUALLY CAUSED BY THE STEERING. WHEN I BRAKE AT HIGH SPEEDS (50MPH) THE STEERING PULLS TO EITHER AN EXTREME LEFT OR RIGHT. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE STRUGGLING WITH THESE SAME ISSUE....

RACK AND PINION PROBLEMS, THE BUSHINGS THAT HOLD THE RACK AND PINION KEEP GOING BAD I'VE HAD THE BUSHINGS REPLACED (NOVEMBER 2007) BUT THEN IT FAILED AGAIN (SEPTEMBER 2008). WHEN EVER I GO AROUND A TURN THERE'S A DELAY IN MY SHEER ALMOST RESULTING IN A CRASH. *TR

IT STARTED OUT MY STEERING WOULD GET REALLY TIGHT AND YOU COULDN'T MOVE IT AT ALL AND IT HAPPENS EVERYDAY NOW WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE RACK-N-PINION AND SO THEY FIXED IT AND ITS STILL DOING IT. *TR

BOLTS HOLDING TIE RODS TO STEERING GEAR (RACK) BROKE. UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS JUST LEAVING MY PARKING LOT AND DIDN'T CAUSE ANY ACCIDENTS AND/OR INJURIES. PAID $700 TO HAVE CAR FIXED. *TR

REPEATED OVERHEATING PROBLEMS RESULTED IN REPLACING MY RADIATOR TWO TIMES, THERMOSTAT THREE TIMES AND THERMOSTAT W/ BREATHER HOUSING TWO TIMES. COOLING SYSTEM INCLUDES EXTERNAL METAL PIPES WHICH HELP CIRCULATE COOLANT TO HEATER. THE PIPES ARE HIDDEN FROM CLEAR VIEW AND WHEN MINE SPRUNG LEAKS DUE TO THEIR PLACEMENT THE LEAKS WERE DIAGNOSED AS BEING BLOWN HEAD/HEAD GASKET BY THREE SEPARATE SHOPS. REPLACEMENT OF PIPES SOLVED OVERHEATING. MOISTURE GETS TRAPPED IN AND AROUND THE FRAME AND SUBFRAME AREAS WHERE THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS ARE LOCATED AND ALLOWS FOR UNNECESSARY PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF ALL THE MOUNTS, BUSHINGS, MAIN FRAME AND SUBFRAME. THIS HIDDEN CONDITION HAS RESULTED IN ALL MOUNTS NEEDING REPLACEMENT, TRANSMISSION DROPPING, FRONT INNER&OUTER TIE RODS AND BUSHINGS GOING OUT, RACK N PINION PROBLEMS AND THE SUBFRAME COLLAPSING. DOCUMENTED RECORDS SHOW THAT FROM 2004 THROUGH 2008 ON AVERAGE I DROVE 7000 MILES A YEAR. IN THAT 28000 MILES I REPLACED...

THE STEERING SYSTEM IN A 1996 DODGE INTREPID TOTALLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO ADVANCED WARNING OF ANY KIND. IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I DID NOT WRECK. THE LEFT BOLT THAT SCREW INTO THE RACK/PIN STEERING BOX STRIPPED OUT AND CAUSED THE RIGHT BOLT TO SNAP CAUSING THE ENTIRE STEERING TO FAIL. *TR

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER A COMPLAINT ON THE 1996 DODGE INTREPID STEERING PROBLEMS. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING , SOME EVEN LEADING TO DEATH. I HAVE NOT YET HAVE ANY FAILURES OF MY STEERING SYSTEM, BUT IT IS GOING BAD DAY BY DAY. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM (DEALER QUOTED OVER $400), AND IT IS MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. I FIND MYSELF PRAYING EVERY TIME I STEP INTO MY CASKET ON WHEELS THAT SOMETHING WRONG DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ME. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY GOVERNMENT RECALL FOR THIS ITEM. THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE ISSUE WITH MOST OTHER MODELS SO WHY SHOULD INTREPID OWNERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THE FAULTY DESIGN. PLEASE HELP ME OUT IN THIS ISSUE. THANKS. *AK

PURCHASED 1996 DODGE INTREPID IN MAY 2005. FOLLOWING WEEK HAD TO TAKE CAR BACK TO DEALER RE: BRAKES, TO NO AVAIL. A MECHANIC STATED BRAKES WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. WAS ADVISED THAT TIRES WERE NOT IN SUCH GREAT CONDITION EITHER. KEPT HEARING STRANGE SOUNDS (RATTLING NOISES) FROM THE CAR. IN AUGUST, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CAR WOULD NOT STEER AT ALL. HAD TO TAKE CAR TO MECHANIC, WHO TOLD US FAN BELT HAD COME OFF WHILE DRIVING. POWER STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AND POWER STEERING LINE. HE ALSO ADVISED THAT RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. FINALLY, ON AUGUST 26TH, WAS GETTING IN CAR TO DRIVE AND DID NOT GET VERY FAR, WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND FOUND TWO BOLTS ON THE GROUND. PLEASE HELP !!! DISTRESSED. DO...

HAVE JUST BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS APPARENTLY WITH THE CERNTER TAKE OFF SYSTEM, HAVE HAD IT AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IN KINGSPORT (1-423-247-3155), THEY PUT STEERING BUSHINGS ON IT, COSTLY REPAIR, STILL DID NOT TOUCH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A HORRIBLE PROBLEM STEERING THE CAR, APPARENTLY THERE WAS A REPORT ISSUED TO THEM ABOUT THE SYSTEM IN 01-31-1999, BUT THEY DID NOT NOTIFY THE CAR OWNERS. HAVE THOUGHT I HAD PROBLEMS WITH A STARTER PULLEY, NOTICED SOME ENGINE SHAKE, SLIGHTLY, A LITTLE SMOKE AROUND THE BACK BUMPER, THE CAR HAS 74 THOUSAND MILES ON IT, I HAVE MY RECORDS AND THE PREVIOUS OWNERS RECORDS OF REPAIRS AND OIL CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN KEPT UP. ONLINE I HAVE READ OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE WRECKED AND DIED BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY CENTER TAKE OFF SYSTEM OF THESE CARS, (BUSHINGS, THE RACK AND PINION GEER INTERFACE, INNER TIEROD, ON THE STEERING GEAR)...

STEERING IS LOOSE, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BY CONSUMER. *AK

THERMOSTAT BROKE TWICE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WONT STAY OFF, AND THE STEERING WHICH IS SUPPOSEDLY A COMMON DEFECT STOPPED RESPONDING AND IS NOT ABLE TO BE FIXED.

WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TWO HALF INCH BOLTS HAD BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE CONSUMER CROSSED OVER THE RAIL ROAD TRACKS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND WITHOUT CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF THE WHEELS. THE BOLTS WHICH HELD THE RODS TO THE RACK AND PINION GEAR BOX HAD BROKEN INTO TWO PARTS. *SCC *SCC *JB

STEERING ISSUES RAMPANT WITH MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE SOME WORK DONE ON IT AND NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL REACHES THE CENTER POINT.*JB

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A GAS ODOR. RECALL CAMPAIGN 98V184000 FUEL INJECTION WAS PERFORMED, BUT AFTER RECALL REPAIR THE FUEL ODOR RETURNED, THE RECALL REPAIR HAS BEEN DONE FOUR TIMES YET THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *TT THE HEATER DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY, THE POWER DOOR LOCK WOULDN'T LOCK, THE DOORS WOULDN'T OPEN, THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TOO DIM, THE DOORS SQUEAKED, THERE WAS A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE BRAKES, THERE WAS PLAY IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE INNER TIE RODS AND POWER STEERING GEAR BUSHINGS. *JB

TIE END ROD HAS BEEN REPAIRED ONE TIME BEFORE, REPAIR THE STEERING, IT WAS UNCONTROLLABLE, WHEN CAR HITS ROCKS, THE CARE WOULD JERK TO ONE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.

STEERING WHEEL HAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN IT. VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 25 MPH. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WHEN IT RAINS STEERING FEELS REAL LOOSE. IT FEELS AS THOUGH CONSUMER IS ON GLASS. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A STEERING PROBLEM. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BOTH TIE ROD ENDS AND BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIRS MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK

EA99031, WHILE TURNING THERE IS A CRACKING NOISE AND MOVEMENT UNDERNEATH THE PEDAL, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITHIN THE STEERING SYSTEM WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK