2000 DODGE INTREPID Steeringrack And Pinion Problems

NOTICED PLAY IN STEERING GETTING WORSE AS TIME WENT ON SO I WENT TO A LOCAL FIRESTONE TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED AND COMPLETE ALIGNMENT DONE ON VEHICLE. THEY REPLACED THE TIRES BUT REFUSED TO DO AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE WAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE INNER TIERODS AND THAT THE STEERING GEAR MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY QUOTED ME A PRICE OF 300.00 FOR EACH INNER TIEROD AND SAID I WOULD HAVE TO FIND A DIFFERENT SHOP TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT. CAR STILL DRIFTS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND THE STEERING STILL HAS PLAY. I REFUSE TO HAVE MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THIS DEATH TRAP. *TR

VEHICLE INFORMATION: 98,975 MILES ON THE CAR BUSHINGS BROKE SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 TOOK THE CAR IN FOR STEERING NOISE AND ACCESSIVE SHAKING THEY WERE REPLACED AND WITHIN THAT SAME DAY THE BOLTS BROKE OFF IN MY DRIVE-WAY THAN MY MECHANIC DID HIS HOMEWORK AND FOUND THIS DEFECT ONLINE....CAR IS NO LONGER DRIVEABLE. WHAT DO WE DO??? DO WE FIX THE CAR AND PARK IT UNTIL DODGE DOES SOMETHING OR LEAVE AS IS.... PLEASE HELP.... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE REPAIR SHOP PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING GEAR RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE CONTACT WAS ISSUED REFERENCE NUMBER 16542975. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES TO WORK THE CAR WAS PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHILE STRAIGHTENING THE WHEELS A LOUD POP WAS HEARD AND THE CAR HAD NO STEERING. THE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT (2) TWO 1/2 INCH THREADED BOLTS (THAT BOLT THE TIE RODS TO THE STEERING RACK HAD SHEARED OFF. ONE OF THE TIE ROD BUSHINGS WAS GONE AND THE AREA THE BUSHING WAS IN WAS EXTREMELY WORN, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE AT 20,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY REMOVING THE RACK, BACKING OUT THE OLD BOLT ENDS AND INSTALLING NEW BOLTS. THE ONE TIE ROD WAS REPLACED. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATION CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY OFFERED NO HELP ON THE REPAIR. THE DISTRICT REP WAS ASK TO HELP AND HE DENIED ANY HELP. (HE DID NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. I WAS TOLD THAT HE...

I PICKED UP MY CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED AND NOTICED A PROBLEM ON THE WAY HOME IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN LEFT AND EXTREMELY EASY TO TURN RIGHT I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED IT AGAIN THE RACK AND PINION IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID I LOST ALL STEERING THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS THE RACK AND PINION THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS PART HAS FAILED THE FIRST TIME WAS IN JULY OF 2002. *NM

I THOUGHT I HAD FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT BEFORE BUT IT DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE SEARCHES. THE STEERING WOULD LOCK-UP WHEN TURNING TO GET THE CAR TO STRAIGHTEN OUT I WOULD HAVE TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL WITH ALL OF MY STRENGTH LATER THE STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS COMPONENT FAILING MORE THAN ONCE ON SEVERAL VEHICLES. *NM

STEERING CLUNKS AND STICKS AT RANDOM WITH NO WARNING, TOLD RACK AND PINION IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE HAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 48,000 MILES ON IT. *NM

DT: ON 8-17-04 THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT THE STEERING NEEDED ALIGNMENT AND THE TIE ROD ENDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT BEEN EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. THE CONSUMER HAD THE OUTER TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED AND THE FRONT END ALIGNED. AFTERWARDS, ON 9-15-04, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TOO MUCH FREE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE GEAR IN THE STEERING RACK WAS WORN OUT, AND HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT HAD IT FIXED AS OF YET. THE STEERING RACK GOT MUCH WORSE AND NOW HAS TO BE MANUALLY PULLED BACK TO CENTER WHEN TURNING. *AK

DT: 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH 60,000 MILES. THE STEERING FAILED. IT STARTED WITH A LOT OF LOOSE PLAY IN THE STEERING. WHEEL. CURRENTLY WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT THE WHEEL WAS UPSIDE DOWN. THIS PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES AGO, COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURRED ON JULY 27, 2005. THE VEHICLE BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAVE NOT LOOKED AT IT. IT SHOWED RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE SYMPTOMS. CHRYSLER WAS NOT WILLING TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE DID NOT GO IN A STRAIGHT LINE, THE TIRES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS BALANCED AND ALIGNED.*AK THE TIE ROD WAS REPLACED. *JB

IT STARTED WITH A "SMALL" NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT END. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. AFTER 2 YEARS OF LISTENING TO THE "SMALL" NOISE, THE STEERING STARTED ACTING STRANGE. WHEN MAKING A TURN, IT WOULDN'T GO BACK TO THE CENTER. THEN IT STARTED LOCKING UP AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE CENTER POSITION UNLESS I USE ALL THE STRENGTH I HAVE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP BUT "THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING". I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS SHOT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT SOMEWHERE AROUND $1000.00. SO AS IT STANDS, I HAVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH 35,000 MILES, NO WARRANTY, AND NO HELP FROM DODGE EITHER.

WHILE GOING 20 MPH STEERING BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND BLINKED. THEN, ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. *AK THE VEHICLE'S RACK AND PINION ALSO FAILED. *NM

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN.THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME AND I WENT OVER THE SIDEWALK AND OFF THE ROAD INTO SOME ONES FRONT YARD. LUCKLY THIS WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND NO ONE WAS ON THE SIDEWALK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC. HE SAID IT HAS A BAD RACK AND PINION. I HAVE A 2000 DODGE INTREPID THAT I HAD SINCE NEW WITH ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT.THE MECHANIC SAID THEIR IS NO WAY THIS SHOULD HAVE WENT OUT. IT COST ME OVER $1200 TO FIX THIS . PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT BEFORE SOME ONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THANKS. *AK

AFTER PUCHASING MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID ES IN NOVEMBER OF 1999 AND BEGAN NOTICING A STEERING VIBRATION AT APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES. THE VIBRATION INCREASED TO STEERING DIFFICULTIES WHILE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. AFTER OPINIONS RECEIVED FROM THREE SEPARATE MECHANICS, THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1,700.00. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO FIND ANY RECALL NOTICE FOR THE INTREPID, NO DEALER WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. SEVERAL OTHER CLAIMS OF SIMILIAR OCCURANCES HAVE BEEN FOUND POSTED ON THE INTERNET ALL MATCHING THE DESCRIPTIONS OF STEERING ASSEMBLY FAILURES. THE ORIGINAL RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY WAS INSPECTED BY THE MECHANIC AND WAS NOTED TO HAVE "FRACTURED" THEREBY CAUSING THE STEERING PROBLEMS.*AK

DECEMBER OF 2003 STEERING STARTED GRINDING AND MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN BEGINGING TO DRIVE AND DRIFTING WHEN DRIVING. TOOK IT TO DEALER, HAD TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM. APRIL OF 2004 SAME PROBLEM ONLY THIS TIME STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT. NOT THE POWER STEERING, THERE WAS NO WAY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM. NOVEMBER 2004 SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN GOT IT THERE BEFORE THE STEERING COMPLELY WENT OUT AGAIN. ONCE AGAIN REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM.*AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING WHEEL POSITION TO LOCK UP ON A LEFT HAND TURN. HAD TO PHYSICALLY CORRECT THE WHEEL, ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION.*AK

I BOUGHT MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID FROM IDEAL AUTO EXCHANGE. IN A FEW DAYS I HEARD SOME KNOCKING ON TURNS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATES THAT RACK AND PINION HAS A PROBLEM , AND MUST BE REPLACED. I HAVE A WARRANTY WITH DEALER UNDER "LEMON" LAW TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION. HOWEVER, DEALER STATES THAT AFTER CAREFUL CHECK ON THE VEHICLE THEY CAN'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS, AND EXTERNAL KNOCKING SOUND ON TURNS IS NORMAL. AFTERWARDS THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PART. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT SHOULD I DO.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH STEERING WHEEL SHOOK AND PULLED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK

IN JAN 2004, OUR 2000 DODGE INTREPID EXPERIENCED 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE WE WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND AFTER ABOUT 2/3 STEERING WHEEL TURN, IT WOULD STOP. WE WOULD TURN THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT NOTING THAT IT WOULD THEN TURN AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN WE WENT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED REPLACING. I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM ON A NEWSGROUP AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO CHANGE THE POWER STEERING FLUID. WE DID (SINCE IT WAS CHEAPER) AND THE PROBLEM DIDN'T REOCCUR. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO, WE WOULD NOTICE AN OCCASIONAL RATTLE FROM THE FRONT END. I INITIALLY ATTRIBUTED IT TO NORMAL SUSPENSION WEAR SINCE IT WAS APERODIC AND NO CONSISTANCY TO IT. AS TIME WENT ON, THE RATTLES WOULD OCCUR MORE OFTEN. IT WOULD DO IT GOING OVER ROUGH ROADS OR...

THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING AND MAKING LOUD CLUNKING NOISES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE TURNS. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO COULDN'T IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE STEERING WAS SO LOOSE, I COULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE 10 O'CLOCK TO THE 2 O'CLOCK POSITION AND THE WHEELS WOULD NOT EVEN MOVE. ON NOVEMBER THE 19TH, I TOOK MY CAR TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE RACK AND PINION.... A PROBLEM THAT WOULD COST ME OVER A $1000 TO REPAIR. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COME UP THE MONEY OR RISK KILLING MYSELF OR SOME ONE ELSE DUE TO STEERING FAILURE. MY CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 68000 MILES. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS...

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING BECAME MORE DIFFICULT WHILE BEING DRIVEN. BEFORE TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING, THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *PH

THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES AND WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE RACK AND PINION FAILED AGAIN AT 39000 MILES AND HAD TO PAY A $300.00 DEDUCTIBLE. *AK ALSO THE VALVE COVER GASKETS LEAKED. *TS *JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING RACK AND PINION TO GO OUT. *AK. THE CONSUMER NOTICED SLACK IN THE STEERING AND RATTLING IN THE FRONT AT AROUND 75000 MILES. THE STEERING BECAME STUCK DURING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS. *TS. THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED AND ALSO THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER DECLINED THE REPAIRS. *JB

I BOUGHT MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID IN FEB. 2003 WITH 37,295 MILES ON IT. STARTED TO NOTICE THE CAR PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO KEYSTONE CHRYSLER TO BE SERVICED ON MAY 15, 2003. STEVE HALLER(REP.) SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED MR. HALLER TO CHECK HOW THINGS WERE GOING, HE SAID THEY WERE HAVING SOME TROUBLE TRYING TO ALIGN THE CAR, BUT THEY WILL GET IT DONE. I DROPPED THE CAR OFF AT 7 A.M. AND THE CAR WAS NOT FINISHED UNTIL 2:30 THAT AFTERNOON. THAT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME FOR AN ALIGNMENT. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, I STILL NOTICED A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT. IT WAS AS IF I HAD NO CONTROL OVER WHICH DIRECTION THE CAR WAS GOING. I...

CONSUMER REQUESTING REFUND FOR WORK DONE ON VEHICLE. *MR THE STEERING WAS LOOSE DUE TO INTERNAL PLAY IN THE RACK AND PINION. THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. SCC

MY DODGE INTREPID HAS 73000 HIGHWAY MILES. I AM HAVING SEVERE STEERING PROBLEMS THAT WILL REQUIRE ME TO REPLACE MY RACK AND PINION STEERING TO CORRECT. THE COST OF THIS REPLACEMENT WILL BE $1500.00. I FEEL THE RACK AND PINION STEERING PROBLEM SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY FAILURE SUBJECT TO RECALL. *NLM

THE SHOCKS AND COOLING FAN HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED IN A STRAIGHT PATH ALTHOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT. THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. *JB *PH *NLM

VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION HAS TO BE REPLACED. PH

I HAVE ONLY MADE 4 PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR, AND I AM SCHEDULED FOR MY 7TH REPAIR ATTEMPT ON 12/3/02. TO DATE, I HAVE HAD 2 STEERING PUMP REPLACEMENTS, 1 RACK & PINION REPLACEMENT, A COMPLETE STEERING FLUID CHANGE WITH FLUID SUPPOSEDLY SPECIFIED BY DODGE, 1 APPOINTMENT THAT ENDED UP BEING A TEST DRIVE ONLY-WAS ADVISED TO TAKE CAR HOME PENDING RESPONSE FROM DODGE ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH REPAIRS..(WAS TOLD RESPONSE "DIDNT REALLY PERTAIN TO MY CAR.."), 1 VENT WIRE AND OIL SENDER UNIT REPLACED, AND IN AUGUST 02, I HAD A 1 MONTH AUTO CHECK UP. THESE REPAIRS, WHILE NOT ALL IN SEQUENCE, TOOK PLACE BETWEEN 9/17/02-11/20/02.MY STEERING PROBLEM RETURNED IN FULL FORCE 11/25/02. THE STEERING IS LOUD AND DOES NOT QUIET WHEN DRIVING. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR FEAR OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS CAR, IN MY OPINION, IS VERY DANGEROUS! OF LATE, DODGE...

I PURCHASED MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID WITH ONLY 26,000 MILES IN NOV. 2001. SINCE THEN I HAVE REPLACED MY INPUT/OUT TRANSMISSION SENSORS, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I MUST NOW REPLACE MY RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY DUE TO STEERING PROBLEMS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PREMATURE FAILURE IS VERY COMMON AND AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH DODGE INTREPIDS. THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUTABLE AND FORCED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES HAVING THESE AND OTHER COMMON PROBLEMS WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING DEFECT ON THIS VEHICLE IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND WILL COST LIVES IF NOT ADDRESS BY NHTSA. MR

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND RACK AND PINION . PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION . TS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE RACK AND PINION WENT OUT CAUSING LOST OF STEERING. MR

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

RACK AND PINION FAILED WITH STEERING GETTING STUCK. DRIVER DESCRIBES THAT THERE IS EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF PLAY AND BINDING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THEY HAD ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A CHRYSLER CONCORDE AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES. NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED.

STEERING VERY LOOSE. MY MECHANIC IDENTIFIED PROBLEM. I TOOK VEHICLE TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE 2 YRS. OLD. PROBLEM STARTED BEFORE 45,000 MILES. SPOKE TO DEALERSHIP, WHO CONSULTED WITH CHRYSLER. WILL NOT EVEN PROVIDE PARTIAL COMPENSATION. MECHANIC DEEMS VEHICLE UNSAFE. STEERING COULD GO COMPLETELY.*AK

STEERING WHEEL HAS A KNOCKING NOISE DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK