2001 DODGE INTREPID Steeringrack And Pinionrack Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE DRIVING FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT EITHER THE RACK AND PINION OR AN UNKNOWN COMPONENT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE SOME CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

STEERING BECAME VERY PROBLEMATIC STARTING IN JULY 2006. WHEN TURNING THE CAR, THERE WERE CATCHES WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION AND THE PROBLEM HAS GROWN WORSE. THE CAR WAS SERVICED IN EARLY AUGUST WHEN THE SHOP DIAGNOSED IT AND REPLACED THE TIE RODS. THAT DID NOT FIX IT AND WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE STEERING GEAR RACK ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NEAR-MISSES AS THE STEERING LOCKS WHEN MAKING TURNS IN PARKING LOTS OR TIGHT SPACES. *NM

I NOTICED A PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR AT 42,000 MILES. AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES I NOTICED THAT STEERING WHEEL WOULD "GET CAUGHT" ON SOMETHING WHILE TRYING TO BRING IT BACK TO ITS NORMAL POSITION AFTER TURNING, AND CLICKING WHILE GETTING OVER WHATEVER WAS CATCHING IT. AT THE SAME TIME RATTLING IN THE FRONT END CAME ALONG WHILE DRIVING ON UNEVEN SURFACES - LIKE A DIRT ROAD, BUMPS, HOLES ON THE ROAD. AT 46,000 MILES I WAS TOLD I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING RACK ASAP BEFORE I LOOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER MY CAR ON THE ROAD AND HURT ME/SOMEBODY ELSE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 4/14/2006 - THE STEERING PROBLEM BEGAN ON 1/05 AND FLUCTUATED BETWEEN BEING STIFF WHEN MAKING TURN TO BEING VERY LOOSE WHEN MAKING TURN. EVENTUALLY THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON 3/28/05. *NM

LTR SEEKING STATUS OF COMPLAINT FILED W/ODI RE DEFECTS OF THE STEERING RACK ON HIS 2001 DODGE INTREPID, REPLY TO CONSTITUENT/COPY JOHN LEITCH/WASH. DC, REF ES05-006486 /S/ HARRINGTON 8/11/05. *TS *JB

FAXED COPY OF EMAIL FM JOHN BRZOSTOWSKI (MD) SEEK STATUS OF COMPLAINT FILED W/ODI RE DEFECTS OF THE STEERING RACK ON HIS 2001 DODGE INTREPID.*MR *JB

I HAVE A STEERING PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 DODGE INTREPID. A MECHANIC SAYS IT NEEDS A NEW STEERING RACK. IT "STICKS AND BINDS UP ON LEFT TURNS". FOR A FAIRLY NEW CAR WITH NOT THAT MANY MILES ON IT I BELIEVE IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE MECHANICS NAME IS [XXX]AND HIS NUMBER IS [XXX]. JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

JULY, 2004, I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE INTREPID WHEN I MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP, THE WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN BACK TO THE RIGHT. IT HAPPENED TWICE AS I TURNED INTO INTERSECTIONS SAME DAY. HAD THERE BEEN A VEHICLE IN THE OPPOSITE LANE, I WOULD HAVE HAD NO RECOURSE BUT TO CRASH IN TO IT. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO CAR IN THE INSIDE LANE! THIS WAS A SUNDAY..TOOK CAR TO DODGE REPAIR SHOP EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BUSHINGS. 4 DAYS LATER, WAS TOLD AFTER THE BUSHINGS WERE PUT IN, IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM...THAT IT WAS NEEDING A NEW RACK! THE BUSHING REPAIR WAS $426.46. THE REPAIRMAN TOLD ME THAT IN HIS OPINION, A RACK SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES AS WAS THE CASE IN MY VEHICLE. I CALLED CHRYSLER...