2002 DODGE INTREPID Suspension Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE INTREPID. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH HIS VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE CRANK, FUEL, AND OIL SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE SAME DAY, THE ENGINE FAILED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CLEAN AND FOUND NO FAILURES, OTHER THAN THE BEARING. RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO INSTALL AN IDLER AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST FOR THE TRANSMISSION WAS $3,300. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,000.

LOOSE GROUND WIRE TO BATTERY POSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ALSO, ODOMETER TAMPERING. VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, SUSPENSION/ STEERING PROBLEMS. DEALER REPLACED ALL FOUR BULBS ON HEADLAMPS AND HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH ,AND CLEANED OUT ENGINE HOSES, PCV VALVE AND FUEL FILTER. *AK

I HAVE HAD STEERING/SUSPENSION AND BRAKE RELATED ISSUES FROM NORMAL DRIVING IN THE BAY AREA SINCE 200 MILES AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE NEW. I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR A PROFESSIONAL COMPUTERIZED FULL PRECISION ALIGNMENT AND BALANCING OF TWO TIRES THAT WERE OUT OF BALANCE FROM THE FACTORY. TWO DODGE/CHRYSLER DEALERS AND WHEEL SPECIALSTS HAVE CHECKED AND ADJUSTED TIRE PRESSURE. VEHICLE SEEMS TO DRIVE STRAIGHT MORE OFTEN BUT STILL DRIFTS TO THE LEFT, SOMETIMES TO THE RIGHT. FRONT WHEELS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SLIPPING BAD OVER BUMPS EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. VERY INTERMITTENTLY STEERING WHEEL BECOMES HARDER TO TURN AND IS MUCH MORE SENSITIVE ALL OF A SUDDEN. VEHICLE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HANDLING OR TAKING BUMPS VERY WELL AT TIMES. WHEEL DOES NOT USUALLY RETURN SMOOTHLY OR CONSISTANTLY, SOMETIMES JERKY AND SOMETIMES SLOW, USUALLY OFF CENTER, OVERSTEERING OR UNDERSTEERING. STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES NEEDS CONSTANT ATTENTION, HAVING TO REMIND WHEEL...

VEHICLE LATELY HAS NOT FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE AT TIMES. STEERING WHEEL MOVES ITSELF EXCESSIVELY AT TIMES AND MOVES EXCESSIVELY TO IMPERFECTIONS IN ROADS. STEERING CONTINUES TO DRIFT RIGHT OR LEFT. CLUNK STILL HEARD IN STEERING EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE. VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES ON SMOOTH SURFACES AT HIGHER SPEED. I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AS A PRECAUTION. I AM TRYING ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO TRY TO HAVE MY STEERING ISSUES CORRECTED. DEALERSHIP ADJSUTED TIRE PRESSURE AND STATED THAT STEERING WAS FINE AFTER ROAD TEST. SUPPOSED CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE AND SUPPOSEDLY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AS WELL AND STATED IT DROVE FINE AS WELL. SHOP FOREMAN STATED VIBRATION WAS BECAUSE WHEELS NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. ALSO STATED THAT IT'S NORMAL FOR VEHICLES TO DRIFT WHEN YOU LET GO OF THE WHEEL. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE EXCESSIVE RIGHT TIRE WEAR AND AGREED TO DO AN ALIGNMENT. DEALERSHIP...