1999 Chrysler 3 Series steering problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE FAILURE CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING THAT LATER CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A SEWAGE AREA. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”

“I WAS STOPPED & JUST PUT IT INTO DRIVE FROM PARK & THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT IT DIDN'T STOP RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR IS TOTALED. THE VEHICLE DID PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR”

“ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. TOOK TO MY MECHANIC FRIEND AND HE SAID THAT ALL THE BOLTS ASSOCIATED WITH MY RACK AND PINION HAD BECOME LOOSE. HE TIGHTENED THE BOLTS UP, AND THE VERY NEXT DAY THEY WORKED LOOSE AGAIN. HE DID RESEARCH ON MY VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINS ABOUT THE RACK AND PINION AND IS SHOCKED THAT CHRYSLER HAS NOT MADE A RECALL YET. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR ACCIDENTS OR PROBLEMS, BUT AS I READ ON THE INTERNET SOMEONE HAS DIED FROM THE RACK AND PINION PROBLEMS, AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. MY MECHANIC FRIEND IS GOING TO TRY TO TIGHTEN THE BOLTS AGAIN USING LOCK TIGHT(?) ON THE BOLTS AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP THE PROBLEM. MY FEAR IS THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AS LISTED ON WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2000/CHRYSLER/300M/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX AND CANNOT GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND THEIR ONLY HELP LIES WITHIN A RECALL BY CHRYSLER ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE DIFFICULT ECONOMY. NOT EVERYONE IS LUCKY TO HAVE A MECHANIC THAT IS A FRIEND. *TR”

“WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A SHOPPING MALL THE POWER STEERING ON MY 1999 CHRYSLER 300M WENT OUT.(NOTE: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED) I HAD TO USE MOST OF MY STRENGTH TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING SPACE WITH THE SAME DIFFICULTY AND RAN MY ERRAND. WHEN I RE-ENTERED THE CAR THE STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL UNTIL I GOT TO MY HOUSE ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER WHEN THE POWER STEERING AGAIN WENT OUT. I LEFT THE CAR PARKED UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. I DROVE TO A DEALERSHIP ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY AND THEN LATER BACK HOME WHEN THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING EITHER ON THE WAY TO OR FROM THE DEALERSHIP NOR HAS IT OCCURRED SINCE THEN. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN THAT THIS MAY BE A PRECURSOR TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE MANY STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE AND FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ON. *TR”

“1. STARTED WITH CLUNKS AND AWKWARD NOISES IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO HAVE LOOSE PLAY. FRONT SUSPENSION WAS CHECKED AN NEVER FOUND A PROBLEM. 2. ONE NIGHT TURNED LEFT AND CAR WANTED TO TURN RIGHT. WHILE NORMAL DRIVING THE CAR WOULD PULL LEFT AND RIGHT. COUNTLESS AMOUNT OF EVENTS WERE I ALMOST CRASHED. 3. RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH TIE RODS. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE IF REQUESTED. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A REPAIR SHOP THAT THE SUSPENSION NEEDED REPLACING ON HER VEHICLE. SHE FURTHER STATED THAT IF SHE DROVE OVER THE SLIGHTEST BUMP AT 50 MPH, THE STEERING WOULD FAIL. SHE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE IN HER PREVIOUS VEHICLE, A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. A MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT IF SHE DROVE AROUND A CURB, THERE WOULD BE A GOOD CHANCE THAT THE STEERING WOULD GREATLY MALFUNCTION. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.”