1996 Chrysler Concorde problems

“MOUNTING SUPPORT BUSHINGS TO "RACK & PINION" BECOME BRITTLE AND ALLOW MOVEMENT OF RACK WHICH REDUCES STEERING RESPONSE. DURING COLD WEATHER THE PROBLEM IS ALSO NOTICEABLE AS A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL 'BACK AND FORTH'. THE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE RACK AND THAT PIPE SHOULD BE INSULATED TO REDUCE THE HEAT TRANSFER TO THE BUSHINGS THAT ANCHOR THE RACK (ABOVE). *TR”

“I'VE HAD A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE LX FOR ABOUT 1 YR. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION 99% OF THE TIME I HAVE TO KEEP TURNING THE KEY UNTIL IT TURNS ON, IF IT EVEN DOES, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO EVERYTIME MY CAR DOES TURN ON, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE DOOR LOCKS KEEP GOING UP AND DOWN. IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVABLE FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS NOW. REPLACED RELAYS, FUSES, STARTER, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY! I EVEN TOOK IT TO A SHOP WHICH THE MANAGER IS A FAMILY FRIEND, HE HAD IT FOR 2 WKS. RAN A FULL DIAGNOSTIC AND ALSO THE BATTERY WHICH IS NEW AND HAVE EXCHANGED SEVERAL TIMES WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE. IT HAS NEW BATTERY GROUND CABLE NEW CABLE FROM ALTERNATOR TO STARTER CONNECTION, NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES AND STILL HAS ALL THESE PROBLEMS. AND NOW IF THE CAR WILL TURN ON THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND IT NOW HAS A NEW THERMOSTAT. THIS IS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED! AND NOW THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEGUN LEAKING. AND A FEW TIMES I HAVE NOTICED THE GEARS SHIFT. THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING IS WHEN IT DOES START, IT WILL DRIVE GOOD FOR ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AND THEN, IT JUST TOTALLY SHUTS DOWN WITH NO WARNING…”

“1996 CONCORDE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. *TS ***NAR*** THE TRANSAXLE LEAKED, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *JB”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO A STOP, THE BRAKES BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. AT 5 MPH THE ABS ENGAGED AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND OCCURRED 40 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A SERVICE DEALER. AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ALSO DETERMINED, THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE SERVICED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE ABS ENGAGE AT A LOW SPEED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. UPDATED 08/23/04. *JB”

“1. "BUSY RATTLE", NOT LOUD, BUT CONTINUOUS, MOST NOTICEABLE ON SMOOTH ROADS ABOVE 30 MPH, FROM FRONT FRAME SUB-ASSEMBLY, FOUR MOUNTING BOLTS. THE SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY IS ALSO CALLED THE "MOTOR CARRIER" AND IS BOLTED FROM THE BOTTOM UP TO THE FRAME (ABOVE). EACH BOLT GOES THROUGH A LARGE RUBBER BUSHING (ALSO CALLED AN INSULATOR). WITH 75,000 THOUSAND MILES AND NO OIL LEAKS, THE RUBBER BUSHINGS ARE ALL DRIED OUT AND FLAKING APART. EACH INSULATOR COST OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM CHRYSLER. THE COST OF REPLACING VIA A QUOTE FROM PEP BOYS IS OVER SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE MADE FROM A HARD YELLOW PLASTIC TYPE MATERIAL AND SHOULD BE MORE DURABLE. 2. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AT PEP BOYS THE VIBRATION WILL WEAR THE BOLTS AND EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE COULD DROP DOWN. 3. PEP BOYS RECOMMENDS THE BUSHINGS AND THE BOLTS TO BE REPLACED. THE NEW BUSHINGS FROM CHRYSLER HAVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY. REVIEWED THE COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT SEE ANY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE RATTLE OR A REPORT THAT THE ENGINE ACTUALLY COULD FALL OUT ON THE ROAD. THE DATA BASE IS NOT WELL ORGANIZED AS IT IS SEGMENTED BY MONTHLY REPORTS. I CAN SEE HOW THE…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED AND REPAIRED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V184000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FUEL RAIL HAD FRACTURED CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. *TR”