Problems · by component
1996 Chrysler Concorde engine and engine cooling problems
28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Chrysler Concorde cite engine and engine cooling, 16% of all 175 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
28
16% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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…”
“MY ENGINE STARTED MAKING A NOISE ON JULY 4, 2003. WHEN I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND IT WAS ON US, WE HAD ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THEY DENIED OUR CLAIM AND THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE DID TO, WE HAVE ALL OIL RECEIPTS AND I'VE DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH ON THE 2.7L ENGINES AND THERE ARE ALOT OF THE THESE ENGINES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM (SLUDGE BUILD UP) THE QUOTE TO REPAIR MY CAR IS $9500.00 AND I CANNOT AFFORD THIS, IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 7 MONTHS AND MY CAR IS JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVE WAY, I'M MAKING MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR AND IT IS NO GOOD. PLEASE HELP ALL OF US TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT CHRYSLER. IT'S US LITTLE PEOPLE AGAINST THE BIG CORPORATIONS AND WE HAVE NO CHANCE AT ALL.”
“I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR SHUDDERED. I TOOK AN OFF RAMP BY THE TIME I REACHED THE END OF THE OFF RAMP THE CAR HAD DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED IS NO GOOD, DUE TO BANKRUPTY. THE DEALER INSISTED I TOW IT TO THEM AND THEY WOULD WORK WITH ME TO HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEY THEN BLAMED ME COMPLETELY AND REFUSED TO HELP ME AT ALL. THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR REPAIR TO THIS CAR. FIRST BUSHINGS AND THEN BOLTS COMING OUT THE POWERSTEERING HOUSING. IF I HAD NOT BEEN NEAR AN OFF RAMP I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT.”
“1996 CONCORDE 2.7 LITER ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED AT ABOUT 87,000 MILES. SERVICE HAS BEEN REGULAR AND MOSTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. AT 81,000 MILES THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLICKERING, WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO CHECKED IT AND SAID NOT TO WORRY. *LA”
“THE DEALER REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR EIGHT TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW. *AK THE PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED ASSISTANCE. *SCC *JB”
“STEERING IS VERY BAD. PULLS TO THE LEFT. RACK AND PINION BUSHINGS BAD, AS WELL AS A TIE ROD. USUALLY MAKES A POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING. ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED. CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT. REPLACED WATER PUMP TWICE AS WELL AS THERMOSTAT. ABS LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. BRAKES ARE VERY BAD. I'VE REPLACED THEM NUMEROUS TIMES. *AK”
Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.