1996 Dodge Intrepid service brakes, hydraulic problems

“PURCHASED 1996 DODGE INTREPID IN MAY 2005. FOLLOWING WEEK HAD TO TAKE CAR BACK TO DEALER RE: BRAKES, TO NO AVAIL. A MECHANIC STATED BRAKES WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. WAS ADVISED THAT TIRES WERE NOT IN SUCH GREAT CONDITION EITHER. KEPT HEARING STRANGE SOUNDS (RATTLING NOISES) FROM THE CAR. IN AUGUST, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CAR WOULD NOT STEER AT ALL. HAD TO TAKE CAR TO MECHANIC, WHO TOLD US FAN BELT HAD COME OFF WHILE DRIVING. POWER STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AND POWER STEERING LINE. HE ALSO ADVISED THAT RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. FINALLY, ON AUGUST 26TH, WAS GETTING IN CAR TO DRIVE AND DID NOT GET VERY FAR, WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND FOUND TWO BOLTS ON THE GROUND. PLEASE HELP !!! DISTRESSED. DO WE HAVE ANY RECOURSE HERE? HAVE RECEIPTS, BUT DO NOT HAVE OLD PARTS. *JB *AK *NM”

“I WOULD FIRST AND FORMOST LIKE TO REPORT THE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE STEERING RACK ON MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID AT AROUND 77,000 MILES. THE RACK HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A HEFTY PRICE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN ALARMINGLY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER LH BODIED VEHICALS, ESPECIALLY DODGE INTREPIDS, AND HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS. I HAD THE RACK REPLACED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND ALREADY MY CAR IS SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF MORE STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS. I DRIVE ONLY A MODERATE AMOUNT SO THIS COULD NOT BE JUST "USUAL WEAR AND TEAR". IN ADDITION TO THE STEERING RACK, WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS I HAVE HAD TO HAVE AN AXEL REPLACED, ALL OF THE BREAKS DUE TO PREMATURLY WARPED ROTORS (THE BREAKS ACTUALLY WENT OUT ONCE AND I ALMOST REAR ENDED SOMEONE), THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD AND GETS STUCK IN GEAR FOR A MYSTEROUS REASON NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT, AND A LOOSE WIRE CAUSED THE CAR CAUSED MULTABLE DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS. (THE DATE BELOW IS NOT ACCURATE, THESE THINGS OCCURED BETWEEN 2003 AND PRESENT)”

“THE LIGHT GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD FLICKERED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHILE APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BY PULLING OVER AND TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE. THEN, DRIVER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK”

“THE RACK AN PINION BUSHING FAILED HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE RACK AND PINION.ALSO THE AXLE HAD TO BE REPLACED THE RING FOR THE ABS AND TRACION CONTROL COME OFF THE AXLE.THERES A SHORT IN THE IGNTION SWITCH, THE GAUGES DONT WORK, AND THE CAR WONT DRIVE IT GOS IN DEFAULT.*AK”

“I HAVE HAD THIS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID WITH THE BRAKES. FIRST I THOUGHT I JUST NEEDED NEW BRAKES. WELL I HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR AND THEN A WEEK LATER, THE BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE. WHICH DAMAGED THE NEW BRAKES, THE ROTAR, THE CALLIPER, AND THE SPINDLE. THEN TWO WEEKS LATER I TOOK THE CAR FOR THE FUEL REGULATER TO BE REPLACED AND THE ROTARS NEEDED TO BE TURNED AGAIN ALREADY. THEN IN ANOTHER WEEK AND A HALF THE BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE AGAIN. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE IN THIS KIND OF TROUBLE WITH A BRAKE SYSTEM. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER AND I HAVE TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH MY SON IN THERE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT IF YOU ARE GONNA MAKE A PRODUCT YOU SHOULD STAND BEHIND IT. ENGINE WISE THE CAR SEEMS TO BE FINE RUNS LIKE A CHARM BUT THAT DOESNT DO ME A BIT OF GOOD IF I CANT DRIVE IT. AMONG THE FACT THAT I CANT AFFORD TO PAY FOR ALL THIS TROUBLE WITH IT AND PAY FOR THE CAR TOO.*AK”

“CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKE PEDAL INTERMITTENLY WILL GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED, GREATLY INCREASING VEHICLE'S STOPPING DISTANCE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REOCCURRING SINCE 1997. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO THOROUGHLY DUPLICATE OR REMEDY PROBLEM. TS”