1996 Dodge Intrepid complaints

LEFT REAR DUAL TIRE CAME OFF OF VEHICLE.*MR. WHEN THE TIRE BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE SEMI, THE TIRE ROLLED ONTO THE MEDIAN AND STRUCK THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND CAUSED DAMAGED. *TS *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS FOR THE "O" RINGS , BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE LEAKING FUEL FOR NO CHARGE.*AK

I HAVE A 1996 DODGE INTREPID I BOUGHT IN 1998 I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE SPENT MUCH MONEY TO FIX THIS CAR. THE BUSHINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED,THE BEARINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE STEERING HOSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED,ALL THIS WAS DONE AT UNDER 55,000 MILES AND LUCKILY GEFORE MY FIANCE AND MY CHILDREN WERE SERIOUSLY HURT IN AN ACIDENT DUE TO STEERING LOSE OR CONTROL. THESE PROBLEMS TOTALED AROUND 2,500.TO FIX. NOW WE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN WITH THE CAR HAVING 90,000 MILES NOW THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS OUT AGAIN AND THE RACK AND PINION IS OUT AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. WE ARE A LOW INCOME FAMILY SO TRADE THE CAR IN IS OUT OF THE QUESTION AND GETTING IT FIXED RIGHT AWAY IS SOMETIMES NOT POSSIBLE. JUST BY PURE LUCK I WAS LOOKING FOR PRICES OF RACK AND PINIONS AND I JUST STUMMBLED ACROSS THIS WEB SITE AND I AM GLAD I DID.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TWO HALF INCH BOLTS HAD BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE CONSUMER CROSSED OVER THE RAIL ROAD TRACKS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND WITHOUT CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF THE WHEELS. THE BOLTS WHICH HELD THE RODS TO THE RACK AND PINION GEAR BOX HAD BROKEN INTO TWO PARTS. *SCC *SCC *JB

THE BOLTS THAT HELD THE TIE RODS TO THE RACK AND PINION GEAR BOX BROKE. *PH *CB *NLM

DEFECTIVE STEERING GEARBOX BUSHINGS. BUSHINGS WENT DEFECTIVE AFTER 70,000 MILES, MOST OF WHICH WERE HIGHWAY MILES. HAVE NOTICED KNOCK WHEN FIRST STARTING TO TURN WHEEL PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. HAVE CALLED MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT IT IS NOT A DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP. IT IS A DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ALSO, STATED THAT THE REAR LIGHTS DON'T WORK AS WELL AS THE PANEL AND OTHER THINGS IN THE VEHICLE.*AK

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH 3.5L ENGINES. THE FUEL INJECTION DELIVERY SYSTEM CAN LEAK FUEL FROM SOME OF THE SEALING O-RINGS OR FROM HAIR LINE CRACKS IN THE FUEL INJECTION RAIL. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL RAIL O-RINGS AND REINFORCE THE OUTLET (PASSENGER) SIDE FUEL RAIL. VEHICLES SHOWING FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE OUTLET FUEL RAIL MUST HAVE THE OUTLET RAIL REPLACED WHICH INCLUDES CHANGING THE UPPER AND LOWER INJECTOR O-RINGS. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO THE VIN.*AK

I HAVE A 1996 MODEL DODGE INTREPID. ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO, IN ONE RAINY MORNING I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK, JUST A FEW MINUTES DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE QUIT WORKING... I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE GARAGE AND FINALLY TOOK IT TO THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED, AND WAS TOLD I HAVE A INTAKE GASKET PROBLEM, IT COST ME MORE THAN $300 TO GET IT FIXED. HOWEVER, SIMILAR PROBLEM STILL COMES AND GOES MYSTERIOUSLY AFTER THAT. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS ABOUT 2 MONTH AGO. I KEEP TAKING TO THE AUTO SHOP BUT NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT IS A 3.5 ENGINE AND I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, MAYBE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *NLM

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

THE FUEL RAIL WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *NLM

DRIVER'S SEAT "FALLS" BACKWARD WHEN "TAKING OFF" FROM STOP. *NLM

IN JUNE OF 2002 MY A/C COMPRESSOR "FROZE" LEAVING ME WITHOUT MY AIR CONDITIONER DURING JUNE, JULY, AND PART OF AUGUST. I HAD THE COMPRESSOR AND OTHER COMPONENTS FIXED AT THE END OF AUGUST AT THE COST OF $504.00. I GOT TO USE MY A/C FOR A WHOLE 3 WEEKS UNTIL THE WEATHER COOLED OFF! NOW (MAY 2003), MY A/C DOESN'T WORK AGAIN! APPARENTLY THERE IS A LEAKY H-VALVE AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $680.00. I REFUSE TO SHELL OUT ANY MORE MONEY FOR THIS PIECE OF CRAP CAR AS THIS IS MY 3RD COMPLAINT TO NHTSA. *JB

TWO WEEKS AFTER BUYING MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID ES I FELT A STRANGE JOLT FROM MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WHEN TURNING CORNERS. THIS JOLT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A POPPING NOISE. UPON INVESTIGATION BY A PROFESSIONAL, I WAS TOLD THAT MY TIE ROD WAS ABOUT TO COME LOOSE FROM THE WHEEL AND THAT I WAS LUCKY I NOTICED THE PROBLEM IN TIME. HAD THE TIE ROD ACTUALLY COME LOOSE I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THAT WHEEL, LEAVING ME CONTROL OF JUST THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE RACK AND PINION BOLTS BECAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. *NLM

THE HOOD LATCH RELEASED, WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD TO SLAM UP AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER WAS BLINDED BY THE HOOD AND WAS FORCED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *JB

THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED TWO O2 SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED THE O2 SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE MECHANIC THEN STATED THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

THE O RINGS WERE DEFECTIVE, WHICH CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK. THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER IT RECURRED. *JB

THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RECALLED FUEL INJECTOR (NHTSA RECALL # 98-V-184-000). *NLM

DEALER REFUSE TO REDO RECALL. *NLM

HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE STUCK ON THEIR HIGH-BEAMS. WHEN CYCLING BETWEEN THE LOW/HIGH BEAMS, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON IN ADDITION TO THE HIGH BEAMS, WHICH WILL NOT TURN OFF. WHEN "FLICKING" THE DIMMER SWITCH OR TRYING TO FLASH SOMEONE, SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY, LEAVING ME WITH MY PARKING LIGHTS.*JB

THE RIM'S WERE CRACKED. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER. *JB

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB

STEERING ISSUES RAMPANT WITH MY 1996 DODGE INTREPID. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE SOME WORK DONE ON IT AND NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL REACHES THE CENTER POINT.*JB

THE MULTIFUNTION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS AND WIPERS STARTED TO SMOKE AND BURNED OUT. MY WINSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND I LOST MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT. IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE SWITCH I FOUND THE WIRING AND PLUG TO BE BURNED AND MELTED. ONE WIRE HAD ABOUT 3/4 INCH INSULATION MISSING. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND WIRE LUME NOW HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $200.

EXCESSIVE RACK AND PINION STEERING NOISE ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER, RACK AND PINION MOUNTING BOLT BUSHINGS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE. CAR HAS SEVERE STEERING SHIFTING WHEN ROUNDING CORNERS OR CURVES. DIAGNOSES REQUIRES NEW RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT.

I OWN A 1996 DODGE INREPID WITH 61,255 MILES ON IT AS OF TODAY ( 1/16/2003). THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE FAILUERS OF THE WATER PUMP AT A COST TO REPAIRE OF $500.00 EACH TIME TO REPAIRE. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE FRONT SUSPENSION FAIL, WHICH COST $1185.00 TO REPAIRE. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN HARD, MILEAGE WILL SHOW MAYBE 10,000 MILES PER YEAR. I FEEL BY THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SYSTEM THAT THE MANUFACTURE HAS HAD MORE THAN NORMAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOR BOTH THESE PROBLEMS. I THINK A RECALL IS CALLED FOR, AND SOME SORT OF REMIBRUSMENT FOR THE COST OF REPAIRES MADE. ALL MY REPAIRES WHERE DONE BY A GOODYEAR FACILITY OR DEALERSHIP.

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP.PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB

THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DULL, MAKING VISIBILITY IMPOSSIBLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS SCC

FIRST TO GO WAS THE BRAKES AND ROTORS, THEN THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM. NEXT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND NOW THE DIFFENTAIL AND TIE RODS. DT

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

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL WAS WANDERING EXCESSIVELY RESULTING IN LOSS OF COMPLETE CONTROL. PROBLEM WAS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE UNTIL RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING. TS

THERE'S FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL. THIS LEAK IS CONTINOUS WHETHER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. THE CAR FUEL CONSUPTION HAS GONE BAD. I AM BUYING GAS LIKE CRAZY. DT

NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 99V215000 LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET; FRONT LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM IS DETERIORATING WITH JUST A MATTER OF TIME OF COMPLETE FAILURE W/TIRE SPERATION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS TS

VEHICLE CONSTANLY FAILS TO START PER CONSUMER. THE DEALERSHIPS INDICATED THAT THE CAUSE COULD BE A BAD IGNITION SWITCH OR LEVER. CAUSE UNKOWN. TS

NO ONE ELSE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE MEDICAL AND MECHANICAL EXPENSE OF HAVING THIS VITIAL SWITCH REPAIRED THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE MAKE OF THIS CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS SWITCH HAS FRIED THAT CONTROLS THE USE OF THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE AND FROM WHAT I'M TOLD UNLESS SOMETHING IS DONE TO CORRECT IT PERMENATLY, IT WON'T BE THE LAST TIME THIS THING FAILS. THIS IS ALSO THE SECOND TIME, WHILE DRIVING. THAT THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR HAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND HAS DAMAGED OTHER VITIAL COMPONETS IN MY CAR (EX. PROPER USE OF MY WIPER BLADES AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO OTHER WIRING UNDERNEATH THE DASHBORD WHICH HAS CAUSED OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TO STAY ON ). THE MECHANIC I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO FOR THE SECOND TIME, WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE HE SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY CHRYSLER AND SAID I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NOT AN INTERIOR FIRE THIS TIME. I WANT RESTITATION. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH TIME TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED FOR SOMETHING THAT THIS CAR COMPANY KNOWS IS A PROBLEM? IF I COULD GET RID OF THIS HEAP OF JUNK, I WOULD!! DT

WE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE A FLUID LEAK ON THE CAR. THE DEALER, UPON EXAMINING THE CAR, DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THEY ALSO DETERMINED THAT 2 BOLTS INVOLVED IN THAT INSTALLATION HAD SHEARED. THERE HAD BEEN NO WORK DONE ON THAT AREA OF THE CAR. HAVING ONLY 55,000 MILES IT SEEMS PREPOSTEROUS THAT THIS IS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN THIS SITUATION AT ALL. DT

COMPLETE AND SUDDEN FAILURE OF GASOLINE LINES NEAR GAS TANK RESULTING IN GASOLINE BEING SPRAYED OVER EXTERIOR OF FUEL TANK. FAILURE WAS NOTICED QUICKLY AND ENGINE STOPPED. DT

WHILE THE CONSUMER AND HER SON WERE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, THEY WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND WERE INJURED, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *YH

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 40MPH THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

ENTERING HIGHWAY AND PUSHED ON GAS PEDAL HARD TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, GAS THROTTLE STAYED OPEN AND CAR KEPT GOING FASTER AND FASTER. WAS GOING FROM 10 MPH TO 80+ MPH FOR ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE AND SOMEHOW WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SLOW CAR DOWN ENOUGH TO DROP CAR INTO PARK. ENGINE RAN HARD FOR ANOTHER 10 TO 12 SECONDS BEFORE IT DISINGAUGED FROM TRANSMISSION. FOUND OUT THAT CABLE FROM GAS PEDAL HAD A FRAYED WIRE AND WAS GETTING STUCK ON THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT COVERS THE WIRE. THOUGH MY LIFE WAS COMING TO AN END BECAUSE I COULD'T STOP MY CAR AND IT KEPT GETTING FASTER AND FASTER. THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO DITCH IT SOMEWHERE AND TAKE A CHANCE ON MAKING IT. IF YOU NEED MORE INFO, PLEASE CONTACT ME. ENDED UP ALSO GOING TO THE HOSPITAL LATER THAT DAY BECAUSE I STARTED TO HAVE AN AXCIETY ATTACK FROM ALL THIS GOING ON. NLM

NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN. NLM

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION W/A TREE AT APPROX 40MPH. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NLM *YH

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AKBOTH OF THE INNER TIE RODS AND EIGHT BUSHINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS FAILURE WAS PREMATURE. *JG

BUSHINGS SUPPORTING 3 OF THE 4 CONNECTION POINTS OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME CRADLE HAVE FAILED, RESULTING IN A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN MOVING. THE CLUNKING SOUND HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, BUT HAS GOTTEN WORSE RECENTLY. IN LOOKING UNDER THE CAR I DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER HALVES OF THE RUBBER BUSHINGS HAVE FALLEN OUT AT THREE OF THE FOUR LOCATIONS. THIS CRADLE SUPPORTS THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND ALL STEERING COMPONENTS.

I AM SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT ABOUT DEFICIENCIES IN THE DURABILITY OF THE INNER TIE ROD BUSHINGS AND RACK AND PINION STEERING BUSHINGS ON A 1996 DODGE INTREPID, VIN [XXX]. PREMATURE WEAR OUT OF THESE ITEMS ARE A SAFETY CONCERN. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, IT FELT LIKE I WAS LOSING CONTROL OF THE STEERING ON THE CAR. SOME OF THOSE OCCASIONS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ACROSS AN UNEVEN, WASHBOARD TYPE ASPHALT ROAD SURFACE. OTHER OCCASIONS WERE ON A SMOOTH CONCRETE OR ASPHALT ROAD. ON ALL OCCASIONS, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN CONSIDERABLY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE INNER TIE ROD BUSHINGS TWICE, ONCE IN MARCH OF 1999 AT 49,818 MILES AND AGAIN IN AUGUST OF 2002 AT 89,404 MILES. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BUSHINGS WERE ALSO REPLACED DURING THE AUGUST, 2002 REPAIR. NONE OF THESE PARTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS. TOTAL REPAIRS HAVE COST ME $1,071. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS OTHER POSTINGS OF A SIMILAR NATURE ON INTREPIDS AND OTHER RELATED CHRYSLER VEHICLES AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THESE CARS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THEN, WHILE SITTING THERE CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS STILL DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK