1999 Dodge Viper

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the steering › rack and pinion › rack. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Steering › Rack and Pinion › Rack1
000
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System1
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic06E022000
Filed Mar 13, 20067,440 vehiclesBrake Parts, Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.

Risk. LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.

Steering › Rack and Pinion › Rack01V313000
Filed Oct 4, 20017,050 vehiclesDaimlerchrysler Corporation

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES USED EXTENSIVELY IN TRACK TYPE RACING EVENTS AND SUBJECTED TO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD EXPERIENCECRACKING OF THE STEERING RACK MOUNTING BRACKETS.

Risk. THE CRACKS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE STEERING RACK FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION OF THE STEERING RACK COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED STEERING LOOSENESS AND LAG.

Remedy. ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL HAVE A FIELD REPAIR KIT INSTALLED, CONSISTING OF LOWER FRAME RAIL REINFORCEMENT GUSSETS AND A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE INFORMATION WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Suspension › Rear01V312000
Filed Oct 4, 20014,645 vehiclesDaimlerchrysler Corporation

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES USED EXTENSIVELY IN TRACK TYPE RACING EVENTS AND SUBJECTED TO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD EXPERIENCE CRACKS AT THE WELDS OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING BRACKET.

Risk. THE CRACKS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO METAL FATIGUE AND DISLODGING OF THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING BRACKET FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING BRACKET COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES AND REINFORCE THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage01V120000
Filed Apr 11, 2001615 vehiclesDaimlerchrysler Corporation

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RACING OPTION (ACR OR GT2). THE 5-POINT RACING SEAT BELT HARNESS, WHICH IS OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT ON THE VIPER MAY NOT MEET THE VOLUNTARY LOAD SPECIFICATIONS SET FORTH BY THE FIA (FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE L'AUTOMOBILE).

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE HARNESS MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN AN OCCUPANT, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy. THE 5-POINT RACING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 25, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
Filed Mar 9, 200412,200 milesMD

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER WOULD TEMPORARILY LOST STEERING CONTROL. THIS CAUSED A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Steering › Rack and Pinion › Rack
Filed Jun 6, 2002IL

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 01V313000 CONCERNING STEERING RACK MOUNTING BRACKET. PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20153100Routine
20144200Routine
20134200Routine
20061100Routine
20057100Routine
20048200Routine
20035400Routine
20021000Routine
20011300Routine
20004400Routine
1999 — this page2400Routine
19983400Routine
19973400Routine
19968300Routine
19953100Routine
19945100Routine
19932100Routine
19920100Routine

Compare every Viper year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 13, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.