1995 Dodge Intrepid: harsh or hard shifting

Filed Oct 26, 2008 · Steering, Suspension · 150,000 miles · OH

Factory struts(suspension) are inadequate to support the weight of the vehicle. My strut mount/plate &bolts broke at 55 mile per hour & the strut went through the strut housing/plate. The steering/suspension system is completely affected when the struts begin to fail on all vehicles. When struts fail springs also fail causing even more stress on the other steering/suspension parts(all bushings, tie rods. Control arms, ball joints, cv joints, transaxle, sway bar. I hope im making sense, this needs serious examination as clunk/ bump noises every intrepid are bad struts or bad strut mount/bolts which immediately indicate your suspension/steering system is being banged up. The inner tie rod bolts in steering rack back out or try to due to torn bushings in the inner tie rods at the steering rack center. These bushings tear due to worn struts that put stress on tie rods sway bar& steering rack mount bushings both compress with the extra stress of failing struts. Steering rack shifts due to bad inner tie rod bushings causing play in your tie rods and the steering rack mount bushings now compressed cause the rack to shift also. Same with sway bar bushings&any other suspension parts and steering when this happens such as inner tie rods, outer tie rods, cv joints, transaxle, ball joints,all bushings,linkages,mounts,cradle car was built defectively as the weight of the vehicle is too much force for the struts that come factory installed. There needs to be an immediate call back on the struts with a service order to examine and repair torn or compressed bushings in the inner tie rods/steering rack mounting/sway bar/ball joint/control arm/outer tie rod/along with any damage to the cv joint&transaxles due to the design defect using inadequate struts for the vehicles weight! This may seem like an extreme request but since they were negligent to never report the inadequacy of the struts vs design in all the complaints on steering/suspension a recall is in order.

Filed Aug 28, 2001 · Engine · CA

Vehicle seemed to be maintained well and in good condition. After purchasing vehicle and normal driving started experiencing buring rubber smell from engine. Problem was oil leaking from valve cover gaskets onto engine. Had valve cover gaskets replaced. Smelt burning rubber smell again, bad gasket for oil filler cap too. Replaced, problem corrected. Car would sometimes perform well with good acceleration, sometimes transmission would not seem to downshift, accelerator pedal would be to floor and vehicle would barely move. Would happen unexpectedly, extremely dangerous when entering freeway, passing or merging. Vehicle would sometimes shift rough, then sometimes would shift quickly and smoothly. Fluid ok mopar. Took vehicle to five star service center, had technician drive vehicle, I drove vehicle and clearly duplicated problem. I had the pedal to the floor and vehicle would only accelerate very very slowly, technician stated this was normal because vehicle is in 3rd gear. Sometimes vehicle would even downshift and had great acceleration as fast as 50mph and then sometimes would not downshift or barely move at speeds as slow as 35mph. It is not normal to have the accelerator pedal to the floor with a 170hp vehicle with the vehicle barely accelerating or extremely poor response. I beleive that these chrysler transmissions or their control modules have serious issues. Well I tried to use the vehicle anyway, it seemed to work ok otherwise. While driving with friends smelt bad sharp odor almost like urine. Could not find source of this. Found out transmission leaking transmission cooling lines were cause of odor. Transmission started making clu-clunking noise and front end would lift up excessively like a 727. Found out transmission mounts were broken and front pump seal was also leaking. Service would have cost $2,000. Traded vehicle in, lost thousands of dollars. Independent mechanic stated that pump seal and transmission in a car should last at least 125,000 miles.

Filed Dec 4, 2000 · Suspension, Transmission · MN

While driving vehicle would make clunking noise under hood. Took vehicle to dealership & was informed by the mechanic that problem was transmission. When mechanic drove vehicle, nothing happened. Was informed to drive vehicle until noise appeared & bring it back in. Had driven vehicle out of town when it stalled out suddenly. Afterwards was able to go 10mph. Took vehicle back to dealer and transmission was replaced.*ak at present time, the vehicle makes clunking noise in the front area, especially when the front wheel is turned. Lower control arm or transmission failures are possible causes.

Filed May 4, 2000 · Transmission · PA

Transmission downshift is late when car is cold -- dangerous at intersection. Major clunk when hot -- lurches passengers!

Filed Nov 5, 1998 · NJ

Clunking and rattling noise coming from front suspensionon on small bumps or free play in the stabilizer link ball joint socket(s).the dealer told me that if not fixed the ball joint could go. I know that there was a tsb issued on this problem in !995. Today, 11/05/98, when I called the manufacturer I was told that they can not help because of the mileage. I feel this to be a manufacturing defect since they knew about it in 1995 and that a recall should be made due to the possible danger involved. Very truly yours joseph corbo

Filed Feb 11, 1997 · Brakes, Lights · MI

Rotors wear excessively, headlights are very dim especially during rain, and struts on driver side are causing front suspension to make clunking noise.