1997 Dodge Intrepid: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed May 29, 2012 · Suspension · 190,000 miles · WI

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. The contact reversed and drove over a two inch beam. As a result, the front passenger side control arm fractured. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic and the contact was told that the control arm would need to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact of a recall associated with the failure under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 99v215000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower arm). The recall however, was only issued for the 2004 model dodge intrepid and not the 1997 model. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and the current mileages were 190,000.

Filed Nov 22, 2011 · Steering, Suspension · 98,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. The contact noticed that the ball joints, tire rods, sway bar bushing and motor mounts wore prematurely and needed constant repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, did not offer any assistance since there were no recalls. The current mileage was 128,000 and the failure mileage was 98,000.

Filed Apr 23, 2009 · Suspension · 95,700 miles · FL

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. While driving relatively low speeds including 10 MPH, there was shaking sensation accompanied by difficulty steering. The dealers technician stated that the control arm would cost $1000.00 to be replaced. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 95,700 and the current mileage was 95,890.

Filed Oct 25, 2006 · Steering · 36,000 miles · NC

1997 dodge intrepid, inner tie rod bushing failed while taking the vehicle to get front end alignment, I was told the inner tie rod bushings needed replacing. I am in the process of repairing the bushing now. I have found one bushing completely gone except for the metel bushing part, and the other nearly as bad, suspect it would be totally gone in another month or two.

Filed Jul 11, 2006 · Steering · 71,000 miles · OH

In the fall of 2005,the bushings on the tie rods were replaced due to excessive wear. On july 10 2006,my wife backed out of driveway into street,but could not go either forward or backward. A tow truck was call quoted $1460.00 and car was transported to dealer. Dealer quoted $1460.00 to replace steering rack & rods.

Filed Jul 8, 2005 · Steering · 152,016 miles · MA

Dear sir or madam, I own a 1997 dodge intrepid es. About a year ago, my rack and pinion needed to be replaced. He installed the new rack and pinion, but I still heard intermittent "clunking" noises coming from the front end. I brought it back to him, he checked it, tightened it and said it should be fine. This past friday (07/01/05), I went to back out of a friend's driveway and heard one big clunk... Then realized that my steering wheel had completely disconnected from both front wheels! I had the car towed and the (new) mechanic realized that the (original) bolts holding the inner tie rods had both snapped at once. He contacted the mechanic that had replaced the rack and pinion (a year ago) and found out that he had reused the original, factory installed bolts, thinking they were fine. He had no reason to think that they should not be reused. My new mechanic found out that dodge (daimlerchrysler) has a bolt kit to remedy this "problem" of the original bolts breaking. My new mechanic did not know until he called chrysler for the replacement bolts. I am hoping that you can tell any mechanic that orders a replacement rack and pinion for 1997 or earlier lh platform cars, that they use this bolt kit, provided by dodge (for approx $55.00) - if my mechanic had some way of knowing to use the heavier bolts in the first place, less rack and pinion assemblies would be damaged. I wish there were some way of letting all owners of these cars know about the heavier bolt kit - and suggest or require that these bolts be changed out - before the rack and pinion fails in the first place. The information is as follows: napa part no: 22-335 rack and pinion mopar kit no: 5072586aa bolt kit chrysler technical service bulletin: 19004-2 "bolt kit for steering rack"

Filed Jun 20, 2005 · Electrical · ME · fire

Dt: the contact owns a 1997 dodge intrepid. Vehicle was taken to the mechanic to have a coil and tie rods put on the car. Picked up the car this morning after she got home with the vehicle and it caught on fire under the hood. *ak

Filed Mar 15, 2005 · Steering · LA

The bolt that held the tie rod to the rack and pinion broke in the consumer's 1997 dodge intrepid which caused the right front wheel to collapse under the vehicle. *nm

Filed Dec 13, 2004 · Steering · 78,000 miles · MS

Consumer complained about a tie rod problem. When driving over a bump in the road consumer felt front end shake. Some times, front end shook without hitting a pot hole or bump in the road which affects the driver's control and movement. Consumer took the vehicle back to the dealer, and was told that there was a problem with the tie rods. Provide further details. *ak........

Filed Dec 2, 2004 · Steering · IL

While driving 40 MPH power steering failed. Consumer had difficulty to maintain control of the vehicle, and and pulled over. Vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the inner and outer tie rods broke, and needed to be replaced.

Filed Jul 6, 2004 · Steering · 75,000 miles · WI

While driving off from a stop sign consumer lost control of the vehicle. It would not move forward, and consumer found that the front wheels were bent inward. Vehicle was backed up into a parking space on the street. Consumer claimed that the left and right tie rod bolt sheared off.

Filed Mar 26, 2004 · Steering · 97,000 miles · TX

Tie rods broke without warning. As a result, when turning in either direction steering feels like it's sliding or that the wheel is coming off.