46 of the
603 complaints filed about the Dodge Spirit
are about the suspension —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1993.
1995 DODGE SPIRIT DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE INNER TORSION BAR.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WELDED, BUT IT DID NOT HOLD FOR LONG AND NOW THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE RECALLED.
NHTSA complaint #10121487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1995 DODGE SPIRIT HAS A DEFECTIVE TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE TRAILING ARM WAS WELDED. THE WELD DID NOT HOLD LONG AND BROKE CAUSING A LOUD POP WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE PROBLEM IS A COMMON DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10117849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FOR OVER A YEAR, WE KEPT HEARING A METAL ON METAL THUNKING NOISE. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. TWO DAYS AGO, WHEN RETURNING HOME, WE HEARD A LOUD METALLIC THUNKING NOISE THAT WAS MUCH WORSE THAN PREVIOUSLY HEARD. IT SOUNDED LIKE WE WERE DRAGGING A TAIL PIPE OR MUFFLER. YET, WE FOUND NOTHING UNDER THE CAR. WHEN WE GOT HOME, WE JACKED UP THE CAR TO SEE IF WE WOULD FIND THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE. THE DODGE SPIRIT IS A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE THAT USES A SOLID REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY THAT CONSISTS OF A METAL "V" SHAPED CHANNEL CROSSMEMBER WITH A TORQUE TUBE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT. THE TORQUE TUBE IS RIGIDLY WELDED TO END PLATES AND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AXLE ASSEMBLY AND CANNOT BE INDIVIDUALLY REPLACED. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE TORQUE TUBE HAD BROKEN THE WELD AT THE END PLATE AS WELL AS SNAPPING COMPLETELY IN HALF ABOUT 6" FROM THE END PLATE. THE NOISE WE HEARD WAS THIS TUBE SLAPPING UP AND DOWN IN THE "V" CHANNEL CROSSMEMBER. IT BECAME VERY APPARENT THAT THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DODGE DEALER AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR DODGE. CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NO HELP AS THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ITEM. THE DODGE DEALER WASN'T MUCH HELP EITHER. THEY EXAMINED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THAT THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACING (OBVIOUSLY) AND WOULD COST NEARLY $800 FOR THE PART. WE LIVE IN ARIZONA WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT IS DRY AND NON-CORROSIVE. THERE IS NO RUST ON THIS CAR, NOR ARE THERE SIGNS OF ABUSE OR DAMAGE. THE WELD FAILED ON THIS MAJOR COMPONENT. THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR! SO, NOW, WE HAVE AN UGLY CAR (PAINT FAILED-SEPARATE COMPLAINT FILED) WITH A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION (COMPLAINT FILED) THAT IS SITTING LAME IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS IS HORRIBLE FOR A 9-YEAR-OLD CAR THAT HAS RECEIVED ALL MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE REGULARLY, INCLUDING WHEEL ROTATIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10047690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM REAR. ROD IN AXLE BROKE. CONSUMER FEELS THAT WHEEL MAY COME OFF. *AK THE WELD BROKE AT THE SPINDLE IN THE REAR AXLE. THE MECHANIC HAS FIXED. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR MONIES PAID TOWARDS REPIARS. CONSUMER FEELS AN AXLE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT OCCUR WITHIN 68000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #8015695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING OVER A STONEY ROAD AT 10MPH, THE ANTI SWAY BAR BROKE.*AK AFTER DRIVNG OVER FRESHLY LAID GRAVEL WHICH WAS DEEP IN SOME AREAS, THE VEHICLE STARTED EMITTING A HIGH PITCHED NOISE CHARACTERISTIC OF A BROKEN ANTI SWAY BAR. THIS BAR WAS WELDED AT A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR BUT LATER BROKE AGAIN. THE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #8013850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER WAS SLOWING DOWN AND VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, TOOK A LOOK, DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, AND CONTINUED DRIVING. CONSUMER TRAVELED AT 65MPH, THE FASTER SHE DROVE LESS IT SEEMED TO WIGGLE. CONSUMER WENT TO DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT, AND IT WAS LEFT OUTER FRONT HALF SHAFT. PART WAS WIGGLING AND RUBBING METAL ON METAL. MECHANIC STATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, LIKE BRAKE PAD.
NHTSA complaint #889379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE HAS A BROKEN TRAILING ARM ON THE REAR SUSPENSION, CAUSING A RATTLING NOISE. CONSUMER HAD TO BUY COMPLETE ASSEMBLY. STABILIZER BAR DEFECT IS CAUSING PROBLEMS. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR/REPLACE IT, BUT OWNER NOT SURE IF NEW ONE WILL BE BETTER. *AK
NHTSA complaint #865199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CAR WAS ORIGINALLY LEASED NEW BY A FORMER EMPLOYER IN 1992. I AM THE ORIGINAL DRIVER AND HAS TRULY FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND PERFORMED ALL REQUIRED REPAIRS. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN MODERATELY ALL DURING ITS LIFE. THE REAR TORSION BAR, WHICH IS LOCATED INSIDE THE REAR AXLE AND RUNS BETWEEN BOTH REAR WHEELS, HAS APPARENTLY BROKEN. THE REPAIR WILL COST $650 PLUS TAX. THE INTEGRITY OF THE REAR SUSPENSION IS PRESUMABLY A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEREAS THE FRONT SUSPENSION, STEERING, AXLES ARE VERY COMPLEX IN A FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE AUTO, THE REAR AXLE AND SUSPENSION IS, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, VERY LOW-TECH AND SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE AUTO. INSTEAD, THE TORSION BAR IN THIS RATHER INERT PART OF THE CAR HAS SIMPLY BROKEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER CASES OF A BROKEN REAR TORSION BAR, BOTH AT THIS DEALER'S SERVICE OPERATION AND AT MY LOCAL GARAGE. THIS STRIKES ME AS BEING AN ENGINEERING/MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE SUSPENSION RATHER THE RESULT OF NORMAL WEAR AND USE. MY DODGE SAYS CHRYSLER REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE FINANCIALLY IN THE REPAIR, SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TO SET A "PRECEDENT." PLEASE ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #723965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REFER TO PAGE 2-50 IN 1994 SPIRIT SERVICE MANUAL I HAVE PHOTO OF THE "CRACKED" "TORQUE TUBE OR ROD" WHICH IS A TUBE THAT IS WELDED WHERE IT PASSES THRU A HOLE IN EACH END PLATE (TO WHICH THE WHEELS ARE ATTACHED) OF THE REAR AXLE. THE CRACK WAS THREE INCHES FROM THE LEFT END PLATE. THE CRACK WAS CIRCUMFERENTIAL AND SHOWED RUST. MY DEALER MAJOR DODGE RAN A REPORT AND WOULD NOT REPAIR AT NO CHARGE SAYING THAT ALL WARANTEES HAD NO COVERAGE FOR THIS
NHTSA complaint #700923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE REAR TRAILING ARM ASSEMBLY AXLE NEEDS REPLACEMENT, AND WILL REPAIR AT THE COST TO CONSUMER.
NHTSA complaint #828910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.