1997 Plymouth Breeze steering problems

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR CRUNCHING NOISE. 45.000 MILES DUE TO LENGTHY RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS DEFECTS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OF MANY DAIMLER CHRYSLER VEHICLES. AFTER 27 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH 14 VEHICLES (MOSTLY GM AND FORD) I HAVE NEVER HAD AS MANY DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION/STEERING FAILURES AS WITH THIS PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT CHRYSLER DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY (FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY) FOR POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING DEFECTS. THEY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND PAY FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR AND THEN FIND SUPPLIERS WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. I CONSIDER THE BREEZE UNUSABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SUCH AS ANYTHING OVER 30 MPH. FOR HAVING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DESIGN THIS SITUATION IS JUST SAD. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO CHRYSLER AS I AM IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING A SMALL CLAIMS COURT CASE. IF YOU CAN FORWARD THIS TO CHRYSLER PLEASE TELL THEM THAT WE JUST WANT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION, NOT HAVING OUR LIVES AT STAKE. YOU SEE - IF YOU HIT A TREE OR SOMETHING SOLID - ALL OF THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THEM IS GONE. WAKE UP CONSUMERS - READ THE VEHICLE REPORTS BEFORE YOU BUY. BEAUTY MUST BE MORE THAN SKIN DEEP.

NHTSA complaint #10136831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10106726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY '97 BREEZE SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN APRIL OF 2002. THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DOOR PANELS SHAKE/VIBRATE WHEN THE CAR IS IN GEAR AND STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. COME TO FIND OUT THERE WAS A BOLT MISSING OFF OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE OTHERS WERE LOOSE AND THEY GOT FIXED BUT THE CAR STILL HAS THE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA complaint #10069170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

THE TIE ROD ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ROD IS LOOSE.

NHTSA complaint #10066652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

THE STRUTS FAILED. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE PART HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR. *JB THERE WERE ENGINE PROBLEMS, THE SPARK PLUGS CONTINUED TO GET DIRTY, TWO SETS OF TIRES WERE LOST, THERE WAS AN ODOR COMING FROM THE AC, THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE MAIN SEAL AND LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE HEAD, THE HEATER FAN ONLY WORKED ON HIGH, THERE WAS A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED THEN GOES AWAY, THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEELS, THE FLASH MODULE CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE UPSTREAM #2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE STEERING RACK HAD BROKEN, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE AC BELT WAS CRACKED. *SC THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10055741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE WAS REVERSING, HEARD A TOMPING NOISE, INNER TIE ROD BROKE. COULDN'T MOVE VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER.THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #8017403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

LEFT FRONT TIE ROD END BROKE WHILE SHIFTING VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK.

NHTSA complaint #8011130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A HIGHYWAY, STEERING LOCKED UP, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT FROM VEHICLE, BUT FLOORMAT GOT TANGLED UP IN STEERING COLUMN. IT TOOK HER TEN MINUTES TO WORK IT OUT, DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #898996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER WAS MAKING A SLOW RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH WHEN SHE HEARD SOMETHING POPPING. SHE PULLED OVER, AND SAW FRONT LEFT TIRE TURNED RIGHT, AND FRONT RIGHT TIRE TURNED LEFT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT TIE ROD. FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR PRIOR TO THIS, CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND EVERY NOW AND THEN WHEN MAKING TURNS. DEALER ASSURED HER AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #890166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

THE STEERING GEAR FAILED, THE DEALER REPLACED IT BUT INSTALLED IT INCORRECTLY, THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO FIX IT. NLM

NHTSA complaint #785320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH TIE ROD AND BALL JOINT FAILURES. DEALER HAD REPLACED BOTH TIE ROD AND BALL JOINT THREE TIMES EACH, AND PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE REOCCURRING. DEALERSHIP DENIED RECALL 97V201 STATING THAT ALL PARTS WERE OKAY, THE INITIAL PROBLEM WAS AN ONGOING FRONT END NOISE AND VIBRATION. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCING AN OIL LEAKING PROBLEM, THE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. A CHIPPED DRIVE CHAIN CAUSED MOTOR VIBRATION. *AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #874932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES

WHEELS SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO FALL OFF WHENEVER CONSUMER HIT A BUMP. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS COMING ON, AND CONSUMER WAS CONSTANTLY PUTTING OIL IN VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL AND MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #874140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN CAR IDLES.

NHTSA complaint #782966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING:LINKAGES

NOISE IN THE FRONT WAS REPORTED TO DEALER ON APRIL 27, 2000. CAR WAS PUT UP ON RACK, BUT NO DEFECT WAS FOUND BY MECHANIC AT THAT TIME. WHILE TURNING ONTO MAIN ROAD FROM SIDE ROAD, TIE ROD BROKE. REPAIRING MECHANIC ( NOT DEALER) NOTED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF TIE RODS, FOR MILEAGE ON VEHICLE, AND REPLACED BOTH SIDES. HAD I BEEN UP TO SPEED I COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. DEALER OF VEHICLE SUPPOSEDLY DID A SAFETY CHECK BEFORE WE TOOK DELIVERY.

NHTSA complaint #722685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN CAR IDLES.

NHTSA complaint #782966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.