This is, assuming the dealership is correct and the steering rack is indeed bad.
I've had a good number of Chrysler LH cars in and out of my garage, all with well over 100,000 miles. Only one of them (the poorest maintained one) had steering rack issues. It would clunk in cold weather when you turn the steering wheel back and forth. It was a '97 with 133,000 miles. Sold it for $1700. It was more of an annoyance than a major concern. On the contrary, all but two had an issue with the inner tie rod bushings. They are virtually guaranteed to go bad on these cars often with less than 100,000 miles. But they are cheap--about $15 at the dealer and I charge 2.0 hrs to replace them. There is a lot of internet hype about steering rack bolts sheering off and resulting in loss of steering control, so it MUST be true. The same applies to the 2.7L engine horror stories about exactly why they have a high failure rate. There's that email going around that says if you purposely cough repeatedly during a heart attack, your chances of survival are higher. That is also not true. Your bolts are not going to sheer off. When does this clunk occur? Over bumps, when turning the wheel? On smooth, uneven roadways? It'd suck if the dealer says you need a new rack and all you have wrong is tie rod bushings. > > Well it seems this Intrepid I so graciously bragged about back in > June has become my worst nightmare! I had it in the dealership > garage 6 times for repairs on warning lights and engine and > transmission problems all before I made car payment #3 on it. Now to > top it off I had a clunking in the front end - thought it was made a > tie rod because in the last Intrepid I had, I had a clunk and sure > enough that is all it was. Nope not this time......I a told it is > the rack and pinion. That is going to cost me $1300 to replace. > Then I get on the internet and find that this is a known problem with > these cars......the bolts can shear off while driving causing the > driver to lose control of the steering. The dealer won't stand > behind this 5 Star Certified Dodge vehicle and evidently Dodge won't > either therefore the $1300 is at my expense. Has anyone else > encountered this problem? If so did you just suck it up and pay for > the repair or were you able to get Dodge to help or stand behind > their vehicle? This has left a bad taste in my mouth with this car > and I find myself grateful I didn't trade my old Intrepid in for the > new one because I am back to driving the old one because it is safer > and more dependable. So sad I have put more money into this new > Intrepid in the first 3 month of ownership - in repair bills not to > mention the car payment and insurance ontop of it - than I ever had > to put into the old one and it is going on 200,000 miles. Maybe > newer isn't all its cracked up to be? > > Would love and comments or suggestions............Angie > Web: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid> Subscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribe: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Moderator: <mailto://[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dodge_intrepid/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
