1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS Suspension Problems

MY FRONT TIRES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO BREAK OFF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE LOWER BALL JOINTS,STEERING CONTROL ARM, INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS; ACCELERATES ALL BY ITSELF. WILL NOT LOCK SHIFTER WITH KEY OUT OF IGNITION. ECM IS FAULTY BECAUSE IT SHUTS THE LIGHTS OFF,TURNS ENGINE,ALL LIGHTS, OFF . UNPREDICTABLY! SEAT BELTS DO NOT ENGAGE WHEN STOPPING. IF I WERE TO BE CRITICALLY INJURED BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTIONING OF SAID VEHICLE? WHO WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF MY SAFETY AND WELL BEING? THIS ALL HAPPENS WHILE OPERATION OF VEHICLE. TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 55 MPH. ABS MALFUNCTIONS AS WELL EVEN WHEN DRIVING 15 MPH. *TR

Mileage: 107,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LATERAL LINK FRACTURED, CAUSING THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE TO FOLD INWARD WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS OR DIAGNOSTICS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

Mileage: 118,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 42 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXCESSIVELY LOOSE. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY VEERED OFF THE ROAD, AND CRASHED INTO A ELECTRIC POLE, YET THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. SHE THEN CRASHED INTO A SECOND POLE, JUMPED A CREEK AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AS THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER AS SHE PLUNGED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE THEN EXITED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, SHOULDER, CHEST AND A MINOR CONCUSSION. SHE ALSO SUFFERED SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS AS A RESULT. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V201000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT) WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EVER REPAIRED IN REGARDS TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.

Mileage: 180,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE DISENGAGED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE RESIDENCE. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09E056000 (SUSPENSION; FRONT CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT) IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DEFECT; HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE PER THE RECALL REMEDY. THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND HAS BEEN NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

THE CAR STARTED MAKING A CREAKING SOUND IN LIKE THE AXLES AND THEN IT BECAME A GRINDING SOUND . WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE TIRE JUST CAME OFF WE SLID LIKE 20 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. *TR

Mileage: 136,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER TIE ROD DROPPED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRE TURNED AT A NINETY DEGREE ANGLE. THE CONTACT LEFT THE VEHICLE TO GET A TOW AND, WHEN HE RETURNED, THE POLICE REMOVED THE VEHICLE. CHRYSLER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V201000 (CONTROL ARM: BALL JOINT SEPARATION). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/16/08*JB

Mileage: 80,000

FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE, AND FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT WENT OUTWARDS TO THE GROUND. DEALER STATED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH LATERAL ARMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN TO EITHER SIDE VEHICLE WILL MAKE A CLICKING NOISE BECAUSE BALL JOINTS HAD SEPARATED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN TURNING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION THERE IS A LOUD CLICKING SOUND, METAL TO METAL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR 4 MONTHS, REPLACED SWAYBAR/ WHEEL BEARINGS, AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK

INTERMITTENT POPPING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. NOISE COULD BE HEARD WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF POPPING NOISE TO REPAIR IT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING FRONT CONTROL ARM LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. *AK

WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VIBRATION. HAD AA A CHECK & MECHANIC FOUND PROBLEM WITH LEFT/LOWER FRONT BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE WAS ROLLING OFF SUSPENSION BALL ROLLERS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC, NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK

NO CRASH; SEVERE RATTLING AS THOUGH JOINTS WERE DISCONNECTED

THANKS TO YOUR WEB SITE THE CIRRUS IS NOW AT THE DEALERS FOR RECALL (6) CHECKS, I RECEIVED A CALL TODAY THAT WHILE CHECKING THIS VEHICLE THE "SWAY BAR LINKS" ARE WORN, COST TO REPLACE $266.00. I CALLED DEALER/SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND IF NOT REPLACED IMMEDIATELY COULD SNAP. I ASKED IF THIS IS NORMAL FOR A CAR TWO YEARS OLD, ANSWER WAS NO. I ASKED IF THEY HAVE SEEN ANY OTHER CASES OF THIS. THE ANSWER WAS YES, A FEW. SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT PRIOR TO 1996 MODELS THIS PART COULD BE GREASED AND NO PROBLEMS OCURRED, BEGINNING WITH THE 1996 MODEL THERE IS NO WAY TO GREASE THIS PART, THEREFORE THE WEARING OCCURS

BALL JOINT FAILED (SHATTERED WITH LOUD POP) CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN WHEEL LOCKED UP.

FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT FAILED THREE TIMES PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.

DEALER REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARM/BALL JOINT DUE TO RECALL. BUT DEALERSHIP DID NOT REALIGN SUSPENSION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. DEALER REFUSES TO DO THIS. *AK *SLC

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE IN THE SUSPENSION, AND THERE WAS PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. THE DEALER FIXED THE STREERING UNDER A RECALL. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE SUSPENSION. *AK *JB