1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE Electrical System Problems

I'VE HAD A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE LX FOR ABOUT 1 YR. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION 99% OF THE TIME I HAVE TO KEEP TURNING THE KEY UNTIL IT TURNS ON, IF IT EVEN DOES, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO EVERYTIME MY CAR DOES TURN ON, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE DOOR LOCKS KEEP GOING UP AND DOWN. IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVABLE FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS NOW. REPLACED RELAYS, FUSES, STARTER, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY! I EVEN TOOK IT TO A SHOP WHICH THE MANAGER IS A FAMILY FRIEND, HE HAD IT FOR 2 WKS. RAN A FULL DIAGNOSTIC AND ALSO THE BATTERY WHICH IS NEW AND HAVE EXCHANGED SEVERAL TIMES WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE. IT HAS NEW BATTERY GROUND CABLE NEW CABLE FROM ALTERNATOR TO STARTER CONNECTION, NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES AND STILL HAS ALL THESE PROBLEMS. AND NOW IF THE CAR WILL TURN ON THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND IT NOW HAS A NEW THERMOSTAT. THIS IS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED! AND NOW THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEGUN LEAKING. AND A FEW TIMES I HAVE NOTICED THE GEARS SHIFT. THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING IS WHEN IT DOES START, IT WILL DRIVE GOOD FOR ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AND THEN, IT JUST TOTALLY SHUTS DOWN WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR SIGNS PRIOR TO SHUTTING DOWN. I AM A DISABLED INDIVIDUAL AND AM SO STRESSED OUT BECAUSE IT IS LITERALLY UNDRIVABLE. AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR THE 1ST THING I NOTICED AFTER ABOUT A WEEK WAS THE PROBLEM WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN IGNITION OVER AND OVER AGAIN TILL IT WOULD FINALLY START. SOMETIMES I WOULD SIT IN THE CAR 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD START. I'M SURPRISED I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE ELSE MENTION THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE A LEMON AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I'VE MISSED DR. APPTS. AND ALSO MY SON IS DISABLED AND WE'RE JUST HAVING THE MOST TERRIBLE TIME WITH NO RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. CAN U PLEASE POST IF ANY OF THESE ISSUES ARE SOME OF CHRYSLERS UNREPORTED DEFECTS OR RECALLS. PLEASE HELP! *TR

Mileage: 115,000

1996 CONCORDE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. *TS ***NAR*** THE TRANSAXLE LEAKED, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *JB

Mileage: 50,000

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMNET. CONSUMER LEARNED LATER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE, BUT SHE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

Mileage: 92,000

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. THE HEATER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. *TC

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. THE HEATER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. *TC

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE HEARD A BIG PPOPING NOISE AND SMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. CONSUMER LIFTED HOOD AND BATTERY COVER HAD COME OFF. THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HORN BUTTONS DIFFICULT TO ACCESS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

HORN ACTIVATORS ARE NOT EASILY LOCATED DURING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, DUE TO DESIGN.

VEHICLE WILL NOT START IN COLD TEMPERATURES, APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES. NO CODES ARE STORED, DRB II SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THERE IS NO SPARK AND NO GAS. WHEN TEMPERATURES WARM TO AROUND 20 DEGREES VEHICL WILL START.

BATTERY FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS EXPERIENCED WATER PUMP FAILURE, AT APPROX. 65MPH, NOTICED HEAT GUAGE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED, THEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN, DEALER KEPT VEHICLE FOR 12 DAYS BECAUSE PART WAS ON NAT'L BACK ORDER. *AK TIRE BLOW OUT AT 10,000 MILES AND REPLACED. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING DUE TO O'RING FAILURE. SPARK PLUG FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS EXPERIENCED WATER PUMP FAILURE, AT APPROX. 65MPH, NOTICED HEAT GUAGE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED, THEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN, DEALER KEPT VEHICLE FOR 12 DAYS BECAUSE PART WAS ON NAT'L BACK ORDER. *AK TIRE BLOW OUT AT 10,000 MILES AND REPLACED. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING DUE TO O'RING FAILURE. SPARK PLUG FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH SUDDENLY LOSS OF POWER OCCURS, THEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS, RENDERING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES INOPERATIVE, NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING, LOSS OF ALL SAFETY FEATURES (POWER STEERING) *AK