1994 EAGLE VISION Steering Problems

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT RACK AND PINION STEERING PROBLEM. WHEN TURNING CORNERS HAS TO BE STRONG TO TURN, IT'S LIKE THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAY CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. THERE IS A RECALL THAT INCLUDES THE TRANS AXLE, BUT NOT THE RACK AND PINION. THIS STARTED HAPPENING ON MAY 30, 2005.

Mileage: 175,000

MY FATHER IN LAWS 1994 EAGLE VISION HAD COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE ONLY MOMENTS AFTER MY 16 YEAR OLD SON ARRIVED HOME. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR EAGLE AND INTREPID MODELS. IT HAPPENED ONLY YESTERDAY AND I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO REPAIR THE CAR BUT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE TIE ROD ENDS HAVE SHEARED OFF AND COMPLETELY DISABLED THE STEERING. HAD THIS HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES SOONER MY SON WOULD HAVE BEEN ON ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED ROADS IN OUR AREA AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. *NM

Mileage: 160,423

THE BOLTS WHICH HELD THE STEERING LINKS TO THE RACK AND PINION SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS RESULTED IN LOST OF STEERING POWER, WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *JB

Mileage: 128,000

I OWN A 1994 EAGLE VISION AND HAVE BEEN IN TO THE DEALERS AND OTHER REPAIR SHOPS ABOUT MY STEERING PROBLEM SINCE 1997. MANY TOLD ME THAT MY PROBLEM WAS STRUTS, BUT WHEN THEY WERE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. FINALLY, THE LAST SHOP THAT I WENT INTO (FIRESTONE) TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY RACK & PINION SYSTEM THAT IS FAILING. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE WHOLE RACK IS SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND IT HAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN IT. WHILE DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE THE WHOLE VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE TO THE GROUND. MY STEERING AND RIDE IS HORRIBLE!!! *JB

STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO THE RIGHT - EXCESSIVE STEERING PLAY. *AK

THE STREEING RACK BUSHING FAIL PREMATURELY LEADING TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE FRONT STEERING LINKAGES. THIS BUSHING WEAR IS SUSPECTED TO LEAD TO COMPOUNDED FAILURE OF THE INNER TIE ROD ENDS AND MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS. THE FIRST SIGN IS COLD WEATHER FRONT END SQUEEKING SOUNDS FROM THE RUBBER RACK BUSHINGS. WHEN THEY FAIL ENOUGH TO ALLOW ENOUGH FOWARD AND BACK PLAY, THE TIE ROD ENDS ARE SUBJECTED TO EXCESSIVE STRESS AND FAIL PREMATURELY. I QUESTION THAT THIS EXCESSIVE FOWARD/REARWARD PLAY ALLOWS EXCESSIVE STRESS TO THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS WITH SUBSQUENT FAILURE OF THESE PARTS. ADDITIONALLY, A COUPLE OF MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY SEE THESE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VECHICLE EVERY WEEK. THANKS TOM BROWN

WHILE DRIVING HIT A BUMP, AND UPON ACCELERATING VEHICLE MOVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, NOT BEING ABLE TO HOLD THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO LOCAL MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BUSHING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER TIE ROD WAS BLOWN OUT. *AK

CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH STEERING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED OF LOOSE INNER TIE ROD ON LEFT WHEEL. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK *ML

RACK & PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. ALSO, TIE ROD BUSHINGS WORE OUT PREMATURELY/STRUT BUSHING FELL APART & NEEDED REPLACING/ WHEEL HUB & BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. *AK

RACK & PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. ALSO, TIE ROD BUSHINGS WORE OUT PREMATURELY/STRUT BUSHING FELL APART & NEEDED REPLACING/ WHEEL HUB & BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. *AK

THE CAR WAS BEING BACKED UP AND IT MADE A VERY LOUD NOISE. UPON INVESTIGATION THE WELD FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE CRADLE/CONTROL ARM HAD CAME APART. THIS CAUSED THE RACK AND PINION TO COME APART AND ALL BEARINGS AND BUSHINGS AND GREASE TO COME OUT ONTO THE GROUND. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AND HAD TO BE TOWED ON A FLAT BED TO THE DEALER FROM WHICH IT WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER WILL REPAIR IT, BUT AT A COST TO HIM AND NOT ME SINCE I HAD ONLY PURCHASED THE CAR TWO WEEKS BEFORE. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE CAR WILL BE CORRECT WHEN I GET IT BACK FROM BEING FIXED.

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING RACK & PINION FAILING TWICE WITHIN 30,000 MILES APART FROM EACH OTHER DUE TO BAD SEALS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

INNER TIE ROD BUSHING FAILED AT FIREWALL DURING ACCELERATION. ENGINE TORQUE TO FRONT END STEERING CAUSED VEHICLE TO SWERVE WITH LITTLE CONTROL TO DRIVER AT TIME OF BUSHING FAILURE.

STEERING KNUCKLE HAD TO BE REPLACED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER BELIEVED VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE PART BECAUSE OF LOW MILEAGES, 50,000 MILE OF WEAR; DEALER NOTIFIED*AK.

OUTER TIE ROD HAD TO BE REPLACED PREMATURELY DUE TO DEFECT IN PART. VEHICLE ONLY HAVE 51,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

INNER TIE ROD HAD TO BE REPLACED PREMATURELY DUE TO MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT; VEHICLE ONLY HAS 57,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

ABS BRAKES FAILED. ALSO, WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUDDER/PULSATE UPON BRAKING. IN ADDITION, TRUNK LID FELL ON BACKS/HEADS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE REMOVING THINGS FROM TRUNK/LEFT INNER TIE ROD FAILED, CAUSING LOOSE STEERING/FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, AND TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES LEAKED HOT FLUID ONTO ENGINE COMPONENTS. COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

LEFT TIE ROD FAILED CAUSING LOOSE STEERING. *ET

RACK AND PINION, TIE RODS AND SWAY BAR FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

RACK AND PINION, TIE RODS AND SWAY BAR FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

RACK GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING.

TIE ROD END FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN ALARM/LIGHTS/DOOR LOCK AND VEHICLE RAN STOP SIGN, STRUCK CAR/DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIT BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

ABS, BRAKES ROTORS ARE WARPING, STEERING ASSEMBLY VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. TT