2001 Chrysler 300M

DECEMBER 20TH 2008 ACCIDENT OCCURRED. VEHICLE STARTED ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALED ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE. INNER TIE RODS AND BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED NOT EVEN TWO WEEKS BEFORE ALONG WITH TWO TIRES AND BRAKES. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT WHILE IN AN INTERSECTION. A TRUCK COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION HIT THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER SIDE AND THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS IN A 180 DEGREE POSITION WITH LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE. *TR

SOME BACKGROUND: I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS A LITTLE SLOPPY ON MY 300M AND TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THEY TOLD ME THE RACK AND PINION SHOULD PROBABLY BE REPLACED. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR AROUND $1200. A YEAR AND A HALF LATER WHILE TRAVELING FOR CHRISTMAS, I PULLED OFF THE INTERSTATE (FROM DOING 70 MPH) TO STOP AT A GAS STATION. I STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE OFF RAMP FOR THE STOP SIGN. TRAFFIC CLEARED, AS I ACCELERATED TO TURN LEFT, WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL I HEARD A NOISE, AND THE CAR WENT STRAIGHT. I HAD NO STEERING. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH ROOM PAST THE INTERSECTION TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, BUT STILL HAD MY WIFE AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE DOING 70 MPH DOWN THE INTERSTATE, I'M SURE WE ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHOSE OPINION WAS THAT THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE INNER TIE RODS TO THE RACK AND PINION WERE LOOSE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION AGAIN. POLICE WERE ON SCENE BUT DID NOT TAKE A REPORT. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A CITY INTERSECTION WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARED, I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN. I HEARD A 'CLUNK' AND THE WHEELS DID NOT TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED, BUT THE TIRE WHEELS DID NOT! I HAD NO FUNCTION EXCEPT FORWARD OR REVERSE, SO I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE INTO THE CURB IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET SAFELY OFF THE ROADWAY AND MY CAR BLOCKED AN ENTIRE LANE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHICH PUT ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A TOW TRUCK HAD TO LIFT THE CAR TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE ROADWAY. I WAS PETRIFIED. THE CAR WAS TOWED AS INSTRUCTED BY THE POLICE OFFICER AND IS CURRENTLY WITH THE REPAIR SHOP PENDING AVAILABILITY OF A STEERING RACK KIT. THE BOLT TO THE RACK WAS SEVERED! THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT INJURED THANKS TO THE SLOW SPEED I WAS TRAVELING I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS THAT MAY HAVE THIS SAME EXPERIENCE WHEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED AND MAKING A TURN OR EXITING A HIGHWAY OFF RAMP. THIS IS CLEARLY A MECHANICAL SAFETY HAZARD AND APPEARS TO BE FAULTY WORKMANSHIP IN THE AUTOMOBILE. MY CAR IS MAINTAINED REGULARLY AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ADVISED BY CHRYSLER TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (REFERENCE # 18030539), BUT THEY ARE OF NO ASSISTANCE CONCERNING THIS INCIDENT. I'M SHOCKED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL AS RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A RECORDED KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE WORKMANSHIP. *TR

MY SISTER'S 2001 CHRYSLER 300 M EXPERIENCED SUDDEN STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS TRAVELLING AT LOW SPEED, SO NO ONE WAS KILLED. SHE DESCRIBED THE FEELING AT FAILURE AS A LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY THE SENSATION OF SLIDING ON ICE. IT WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY FOUND THAT THE THREADED HOLES ON THE STEERING RACK THAT THE INNER TIE RODS CONNECT TO WERE BOTH STRIPPED OUT AND THAT THE BOLTS HAD FALLEN OUT, RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE LARGE CHRYSLER VEHICLES, AND PUTS A LOT OF PEOPLE AT RISK OF DEATH. PLEASE FORCE CHRYSLER TO RECALL THESE CARS AND TO INSTALL A REDESIGNED STEERING RACK AND TIE RODS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO KILL PEOPLE. *TR

VIOLENT SHAKING BEGAN WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, APPROX. 70 MPH. THE SHAKING SEEMED TO BE ORIGINATING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE AND MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE RIGHT SIDE TIE ROD WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE "PLAY" OF APPROX. 3 TO 4 INCHES TO THE LEFT AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 4 INCHES TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER. APPARENTLY THE SHAKING I FELT WAS THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SWINGING LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE I WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT ALONG THE HIGHWAY. *NM

LOSE STEERING, BOBBING STEERING WITH RUMBLING NOISE- DIAGNOSIS NEED NEW RACK AND PINION, HAVING 3RD ONE PUT IN NOW. WILL LOCK UP IN A TURN, WILL BECOME VERY HARD TO TURN LEFT, SOUNDS LIKE OUT OF STEERING FLUID BUT NOT. I THINK POSSIBLE PART HAS CHANGED OR SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH CAR OR PART. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. CAR HAD 60,000 WHEN IT FIRST BEGAN AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED. *JB