1999 Dodge Avenger

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FRONT SEATS IN MY 1999, DODGE, AVENGER, PROBABLY DEALING WITH FAULTY WELDS IN THE FRAME.*AK ON JULY 1, 2003, AFTER HAVING THE SEAT LEANED FORWARD TO ACCESS THE BACK SEAT, I RETURNED THE SEAT TO ITS NORMAL UPRIGHT LOCKED POSITION. HOWEVER, THE SEAT CONTINUED TO RECLINE FARTHER THAN ITS PROPER LOCKED POSITION (I KEEP IT AT ROUGHLY AN 80-DEGREE ANGLE, AND IT IMPROPERLY RECLINED TO ROUGHLY A 65-DEGREE ANGLE). I CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE SERVICE PERSONNEL SAID THE FRAME LIKELY BENT, AND THAT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST $450 (FOR PARTS) PLUS LABOR TO REPLACE IT. HE SUGGESTED INSTALLING A USED SEAT AS A REPLACEMENT TO SAVE MONEY, WHICH I RECENTLY PURCHASED AND AM HOPING TO INSTALL SOON. WHEN I WROTE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT OR REPLACE IT BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF ITS THREE-YEAR WARRANTY (THE CAR IS JUST UNDER FOUR YEARS OLD AND HAS ROUGHLY 54,000 MILES ON IT). NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR RESPONSE. TODAY, I WAS IN MY CAR AND REACHED FOR MY WALLET. A POPPING SOUND CAME FROM THE SEAT, AND IT RECLINED FULLY. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE CHECKED THE INTERNET AND HAVE COME UP WITH AT LEAST TWO OTHER INSTANCES OF THE SAME PROBLEM, ONE WHERE A GENTLEMAN REACHED FOR HIS WALLET AND THE SEAT RECLINED (HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/DODGE_AVENGER.HTM) AND ONE WHERE A GENTLEMAN WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HIS SEAT RECLINED (HTTP://MEMBERS.AOL.COM/_HT_A/GRNCAMARO/OWNERSE8.HTM). I AM CONCERNED THAT SINCE I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND I WANT CHRYSLER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES KEEP BREAKING WHILE OPENING THE DOOR. THERE ARE 2 PLASTIC PIECES ON EACH SIDE OF THE DOOR HANDLE THAT ( WHEN PULLED UP TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE ) THEY ARE ATTACHED TO THE EQUIPEMENT INSIDE THE DOOR PANEL THAT RELEASED THE LATCH AND OPEND THE DOOR. THOSE TWO PLASTIC PIECES KEEP BREAKING,THEREFORE NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR HINGES TO RELEASE AND OPEN THE DOOR. I REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE IN EARLY 2002 ( A DEALER ITEM ONLY AND COST $ 90.00 WITHOUT INSTILLATION ). TWO WEEKS AGO, THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE AND I TRIED TO FIX IT (BY PLACING A SCREW BETWEEN THE TWO PLASTIC PIECES AND THEN APPLYING SUPER GLUEING OVER THE SCREW). TODAY THE (NEW) DRIVER SIDE BROKE WHILE I WAS OUT SHOPPING ( SAME PIECES AS THE FIRST TIME ) I WENT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND I BROKE AS WELL ( BUT THIS TIME IT HELD WHERE I SUPER GLUED IT ) , THE COMPLETE OUTSIDE BAR (THAT RISES WHILE OPENING THE DOOR) BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO MY CAR WAS TO SLIDE MY ARM DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOW ( SINCE I HAD LEFT THEM CRACKED ). I CURRENTLY CANNOT OPEN EITHER DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE UNLESS MY WINDOWS ARE ROLLED DOWN. *AK

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE AVENGER SPORT (2.5L AUTO). AT 48,000 MILES THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (INFAMOUS A604 TRANSMISSION). DODGE REFUSED A GOODWILL REPAIR, THE CAR IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I FEEL THAT IT IS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR THAT IS 3 YEARS OLD WITH BARELY ANY MILEAGE TO REQUIRE A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. I HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED FROM SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR A604/41TE TRANSMISSION (LOOK TO BBS.ASOG.NET UNDER TRANSMISSION FORUM). I ALSO KNOW THIS TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE GOING BACK TO IT'S INTRODUCTION IN 1989. WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH, AND WHEN WILL CHRYSLER BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? NOT TO MENTION THAT I ALMOST DIED WHEN THE LIMP-HOME-MODE SWITCHED ON AS I WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON I-95 (THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHED INTO SECOND GEAR FROM FOURTH, THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF MY CAR, AND THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE). I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR CAUSE ANY FATALITIES, BUT I CANNOT SEE HOW THIS TRANSMISSION OR LIMP-HOME-MODE IS SAFE. HOW CAN THEY SELL A TRANSMISSION THAT DIES UNDER 50,000 MILES? *JB

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE PURCHASE. UNKNOWN ENGINE FAILURE PROBLEM (DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO PINPOINT PROBLEM), TRANSMISSION SENSORS FAILED, ROTORS REPLACED 8 TIMES IN 4 YEARS, BLACK TAR COMING FROM DOORS, NUMEROUS ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, AND THE BIG PROBLEM - THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES KEEP FAILING. PASSENGER SIDE REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY. DRIVER SIDE NOW FAILING AS WELL. HUGE SAFETY HAZARD! DEALERSHIP SAYS "CAR NOT UNDER WARRANTY".*JB

NAR 04/07/2003 THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AS FOLLOWS THE REPLACEMENT OF FRONT STRUTS, DEFECTIVE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND AS A RESULT A NEW SET OF TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. TO DATE TWO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED SAFETY RECALL# 827 AND #967 AND THE MOTOR COMPANY DECLARED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT NEED TO BE REPAIRED. AFTER HAVING SPENT OVER $700.00 IN REPAIRS THE CONSUMER IS DISGRACED AND WANTS THE PROBLEM REVIEWED ALSO HAVE ASSISTANCE IN PAYING FOR REPAIRS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY DUE TO A DEFECT. *CB

HAVE REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND TIRES NUMEROUS TIMES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, EXCEPT FOR WHEN IT STARTS BLINKING(WILL BLINK 100 TIMES OR MORE BEFORE IT STAYS ILLUMINATED) MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED, MOST THINGS WERE REPLACED BEFORE SCHEDULED. DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF WHEN OPENING THE UNLOCKED DOOR. THE CAR NOW STALLS AT RED LIGHTS AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT WANT TO START AT ALL. THE CAR DOES NOT IDLE CORRECTLY EVER, USUALLY ABOUT 300 RPMS. *JB