1999 CHRYSLER 300M Complaints

LAST EVENING, I LOST STEERING POWER. I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE! I HAVE A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER IN JULY 2000 WHEN I COMPLAINED OF NOISE IN THE STEERING AND I WAS TOLD THEN BY THE DEALER THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING RACK ON THE 1999 300M - APPARENTLY THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PART, AND BECAUSE IT WAS BEING REPLACED WITH THE SAME MODEL PIECE, THE DEALER COULD NOT GUARANTEE IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. AT THE TIME MY CAR HAD 23,482 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER TOLD ME LAST NIGHT THAT THE STEERING RACK HAS NOW BEEN REDESIGNED. THE COST TO REPLACE IT WILL BE $1,156.95 PLUS TAX. MY CAR NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 51,200 MILES ON IT. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND REQUESTED, THAT SINCE THIS WAS NOT ORDINARY WEAR AND TEAR, AND SINCE THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING, THEY SHOULD PAY FOR IT. THEY ARGUED THAT SINCE THEY PAID FOR THE FIRST REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THEY ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PAY IT AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALL AND SINCE I DID NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I VERY NICELY TOLD THEM THAT IN MY OPINION, THE FACT THAT THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THE SAME PART WAS PUT BACK IN, IT MOST CERTAINLY IS THEIR PROBLEM AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE ROADS OR A SEVERE ACCIDENT WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE TAKEN PLACE, AND A LAWSUIT WOULD BE FILED AGAINST THEM. THEY TOLD ME THE ONLY RECOURSE I HAD WAS TO ASK FOR A DISCOUNT FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO? THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CHRYSLER DID NOT RECALL IT. I CERTAINLY AM NOT THE TYPE TO COMPLAIN FOR THE SAKE OF COMPLAINING. I BELIEVE I HAVE A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT AGAINST CHRYSLER AND WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THIS ISSUE FURTHER. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST AND ANY GUIDANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME WILL BE MOST APPRECIATED. *JB

THE AIR CONDITION COMPRESSOR ALMOST LOCKED UP, WHICH COULD HAVE DISABLED THE VEHICLE. *JB

THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND A CRACK IN THE DASH. THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS HAD STUCK SHUT DUE TO THE TIGHT SEAL DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE WIND NOISE, AND THE CRACK IN THE DASH WAS AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AND APPEARED WHERE THE MATERIAL WAS STRETCHED OVER THE AIR BAG UNDERNEATH. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TWO MONTHS OLD, THE FRONT WHEEL ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED IN THE FIRST YEAR, BEFORE 50K A DEFECTIVE BEARING ON THE COOLING FAN WAS REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED. *MR *SCC *NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS TORN IN TWO. *NLM

THE VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRBAG. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM....*AK

HAD TO REPLACE MOTORS IN BOTH REAR WINDOWS AND THE WINDOW HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DUE TO THE BROKEN TAB AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW. ACCORDING TO THE SALVAGE YARD OWNER THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. FRONT END ALSO SHIMMIES HAD ALIGNMENT DIDN'T FULLY CORRECT PROBLEM.*JB

THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED 3 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING OUR 1999 CHRYSLER 300M, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED RUNNING, THAT MEANT THAT EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING THE STEERING, GAS, ETC. AND THEN I FOUND THAT IF I DON'T WARM THE CAR UP FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR TO 45 MINUTES IT WILL STOP AND WHILE WARMING THE CAR UP IT WILL STOP AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN THE PROCESS. MY FRIEND ALSO HAS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M AND HERS RECENTLY STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I THINK THIS A VERY DANGEROUS THING THAT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING. IT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE PARTICULAR CARS AND CHRYSLER SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *JB

RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR WINDOWS WILL NOT OPEN. RIGHT FRONT WAS FIXED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY BUT IS NO LONGER COVERED. CAR ONLY HAS 22000 MILES. DEALER SAYS THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME.

VEHICLE STALLS EVERYTIME IT IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE.WHEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR VEHICLE HAS TO WARMED UP BEFORE IT CAN MOVE.

DASH LIGHTS BLINK ON/OFF WHEN HEAD LIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE AUTOMATIC POSITION. THE AUTOMATIC HEAD LIGHT SWITCH IS NO LONGER RELIABLE. LIGHTS NEED TO TURNED ON/OFF MANUALLY. AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 300M, THIS FAULTY SWITCH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY. ONE YEAR LATER, INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS NOW BLINK ON/OFF CAUSING DISTRACTION. DRIVERS SEAT POSITION BUTTON IS NOW STARTING TO MOVE UP AND BACK DURING INCORRECT TIMES. AT TIMES SEAT POWER DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. TOTALLY ELECTRICAL???