1997 CHRYSLER CIRRUS Complaints

DEALER HAD TO REPLACE DRIVER'S DOOR KNOB LATCH MECHANISM. CURRENTLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR KNOB LATCH MECHANISM BROKE. *AK

BRAKE HOSE BLEWOUT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE HOSE BLEWOUT AND CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE FAILURE WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR, NO BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE OR ERRATIC BRAKING. FLUID COVERED THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND CALIPER. THE DEALER NOTICED EVIDENCE THAT THE BRAKE HOSE RUBBED ON THE CALIPER. *SCC *NLM

THE TIE RODS WERE WORN OUT. THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *PH

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. A NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR. THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARTED FROM THE WHEEL. THE TIRE WAS A COOPER DISCOVERY#HT P23575R15. *TT

WHILE DRIVING HOME LAST NIGHT MY 1997 CHRYSLER CIRRUS STOPPED RUNNING AND THEN BURST INTO FLAMES. *JB

OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THE CAR WOULD RUN ROUGH WHEN SITTING IN TRAFFIC FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THEN I BEGAN TO SMELL GASOLINE FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING, AND ALSO OUTSIDE THE CAR AFTER GETTING OUT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC. HE STATED THAT THE FUEL RAIL SEAL IS LEAKING AT THE FUEL INJECTOR AND THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS FREQUENTLY BEFORE. THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON 1996 - 1999 AND SOME 2000 DODGE CARAVANS, BUT WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS IS AN OBVIOUS FIRE HAZARD. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 59,890 MILES ON IT.*JB

THE HEAD GASKET BEGAN TO FAILED. INITIALLY THIS ALLOWED COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE OIL. EVENTUALLY THE ENTIRE HEAD GASKET FAILED. OIL WAS SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING AND STALLED. THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN ABOUT 200 YARDS TO THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. THE ENGINE WILL NO LONGER START.

DRIVER'S SIDE POWER MIRROR SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED A FIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

IN APRIL, 1998, THE HEAD GASKET AND CAM SEAL FAILED AFTER ONLY 21,000 MILES. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE TIME OF REPAIR, THE SERVICE MANAGER, STEVE GREY, AND THE MAN WHO PERFORMED THE REPAIRS, RAY, BOTH TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIR WAS TEMPORARY...THAT CHRYSLER ENGINEERS HADN'T DEVELOPED A SOLUTION TO THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. IN SEPT., 1999, TSB 09-08-99 WAS ISSUED CONCERNING MULTI-LAYER STEEL HEAD GASKET FOR THE 2.4L ENGINE. IN JAN., 2001 TSB 09-008-00 WAS ISSUED CONCERNING CAM SEAL RETENTION ON THE 2.4L. THE HEAD GASKET AGAIN FAILED IN JANUARY, 2002 WITH THE ODOMETER AT 83,000 MILES. CHRYLSER ONLY AGREED TO PAY 50% OF THE COST OF REPAIRS DESPITE NOT HAVING A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AT THE TIME OF THE INITIONAL REPAIR. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE A TOTAL RECALL OF THE CHRYSLER VEHICLES WITH THE 2.4L ENGINE.

HAVE CONTACTED 2 DEALERS FOR SERVICE/CONFIRMATION OF FAULTY PART, AND BOTH REPORT THAT THE PT # IS ON "NATIONAL BACKORDER" WITH NO ESTIMTED RECEIPT DATE. ABS LIGHT IS ENGAGED, AND DEALERS ARE UNWILLING TO DECLARE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. DEALERS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY NON-COOPERATIVE IN RESOLUTION. CONCERN IS THAT EXTENDED WARRANTY MAY EXPIRE PRIOR TO PART REPLACEMENT, OR THAT VEHICLE SAFETY MAY BE COMPROMISED AND INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT.*AK