PLYMOUTH Complaints

TOWARDS THE END OF JULY 2014, THE FRONT END STARTED MAKING CRUNCHING NOISES WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, TURNING AND OR COMING TO A STOP. I ALSO NOTICED PLAY IN THE STEERING. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR ITS OIL CHANGE ON AUGUST 19, 2014, THE SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE TIE RODS WERE LOOSE AND BOTH OUTER TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2014, AT A COST OF $511.70, WHICH INCLUDED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AT THAT TIME THE SHOP RECOMMENDED I REPLACE MY BRAKES WHICH I DID ON OCTOBER 31, 2014. THE SHOP SUGGESTED THAT I GET ANOTHER WHEEL ALIGNMENT. I STILL HAVE THE CRUNCH AND DON'T KNOW WHY. PLEASE HELP., PS: I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR HAVING PURCHASED IT NEW AT TUFANO MOTORS IN NEW BRITAIN, CT. *TR

THIS VAN IS AFFECTED BY THE 96V099000 NHTSA RECALL, HOWEVER WHEN INQUIRING ABOUT GETTING THE ABS MOTOR REPLACED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS ARE NO LONGER MADE TO FIX THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT CHRYSLER HAS A DUTY TO FIX THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE AS DIRECTED BY THE NHTSA, PARTS OBSOLESCENCE DOES NOT ABSOLVE THEM FROM RESPONSIBILITY OR THE NHTSA. IF THE PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE I REQUEST THAT CHRYSLER PURCHASE THE VAN BACK FROM ME AND HAVE IT DESTROYED, FIX THE BRAKES ACCORDING TO THE RECALL OR CONVERT THE BRAKES TO THE NON-ABS TYPE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW CHRYSLER AND THE NHTSA COULD ALLOW BENDIX (THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS RATHER PROBLEMATIC BRAKE SYSTEM) TO STOP MAKING A LIFETIME REPLACEMENT PART. THIS ISSUE CAUSES THE POWER ASSIST TO STOP WORKING, CREATES A HARD PEDAL WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. THIS CREATES A CONDITION WORSE THAN A VEHICLE WITH ALL MANUAL BRAKES THAT HAVE NO POWER / VACUUM ASSIST TO BEGIN WITH, WHEN TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT TAKES BOTH FEET PLANTED FIRMLY ON THE PEDAL TO STOP IT. AS I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION THAT WAS MANDATED AND ENFORCED BY THE NHTSA, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT REPLY IN THIS MATTER. *TR

WHEN EXITING THE INTERSTATE DURING A HEAVY RAIN STORM I HIT A LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER AND THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND SOLD TO ME 3 YEARS AGO. THIS HAD HAPPENED TO MY MOTHER NUMEROUS TIMES AND TWICE SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. IT ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN DRIVING THROUGH LARGE PUDDLES. *TR

CAR OWNER REPORTED FUEL SMELL. WE INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD FAILED AT THE AFT MUFFLER EXIT TO PIPE, WELDED JOINT. THIS CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO MELT AND LEAK FUEL. THE HEAT SHIELD WAS INSTALLED BUT THE MELTING OCCURRED OVER THE TOP OF THE SHIELD. WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAMAGE AVAILABLE. WE WILL PRESERVE THE FUEL TANK FOR ANY INVESTIGATION THROUGH 12/31/2014. IF WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU WE WILL DISCARD IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH WATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE WIRE HARNESSES, BATTERY, AND POWER STEERING CABLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,998.

WE HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WE THOUGHT IT WAS OIL LEAKING. WE STOPPED AND MY HUSBAND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. HE DIDN'T FIND ANY OIL BUT THERE WAS SOME POWER STEERING FLUID ON HIS HAND. HE THOUGHT HE KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WE COULD MAKE IT TO OUR DESTINATION WHERE HE WOULD TRY TO FIX IT. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION, THE CAR WAS SMOKING SOME. I PARKED IN ONE LOCATION, BUT THEN DECIDED TO PARK IN ANOTHER. AS I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO PARK IN THE OTHER LOCATION, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS I COMPLETED PARKING, THE SMOKE GOT HEAVIER AND HEAVIER UNTIL FLAMES BEGAN TO APPEAR BY THE WINDSHIELD FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND YOU COULD SMELL RUBBER BURNING. WE IMMEDIATELY EXISTED THE CAR. MY HUSBAND OPENED THE HOOD A LITTLE TO TRY TO STOP THE FIRE FROM SPREADING. EVENTUALLY HE PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH WATER. MOST OF THE WIRING AND HOSES NEAR THE POWER STEERING AREA WERE BURNT OR DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE UNTIL WE COULD BUY ALL THE PARTS THAT WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE.

ENGINE WOULD START AND RUN A FEW SECONDS AND THEN GO DEAD. ENGINE WOULD RESTART AND RUN VERY ROUGH FOR A FEW SECONDS AND CONTINUE TO GO DEAD. EVENTUALLY ENGINE WOULD NOT START. CHECKED POWER AT COIL AND THERE WOULD BE POWER FOR A SECOND WHEN SWITCH WAS TURNED ON AND THEN AUTO SHUTDOWN RELAY CLICKS AND POWER IS LOST TO COIL. REPLACED CRANK SENSOR AND PUT A COMPUTER FROM SAME MODEL VAN IN AND STILL WILL NOT START. NO CODES ON SCAN TOOL. THERE IS FUEL PRESSURE ON THE FUEL RAIL. *TR

THE STEEL BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND START LEAKING BRAKE FLUID, VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO STOP.NEARLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 PYLMOUTH VOYAGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,321. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL FILTER LEAKED AND RUBBER O-RING COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 3/9/15 *JS

START TO SMELL ELECTRICAL BURNING. THEN SAW SMOKE COME FROM STEERING COLUMN. STEERING COLUMN HOT TOP LEFT. REMOVED COVERS. WIRING HARNESS HOT. APPEARS TO BE THE HARNESS FOR THE HEAD LIGHTS. TURN OFF HEAD LIGHTS AND COLUMN COOLED DOWN. *TR