Consumer Safety Complaints

STEERING MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT.

Incident date: Dec 1, 1998

STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD NOISE WHEN A HARD RIGHT TURN WAS MADE. STEERING WAS THEN STIFF FOR A FEW SECONDS. STEERING RACK WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED AFTER VISITING 2 DEALERSHIPS. *AK *ML

Incident date: Dec 30, 1995

1987 BERETTA WAS GOING 90 MPH (A DRUNK DRIVER) WHO CRASHED INTO A LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1989, IN WHICH THE 1987 BERETTA CRACKED IN HALF, EJECTING THE DRIVER WHO PASSED AWAY. WHILE THE FIRST PART OF THE VEHICLE DROVE OFF, THE SECOND PART OF THE BERETTA SLAMMED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF CONTINENTAL IN WHICH THE PASSENGER'S FOOT GOT STUCK, AND THE FUEL TANK LEAKED AND EXPLODED, CAUSING A FIRE. PAS... Read more

Crash Fire 2 injured 2 deaths

Incident date: Feb 11, 1999

DRIVING AT 5 MPH THE STEERING WENT OUT, AND CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE JUST STOPPED.*AK

Incident date: Oct 15, 1997

STEERING CONTINUALLY NOT WORKING PROPERLY, UNABLE TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS.

SPEEDOMETER STICKS, ALMOST EVERY TRIP AFTER A SHORT DURATION (5-10 MIN). ALSO, TACHOMETER OCCASIONALLY STICKS DURING EXTENDED DRIVES 3HRS OR MORE. IN ADDITION, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AFTER FIRST FAILURE. SPEEDOMETER UP TO 15 MPH OFF. FORCEFULL TAPPING ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL CAUSE SPEEDOMETER/TACHOMETER NEEDLES TO INDICATE CURRENT SPEED/RPM. PROBLEM IS INDEPENDENT OF CLIMAT... Read more

Incident date: Sep 23, 1998

PURCHASED A 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING JULY 1998. HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITHIN A FEW WEEK PERIOD THAT THE DEALER TOOK IT BACK, AND GAVE ME ANOTHER ONE IN AUGUST 1998. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE 2ND SEBRING DEVELOPED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS PRIMARILY ON LEFT SIDE, A LOUD METALIC RAT-A-TAT-TAT SOUND COMING FROM WHEELS. ALSO, INTERMITTENT STEERING PROBLEMS. WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN, WIT... Read more

Incident date: Feb 11, 1998

BODY MOUNTS AT REAR CORNERS OF SUBFRAME WERE CORRODED AND REPAIRED A YEAR AGO, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND BODY MOUNTS WILL BE REPAIRED. ALSO, PROBLEMS WITH STEERING SYSTEM. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER, BUT DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. NO REPAIRS FOR THE STEERING PROBLEM.... Read more

WHILE DRIVING STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GETS DIFFICULT AND THEN GETS EASY AGAIN. *AK

Incident date: Mar 1, 1998

VEHICLES STEERING MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER.

Incident date: Feb 10, 1999

WHILE EXITING A BUSY FREEWAY STEERING LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. ALSO ABS BRAKES FAILED, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON/OFF. *AK

Incident date: Oct 12, 1998

WHEN DRIVING AND TRYING TO SWITCH LANES CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ROLLOVER. *AK

Crash

Incident date: Oct 8, 1998

MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS VEHICLE SHUTDOWN, CAUSING STEERING TO LOCK UP, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Crash

STEERING SYSTEM DESIGN RESULTING IN LOCK UP AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, THE TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVELY DUE TO STEERING SYSTEM.

Incident date: Apr 3, 1998

VEHICLE STEERING DESIGN ALLOWS FOR DRIFTING AND HARD STEERING ALSO CREATING ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

THE CAR ACCELERATES AND DEACCELERATES ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION.

Crash

Incident date: Nov 8, 1998

TRAVELING 10MPH & MADE A RIGHT TURN. HEARD A CLUNK NOISE. VEHICLE STEERING LOCKED UP. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. NOTICED BODY MOUNTS HAD WORN OUT & ENGINE HAD DROPPED DOWN. RECALL 93V106002. RECALL REPAIRS COMPLETED. *AK

Incident date: Feb 1, 1997

STEERING MAKES NOISE.

Incident date: Dec 12, 1998

MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. ALSO, STEERING IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND VEHICLE IS STALLING WHENEVER CONSUMER TRIES TO START VEHICLE UP. *AK

Incident date: Jun 3, 1997

STEERING SYSTEM MAKES NOISE IN THE FRONT END.

Incident date: Jan 18, 1999

DRIVER OF VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK A CULVERT ON ICY ROADWAY. EXTENSIVE FRONT DAMAGE TO ENTIRE FRONT OF CAR. DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Crash 2 injured

Incident date: Aug 8, 1998

THE STEERING COLUMN MOVES UP AND DOWN. ALSO THERE IS A FUNKY NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT END SUSPENSION WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL RESULTED IN VEHICLE HITTING CURB CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *AK

Crash

Incident date: Nov 1, 1998

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE SUB-FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE REAR CORNER OF THE VEHICLE WHICH SUPPORTS THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, POOR STEERING. *AK

Incident date: May 12, 1996

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CAN HEAR THE MOTOR MOUNTS JUMP. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL IS VIBRATING, CAUSING POOR STEERING. ALSO, VEHICLE STALLS WHEN CONSUMER IS TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OR A LEFT TURN. *AK

Incident date: Jan 26, 1999

WHILE SON WAS DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE. NO INJURIES. *AK

Incident date: Aug 1, 1998

DESIGN OF VEHICLE RESULTED IN THERE BEING NO SPLASH GUARD TO PROTECT THE STEERING BELT FROM ROAD SPRAY RESULTING IN TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN BELT SLIPS OFF.

Incident date: Mar 1, 1989

SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, AND CAN TANGLE. FRONT SEAT DRIVERS SIDE ANCHOR BROKE, METAL SUPPORTING SEAT RAIL WAS SPLIT. REPAIRED VIA BRAZING. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE CLICKED FROM DELIVERY, DEALER SAID WAS NORMAL, AT MILEAGE THE NEEDLE EXITED THE ASSEMBLY AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF WILDLY ERATIC MOVEMENT. *AK

GREAT WEST VAN DODGE MOTOR HOME (CLASSIC SUPREME) WE DISCOVERED, LAST WEEK THAT THIS VAN SOLD TO US AS A 97(CHASSIS)/98(ALL OTHER) DEMO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. HAD WE KNOWN THIS BEFORE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED. WE FELT WE WERE PAYING FOR A NEW VAN - THE $10,000 MILES PUT ON IT BY THE GREAT WEST VAN SALES REP." FOR DRIVING ONLY FROM RV SHOW TO RV SHOW ON WEST COAST." THE ACCIDENT R... Read more

Incident date: Dec 21, 1998

STEERING WHEEL PULLS DRASTICALLY TO THE RIGHT, CAN NOT TAKE HANDS OFF STEERING WHEEL OR THE CAR WILL RUN OFF THE ROAD.

Incident date: Aug 1, 1996

THE ORIGINAL FAILED AT APPROX. 31,000. THE SECOND FAILED AT APPROX. 37,000. THE THIRD AT APPROX. 41,000, AND AM NOW ON THE FOURTH SPEEDOMETER. NEEDLE JUMPS AT SPEEDS ABOVE APPROX. 55MPH WHEN HITTING BUMPS. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, BRAKES AND THE STEERING FAILED. DEALER INDICATED CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. *AK

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVEN ABOVE 25 MILES PER HOUR. THE POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED FLUID AND THE FUEL GAUGE IS INOPERABLE (EVEN AFTER REPAIR).

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. DEALER SAYS THE BUSHING WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

Incident date: Jan 13, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE ALL POWER. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, AND STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. MANUFACTURER DENIES PROBLEM. *AK *ML

Incident date: Dec 12, 1997

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TURNED THE CORNER AND THE STEERING FAILED. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE HE HAD TURNED THE CORNER, AND ALL POWER STEERING WENT OUT. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE STEERING PROBLEM, AND THEY DID NOT NOTIFY HIM OF IT. *AK

STEERING, ALIGNMENT, AND BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE SHAKES AND TAKES AWHILE TO STOP. DEALER SAYS VEHICLE NEEDS ALL NEW BRAKES AFTER ONLY 7,000 MILES. ALSO, 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK AND THE CAR IS SHAKY WHEN DRIVEN. *AK *ML

WENT TO HONDA DEALERSHIP IN SANTA MARIA CA AND THEY AGREED TO DO A OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. WHEN OIL CHANGE WAS DUE I TOOK AGAIN AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO TAKE IT SOONER. ON THE RECEIPT OF OIL CHANGE DEALERSHIP IN DEED DID WRITE A MESSAGE THAT SAID IT WASTED TO MUCH OIL. WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE TO DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER TEST. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF MY CAR WAS THE ONLY CAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROBLE... Read more

SUSPENSION CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR---REPLACED TIRES AT 18,000 AND NOW AT 29000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMS I NEED ANOTHER ALIGNMENT EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST FIXED IT. TWO TSBS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION. STEERING HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOOSE AND SOMETIMES LOCKS UP COMPLETELY. SUSPENSION HAS ALWAYS PULLED TO THE RIGHT FRONT. BRAKES HAVE SQUEALED SINCE AROUND 10000 MILES. ENGINE HAS SEVERE... Read more

Incident date: Jan 3, 1999

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE HIT A WATER OIL SPOT IN THE ROAD, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN, FRONT OF VEHICLE HIT A WALL AND CONTINUED TO SPIN, THE SHIFTING WAS OFF LINE. AS CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN WHEEL SHE COULD NOT, VEHICLE STILL CONTINUED TO SPIN. THE VEHICLE HIT THE WALL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jan 1, 1998

FIRS ODOMETER FAILURE NOTICED 2ND DAY AFTER PURCHASE OF CAR .HAD 21,055 MILES ON CAR. THIS ODEMETER CURRENTLY HAS 78,981 MILES ON IT. STIVERS TOLD ME I HAD TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF NEW ODOMETER SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. CANNOT AFFORD $500.00. NOTICED ON NHTSA COMPLAINT DATABASE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME THING. WHEN DRIVING 40+ MPH ODOMETER MAKES A GRINDING ... Read more

NO SUMMARY

EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING, CAUSING TIRE WEAR, AND POTENTIAL FOR OVER/UNDER STEERING IN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

Incident date: Feb 14, 1998

POWER STEERING PUMP FELL OFF BECAUSE LOWER BOLT WAS SHEERED OFF, UPPER BOLT FELL OUT AND IS MISSING.

Incident date: Dec 24, 1998

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE BRAKES WERE SOFT AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. CONSUMER COULD NOT MAKE U-TURN OR A RIGHT TURN. ALSO, THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING BECAUSE CONSUMER CAN'T TURN TO THE RIGHT. *AK

Incident date: Nov 12, 1998

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS CORROSION WITHIN THE STEERING, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO STEER WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD OR MAKING A SLIGHT TURN. *AK *ML

Incident date: Aug 8, 1998

THE PLAY IN THE STEERING INCREASES AND BECOMES LOOSE WITH HIGH SPEEDS. THE VES SYSTEM IS WORKING THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT IS SUPPOSE TO DO. TRUCK WILL BE CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP ON JAN.25-1999. *AK.ET.

Incident date: Dec 11, 1998

WHILE MECHANIC WAS TEST DRIVING VEHICLE HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND HEARD A BIG NOISE BEFORE THE CRADLE BOLT CAME APART AND ENGINE COLLAPSED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

Incident date: Dec 10, 1998

STEERING COLLAPSED IN CONSUMER'S LAP WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, IGNITION AUTOMATIC SWITCH TURNED ITSELF OFF. *AK