SUSPENSION
FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
Remedy: FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.
6,903 vehicles affected
WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FUMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Fire
WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THIS NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. ALSO, THE 4 BOLTS THAT HELD TRANSMISSION IN PLACE FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *AK
TWO OF THE FRONT LOWER MOTOR MOUNTS WERE MISSING, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE LOOSE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO VIBRATE. *AK
MOM HANDED THE CAR OVER TO ME WITH 58,000 MILES AND SAID SHE ALWAYS HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE CAR OUT OF PARK ESPECIALLLY ON AN INCLINE. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS AS WELL AND HAD THE CABLE REPLACED IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH DODGES AND SUGGESTED I APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE I PUT IT INTO PARK. AT $160. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM SOLVED UNTIL IT STARTED AGAIN, THIS TIME STRANDING ME IN A PARKING LOT SEVERAL MILES FROM HOME. THE REPAIR THIS TIME WAS DONE AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. UPON RECEIPT, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THERE IS NO GUARANTEE ON THIS AS IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH DODGE FOR YEARS. THE "REPAIR " LASTED ONE DAY. I AM PRESENTLY USING THE CAR AND AT MY DESTINATION I APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE KEYS REMAIN IN THE COLUMN. I HAVE TO KEEP ANOTHER SET OF KEYS ON ME TO LET MYSELF INTO THE CAR. NOT GOOD. MY MOM PURCHASED A 1999 DODGE STRATUS AND GUESS WHAT? SHE HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL LETTERS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEMS IN THE NEW DODGES. I WOULD THINK THEY COULD GET IT RIGHT AFTER 12 YEARS. IN THE MEANTIME, I WANTED TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE CAR, BUT DON'T FEEL VERY CONFIDENT OR SAFE IN PASSING THE PROBLEM ON THE HER.
IF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 20 DEGREES THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND IS PRONE TO ENGINE FLOODING. ONCE IT IS STARTED, THERE IS AN ENGINE "MISS" THAT IMPROVES AS ENGINE WARMS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL. WHEN SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE, WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE SPEED UP. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED BY FIVE TO EIGHT MPH. ARE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS?
IF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 20 DEGREES THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND IS PRONE TO ENGINE FLOODING. ONCE IT IS STARTED, THERE IS AN ENGINE "MISS" THAT IMPROVES AS ENGINE WARMS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL. WHEN SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE, WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE SPEED UP. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED BY FIVE TO EIGHT MPH. ARE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS?
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
Crash
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *DSH
BRAKES FAILED SEVEN TIMES.
VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, UNKNOWN CAUSE. TT
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, 20 MPH, RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BENT RIGHT OUT AT 90 DEGREES; FRAME CRADLE CRACKED IN HALF; PULLED OUT TRANMISSION, ETC.