2004 Chrysler Crossfire Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ALIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR STABILIZER BODY MOUNT BRACKET WAS FOUND TO BE 90% SEPARATED FROM THE BODY. THE MOUNT BRACKET HAS 4 WELD POINTS ON THE BODY FRAME. THE WELDS ARE ELECTRICAL WELDS. ONE BREAK WAS ALONG THE WELD AT THE JUNCTION POINT OF THE BRACKET TO THE BODY. THE OTHER 2 SEPARATIONS WERE ALONG THE MIDPOINT OF THE BRACKET SUPPORT LEGS. THE REARWARD SUPPORT LEGS ARE APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH WIDE. BOTH WERE BROKEN. THE FORWARD LEGS ARE APPROXIMATELY 1 HALF INCH WIDE AND ONE WAS BROKEN ON THE OUTBOARD PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE BRACKET SHOWS NO SIGN OF PROBLEMS. THE THICKNESS OF THE STEEL IN THE BRACKET IS APPROXIMATELY 3/32 INCHES. THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A LOW SPEED FRONT END COLLISION APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM FORMING. IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

DESIGN OF VEHICLE DID NOT ALLOW FOR CAMBER ADJUSTMENT TO FRONT TIRES UNLESS A WELD IS CUT AND A NEW PIECE IS INSTALLED. THEREFORE, OVER TIME THE CAMBER OF THE TIRES CAN BECAME SUCH THAT THE FRONT TIRES WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGE THAT CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE DURING A NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. THIS PLACES THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE IN A POSITION THAT A TIRE WHICH APPEARS TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION WHEN INSPECTED, MAY BLOW OUT WITHOUT NOTICE WHEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT WOULD SEEM THAT A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN THAT REQUIRES A WELD TO BE CUT AND A NEW PART INSTALLED AT A LATER DATE TO ALLOW FOR A SIMPLE TIRE ALIGNMENT ADJUSTMENT AND MAY LEAD TO A POTENTIAL TIRE FAILURE UNTIL DISCOVERED BY THE OWNER, IS NOT A VEHICLE DESIGN WHICH INCORPORATES A HIGH DEGREE OF SAFETY ENGINEERING. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE GOING 55 TO 60 MPH IT STARTED VIBRATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES WITHIN A SIX WEEK PERIOD. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THE FIRST TIME AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME IT WAS TAKEN BACK A SECOND TIME HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP BALANCED THE WHEELS AND STATED THE VIBRATION SHOULD GO AWAY. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM; THE VEHICLE STILL VIBRATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE AGAIN, BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. AFTER DRIVING A WEEK OR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK THIS TIME ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THIS STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

I GET MY X-FIRE MAINTAINED AT MAPLEWOOD DODGE -CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER IN MAPLEWOOD NJ. I FIRST TOOK IN FOR NEW BRAKES IN NOV. 2005 AND ALSO ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A METAL RATTLE NOISE WHEN I GO OVER BUMPS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER A RIGHT FRONT STRUT. THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUT AND RELEASED IT TO ME. JAN 3, 2006, I RETURNED TO THE SERVICE CENTER WITH THE SAME NOISE PROBLEM. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 7 DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER A REAR STRUT FOR MY CAR. I ASKED WHY DID THEY REPLACE THE FRONT STRUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT REPLACE IT, THEY JUST ORDERED IT. (FIRST LIE) THREE 3 DAYS IN ON JAN 6, 2006 I ASKED ABOUT MY CAR AND SERVICE REP CHUCK SAID "WHAT'S UP BRO. I ASKED ABOUT THE STATUS OF MY VEHICLE. HE SAID "IF IT WAS READY I'D CALLED YOU". YES I'M A BLACK MAN, BUT I AM NOT HIS BRO. I AM A CUSTOMER. I MADE A COMPLAINT TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AL. NOTHING WAS DONE. I CAME BACK ON TUE. JAN. 10, 2005. WHILE WAITING TO TALK TO AL THE MANAGER, HE WAS TALKING TO THE MECHANIC WHO ASSIGNED TO WORK ON MY CAR AND CHUCK. UNKNOWING OF MY PRESENCE, AL SAY TO THEM THAT HE NEEDED THEM TO LOOK INTO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE WHITE CROSSFIRE, THE CUSTOMER HAS BEEN IN A RENTAL FOR CLOSE TOO 5 DAYS. THE MECHANIC SAY "SO, THAT IS NOT MY PROBLEM". THAT IS A PROBLEM! I ASK CHUCK, EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR. HE LOOK AT ME AND SAID "I DON'T KNOW" I ASK, DID ANY ONE LOOK AT MY CAR, BECAUSE EVERYTIME I CALL HERE YOU TELL ME THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. HE THEN CALLED THE MECHANIC AND I ASK HIM WHAT PART IS BEING ORDERED FOR MY CAR IF ANY. I LOOKED AT CHUCK THEN ME AND SAID "I DON'T KNOW". NO ONE THERE COULD TELL ME WHY THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 5 DAYS OR WHAT PART IS BEING ORDERED OR IF ANY NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. THEN THE PERSON ASSIGNED TO WORK ON MY CAR SAID "I'M NOT EVEN QUALIFIED TO WORK ON THAT CAR. NOW IT IS WED. JAN. 11, 2006 AND I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CAR. *JB