1997 Dodge Intrepid Interior & seats Problems

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY'RE OCCASIONALLY HARD. FRONT END WILL DIP, CAR SLOWLY SLOWS DOWN, WON'T COME TO A STOP SOON ENOUGH. I HAD BARELY STARTED TO ACCELERATE AT A LIGHT WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY, I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THEY WERE HARD, BRAKES WOULDN'T ENGAGE. CAUSING ME TO REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH. (SPARK PLUG WIRES) ABOUT EVERY 12,000 MILES WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUG WIRES DUE TO THE 2ND CYLINDER WIRE BEING BURNT FROM THE ENGINE. A SIMPLE GUARD COULD FIX THIS PROBLEM! IF NOT, A FIRE COULD RESULT! (SEATS/SEAT BELTS) THE SEATS WILL LEAN BACK SLIGHTLY & UNEXPECTEDLY, COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT! THE SEAT BELTS DON'T SEEM TO STAY TIGHT AROUND THE WAIST. THE SEAT BELT SITS TOO HIGH OFF THE LAP. IF IN AN ACCIDENT, I WAS AFRAID I WOULD SLIDE UNDER THE BELT BECAUSE IT'S SO LOOSE! I WOULDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME, MY SPOUSE OR ANY OF MY CHILDREN. HEAD LIGHTS) THESE LIGHTS ARE PATHETIC! THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL GO OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING, SOMETIMES WON'T COME ON AT ALL MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GO ANYWHERE! THEY ARE VERY DIM & THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ABOUT WORTHLESS BECAUSE THE BEAM IS TOO MUCH TO THE SIDES OR UP TOO HIGH. VISIBILITY ISN'T VERY FAR AND IT'S TOO SCARY TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO THE DIM LIGHTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10196535

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SEAT WILL RECLINE UNEXPECTEDLY (APPROXIMATELY 20-25 DEGREES). THIS WILL ESPECIALLY OCCUR IF YOU LEAN BACK INTO THE SEAT (SUCH AS UNDER HARD ACCELERATION). THE SEAT MUST REMAIN IN THE SEMI-RECUMBENT POSITION TO AVOID MOVEMENT. THE WHOLE SEAT, I AM TOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10080469

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

Mileage

100,000 mi

I KEPT SMELLING SOMETHING HOT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. WHEN THE LOW BEAMS QUIT WORKING, I REMOVED THE COVER FROM THE STEERING COLUMN SINCE THAT IS WHERE THE SMELL SEEMED TO ORIGINATE AND IT OFTEN FELT HOT. I FOUND THE WIRE TO THE LOW BEAM TERMINAL OF THE DIMMER SWITCH HAD OVERHEATED BURNING OFF ABOUT AN INCH OF INSULATION AND DAMAGING BOTH THE SWITCH AND THE CONNECTOR ON THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE PURCHASED A NEW SWITCH AND AM PREPARING TO REPAIR THE CONNECTOR. *CB

NHTSA ID

10054235

Incident

Dec 16, 2003

Mileage

105,450 mi

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL QUIT FUNCTIONING. THIS HAPPENED AFTER VEHICLE HAS WARMED UP FOR A WHILE. WHEN VEHICLE COOLED DOWN, INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING WOULD REAPPEAR, BUT DISAPPEARED AGAIN WHEN WARMED UP. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK OUT PROBLEM. WAS INFORMED A TYPE OF ELECTRONIC SWITCH WAS CAUSING LIGHTS TO QUIT. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE GUAGE CLUSTER WORKED FOR A WHILE. *YH

NHTSA ID

883685

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

741056

Incident

Jul 15, 1999

VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM REAR AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHILE AT A STOP POSITION, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY/SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK, AND DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

879921

Incident

Jan 23, 2001

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE INSIDE INTERIOR DASH AND OVERHEAD LIGHT COME ON AND OFF WHEN THEY WANT TO. THE DASH FLASHES, WHEN I OPEN THE DOORS SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS COME ON AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. THE HEADLIGHTS AUTOMATIC TIMER WHEN SHUT OFF DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. THE RIGHT AXEL ON THE PASSINGERS SIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACES VERY LOSE. AUTOMATIC LOCKS FOR THE 2 BACK DOORS DON'T WORK.*AK

NHTSA ID

738789

THE LIGHT BULB IN THE TRUNK HEATED UP AND BURNED, WHICH CAUSED A DAMAGE TO THE OWENER'S MERCHANDISE. YH

NHTSA ID

548003

TOOK CAR IN FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, WHEN SERVICE TECH ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE DIPSTICK TO CHECK OIL LEVEL, THE YELLOW PLASTIC TOP BROKE OFF, PROHIBITING REMOVAL. HAD TO GO TO A LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP TO PURCHASE NEW DIPSTICK AND HAVE BROKEN ONE REMOVED. ON THE SECOND ENTRY, THE TRUNK LID DID NOT STAY OPEN, AND HIT PERSON(S) PLACING ITEMS IN OR REMOVING ITEMS FROM TRUNK. AND ON THE THIRD ENTRY, THERE IS A CONSTANT FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH SEVERELY LIMITS CLEAR VISION AND ALSO CAUSES EXTREME GLARE, ESPECIALLY DURING NIGHT DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID

705937

Incident

Apr 11, 1999

RAILS THAT HOLD FRONT SEATS DOWN BROKE AWAY IN REAR END COLLISION CAUSING SEVERE NECK AND BACK INJURY TO BOTH DRIVER ANS PASSENGER.

NHTSA ID

544193

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH FRONT BUCKET SEATS. DURING AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE CONSUMER WAS REARENDED, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS BROKE OFF THE TRACK. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

831960

Incident

Sep 7, 1998

WIRING HARNESS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

531121

Incident

Feb 10, 1998