1994 Dodge Spirit Suspension Problems

FOR OVER A YEAR, WE KEPT HEARING A METAL ON METAL THUNKING NOISE. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. TWO DAYS AGO, WHEN RETURNING HOME, WE HEARD A LOUD METALLIC THUNKING NOISE THAT WAS MUCH WORSE THAN PREVIOUSLY HEARD. IT SOUNDED LIKE WE WERE DRAGGING A TAIL PIPE OR MUFFLER. YET, WE FOUND NOTHING UNDER THE CAR. WHEN WE GOT HOME, WE JACKED UP THE CAR TO SEE IF WE WOULD FIND THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE. THE DODGE SPIRIT IS A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE THAT USES A SOLID REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY THAT CONSISTS OF A METAL "V" SHAPED CHANNEL CROSSMEMBER WITH A TORQUE TUBE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT. THE TORQUE TUBE IS RIGIDLY WELDED TO END PLATES AND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AXLE ASSEMBLY AND CANNOT BE INDIVIDUALLY REPLACED. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE TORQUE TUBE HAD BROKEN THE WELD AT THE END PLATE AS WELL AS SNAPPING COMPLETELY IN HALF ABOUT 6" FROM THE END PLATE. THE NOISE WE HEARD WAS THIS TUBE SLAPPING UP AND DOWN IN THE "V" CHANNEL CROSSMEMBER. IT BECAME VERY APPARENT THAT THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DODGE DEALER AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR DODGE. CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NO HELP AS THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ITEM. THE DODGE DEALER WASN'T MUCH HELP EITHER. THEY EXAMINED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THAT THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACING (OBVIOUSLY) AND WOULD COST NEARLY $800 FOR THE PART. WE LIVE IN ARIZONA WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT IS DRY AND NON-CORROSIVE. THERE IS NO RUST ON THIS CAR, NOR ARE THERE SIGNS OF ABUSE OR DAMAGE. THE WELD FAILED ON THIS MAJOR COMPONENT. THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR! SO, NOW, WE HAVE AN UGLY CAR (PAINT FAILED-SEPARATE COMPLAINT FILED) WITH A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION (COMPLAINT FILED) THAT IS SITTING LAME IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS IS HORRIBLE FOR A 9-YEAR-OLD CAR THAT HAS RECEIVED ALL MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE REGULARLY, INCLUDING WHEEL ROTATIONS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047690

Incident

Nov 26, 2003

Mileage

116,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM REAR AXLE, AND THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8018756

Incident

Aug 15, 2002

T 30MPH AND WITH NO WARNING REAR AXLE SNAPPED, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8014524

Incident

Jun 29, 2002

CONSUMER WAS SLOWING DOWN AND VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, TOOK A LOOK, DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, AND CONTINUED DRIVING. CONSUMER TRAVELED AT 65MPH, THE FASTER SHE DROVE LESS IT SEEMED TO WIGGLE. CONSUMER WENT TO DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT, AND IT WAS LEFT OUTER FRONT HALF SHAFT. PART WAS WIGGLING AND RUBBING METAL ON METAL. MECHANIC STATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, LIKE BRAKE PAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

889379

Incident

May 29, 2001

HAD A BROKEN TRAILER ARM & BUSHING. STEERING WOULD NOT BE RIGHT DUE TO PROBLEM. THE REAR END WOULD MAKE NOISE AFTER GOING OVER OR HITTING BUMPS.*AK

NHTSA ID

882526

3 SPOT WELD FOR THE REAR SWAY BAR BROKE OFF, CAUSING A METAL TO METAL NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

864971

THREE SPOT WELDS BROKE AT REAR LEFT SWAY BAR. MANUUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

863507

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

REFER TO PAGE 2-50 IN 1994 SPIRIT SERVICE MANUAL I HAVE PHOTO OF THE "CRACKED" "TORQUE TUBE OR ROD" WHICH IS A TUBE THAT IS WELDED WHERE IT PASSES THRU A HOLE IN EACH END PLATE (TO WHICH THE WHEELS ARE ATTACHED) OF THE REAR AXLE. THE CRACK WAS THREE INCHES FROM THE LEFT END PLATE. THE CRACK WAS CIRCUMFERENTIAL AND SHOWED RUST. MY DEALER MAJOR DODGE RAN A REPORT AND WOULD NOT REPAIR AT NO CHARGE SAYING THAT ALL WARANTEES HAD NO COVERAGE FOR THIS

NHTSA ID

700923

Incident

Nov 3, 1998

TRUCK STARTED TO MAKE NOISE, DEALER SAID THE REAR AXLE BROKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

NHTSA ID

800863