1996 Eagle Vision

ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2004, MR. ROBERT GALENTY OF ISELIN, NJ, PETITIONED THE AGENCY TO CONDUCT DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS OF CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1993-1997 VEHICLES PRODUCED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.HIS PETITION IDENTIFIED THREE ISSUES OF CONCERN: 1) FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL INJECTOR RAILS; 2) BRAKE FLUID CONTAMINATION RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE; AND 3) SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE FRAME TO DAMAGE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING TOWED.MR. GALANTY ALLEGED THAT HIS 1996 DODGE INTREPID HAD EACH OF THESE THREE PROBLEMS.CONCERNING FUEL RAIL LEAKAGE, DAIMLERCHRYSLER COMMENCED A RECALL (98V-184) OF APPROXIMATELY 722,600 VEHICLES TO ADDRESS ENGINE FUEL RAIL LEAKS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE, INCLUDING THOSE VEHICLES CITED IN THE PETITION AND THE PETITIONER'S 1996 DODGE INTREPID.ON OCTOBER 7, 1998, NHTSA OPENED A RECALL QUERY INVESTIGATION (RQ98-018) TO EVALUATE THE ADEQUACY OF THE RECALL REMEDY.THAT INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED ON JULY 8, 2002 WITHOUT REQUIRING FURTHER ACTION BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER.VERY RECENTLY, ON JUNE 9, 2004, NHTSA DENIED A PETITION (RP04-001) TO REOPEN RQ98-018 AFTER FINDING THAT THERE WAS NO NEW INFORMATION THAT WOULD INDICATE ANY BASIS FOR REOPENING IT.THIS IS STILL THE CURRENT POSITION OF NHTSA ON THIS ISSUE.CONCERNING BRAKE FLUID CONTAMINATION AND FRAME ALIGNMENT, A REVIEW OF NHTSA'S DATABASE SHOWS NO OTHER COMPLAINTS ON EITHER ONE OF THESE ISSUES ON THE VEHICLES CITED IN THE PETITION.

THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.

There is no summary currently available

SINCE OPENING THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE), ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS.DURING THE PE IT WAS DETERMINED MULTIPLE FAILURE MODES ARE INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER.THE WARRANTY CLAIM RATE IS HIGH FOR A STEERING SYSTEM CONCERN.THE ISSUES REPORTED INVOLVE PREMATURE WEAR OUT AT THE RACK AND PINION INTERFACE WITH THE INNER TIE ROD END(S), BINDING AND STICKING OF THE STEERING GEAR, CRACKED OR BROKEN TIE ROD ENDS, SHEARED RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY BOLTS, AND WEAR OUT OF THE RACK AND PINION MOUNT BUSHINGS.MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS MENTION STEERING WONDER AND LOOSE STEERING.THREE OF THE MOST RECENT COMPLAINTS ALLEGE A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING DUE TO SHEARED BOLTS.ODI IS UPGRADING THIS PE IN ORDER TO PERFORM A THOROUGH TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE VARIOUS SYSTEM FAILURE ALLEGATIONS AND TO QUANTIFY THE EFFECT THAT THESE FAILURES HAVE ON VEHICLE CONTROL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1996 EAGLE VISION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS 8 RECURRENCES.*JB

NHTSA ID

11321123

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

Mileage

30,000 mi

HELLO. I HAD A SCARY INCIDENT ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 2014, AND HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT AND IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. I WAS DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY IN PG COUNTY MD WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND MY CAR SUDDENLY SWERVED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND CROSSED THE CENTER LINE INTO THE PATH OF AN ONCOMING DUMP TRUCK. OBVIOUSLY I WAS ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH AND FORCE MY CAR BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE AND THEN OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF STRENGTH I HAD. THE TRUCK WAS JUST ABOUT 30 FEET AWAY AND IF THE BREAK HAD BEEN A SECOND OR SO LATER THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TIME TO REACT. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A BROKEN STRUT ASSEMBLY AND THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN ONE BREAK LIKE THAT. IT WAS PRETTY TRAUMATIC TO THINK I COULD HAVE BEEN DEAD... OCCASIONALLY I READ ABOUT AN ACCIDENT WHERE A VEHICLE CROSSES THE CENTER LINE INTO THE PATH OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE ARE LEFT WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THIS WAS DUE TO DRIVER INATTENTION OR IMPAIRMENT. WHEN YOU INVESTIGATE, DO YOU EVER FIND THAT THESE ACCIDENTS ARE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A VEHICLE PART? IF SO, CAN YOU SEE WAYS THAT THESE ACCIDENTS CAN BE PREVENTED, PERHAPS BY HAVING CERTAIN PARTS INSPECTED REGULARLY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10575984

Incident

Jan 17, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

I BOUGHT A USED 1996 EAGLE VISION TSI IN 2006. SHORTLY, I REALIZED THERE WAS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS GOING. I SAID "WHAT DO YOU MEAN "GOING"?" HE SAID EAGLES WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THEIR PROBLEMS WITH THE RACK AND PINION AND MINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE I HAD AN ACCIDENT. MY MECHANIC BOUGHT AND INSTALLED A NEW RACK THAT LASTED FOR 1 AND 1/2 YEARS. THIS TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC AND DID NOT TELL HIM OF THE RACK PROBLEM BEFORE. HIS DIAGNOSIS: BROKEN RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY. BY NOW THIS IS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS OBVIOUSLY FAULTY ENGINEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384660

Incident

Jun 28, 2006

Mileage

96,000 mi

1996 EAGLE VISION STEERING ALL OVER THE ROAD BAD RACK AND PINION DANGEROUS AND SEEMS TO BE IGNORED BY EVERYONE FOR YEARS SAFETY IS OF THE UTMOST AND IF YOU GUYS DO NOT DO A BETTER JOB THEN YOU SHOULD NOT BE AROUND.HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMEONE CLAIMS THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN DESIGN THERE ARE 1000'S OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE YEARS AND NOW THERE IS DUPLICATED REPAIRS BECAUSE OF POOR DESIGN DO SOMETHING OR GET OUT OF THE CONSUMER BUSINESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274205

Incident

Jun 12, 2009

Mileage

85,000 mi

1996 EAGLE VISION TSI HAS A SEVERE CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. THE BOLTS HOLDING THE INNER TIE RODS TO THE RACK ARE SHOT AND CLOSE TO FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS CAR HAS HAD SAFETY RELATED STEERING PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247313

Incident

Oct 30, 2008

Mileage

112,000 mi

COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. I WAS ENTERING A PARKING GARAGE WHEN POWER-ASSISTED RACK AND PINION FAILED, COMPLETELY DISENGAGING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. DUE TO SLOW SPEED, NO CRASH OCCURRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182636

Incident

Feb 14, 2007

Mileage

130,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE STEERING INNER BUSHING WAS BURNED OUT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS BEFORE THE WOBBLING. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS MOST COMMON IN VEHICLES WITH LH PLATFORM.

NHTSA ID

10165465

Incident

Aug 3, 2006

Mileage

150,000 mi

ABOUT A YEAR AGO CONSUMER TRIED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO SERVICE VEHICLE FOR NHTSA RECALL 04V021000 REPAIRS CONCERNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFTER. THEY EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THEY HAD NO PARTS, AND THEY WOULD CONTACT HIM WHEN THE PARTS ARRIVED. SINCE THEN, CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE A CALL, LETTING HIM KNOW THAT THE PARTS WERE IN. ALSO, RECEIVED A SECOND RECALL LETTER HAVING TO DO WITH THE SAME COMPONENT.*AK *BF

NHTSA ID

10115689

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.

Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.

Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.