TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY LOCATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP THAT LED TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72,000.
1996
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1. "BUSY RATTLE", NOT LOUD, BUT CONTINUOUS, MOST NOTICEABLE ON SMOOTH ROADS ABOVE 30 MPH, FROM FRONT FRAME SUB-ASSEMBLY, FOUR MOUNTING BOLTS. THE SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY IS ALSO CALLED THE "MOTOR CARRIER" AND IS BOLTED FROM THE BOTTOM UP TO THE FRAME (ABOVE). EACH BOLT GOES THROUGH A LARGE RUBBER BUSHING (ALSO CALLED AN INSULATOR). WITH 75,000 THOUSAND MILES AND NO OIL LEAKS, THE RUBBER BUSHINGS ARE ALL DRIED OUT AND FLAKING APART. EACH INSULATOR COST OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM CHRYSLER. THE COST OF REPLACING VIA A QUOTE FROM PEP BOYS IS OVER SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE MADE FROM A HARD YELLOW PLASTIC TYPE MATERIAL AND SHOULD BE MORE DURABLE. 2. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AT PEP BOYS THE VIBRATION WILL WEAR THE BOLTS AND EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE COULD DROP DOWN. 3. PEP BOYS RECOMMENDS THE BUSHINGS AND THE BOLTS TO BE REPLACED. THE NEW BUSHINGS FROM CHRYSLER HAVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY. REVIEWED THE COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT SEE ANY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE RATTLE OR A REPORT THAT THE ENGINE ACTUALLY COULD FALL OUT ON THE ROAD. THE DATA BASE IS NOT WELL ORGANIZED AS IT IS SEGMENTED BY MONTHLY REPORTS. I CAN SEE HOW THE NOISE MIGHT CAUSE ONE TO INCREASE THE RADIO VOLUME AND NOT HEAR AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE. THESE BUSHINGS WILL BE REPLACED. *TR