THREE TIMES IN SIX WEEKS, THE SERPENTINE BELT (WHICH POWERS THE POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP) HAS SLIPPED OFF THE PULLEYS. IN ONE OF THE THREE INSTANCES, THE DRIVE BELT WAS SHREDDED. AFTER A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET, LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS WERE FOUND. FORTUNATELY, IN OUR CASE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INJURY TO DATE, HOWEVER A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT THE WRONG MOMENT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. LIKEWISE, LOSS OF ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP COULD LEAVE SOMEONE STRANDED. ON THIS VEHICLE, THE BELT TENSIONER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN 1,000 MILES. *TR
2003
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS POPPING NOISE AND A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION WITHIN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE STABILIZER BAR BUSHINGS WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH THE BUSHINGS WERE NOT REPLACED, WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED, THE POPPING NOISE PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED IT WAS BOTH TIE ROD END BALL JOINTS THAT WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.