Eight problems related to steering rack and pinion have been reported for the 1996 Chrysler LHS. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
When turning at low speeds, the rack and pinion snapped and failed. The consumer lost steering control. The consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. Please provide more information.
I purchased a used 1996 Chrysler Lhs in August. When the weather turned cold, I noticed a "knocking" sound in the general vicinity of the right front tire upon turning the steering wheel soon after starting the car. After researching the problem online and being made aware of other similar symptoms that resulted in dangerous loss-of-steering situations, I took my car into my local Chrysler service center. The car was diagnosed as having a "bad rack-and-pinion gear assembly. ".
In January 2002 a Chrysler certified mechanic put bushings into my steering mechanism. I say put them there because the previous ones (less than 2 years old, had compeltely dissintegrated. In August of this year my husband was approaching the end of a freeway. When he braked to slow down, the bolt on the d side fell off and the steering mechanism fell apart. He was travelling approximately 55mph and had absolutely no control over the car at the moment the steering mechanism fell apart. It is a miracle there was no accident, injuries or deaths as he was swerving from one side of the highway to the other. The d side wheel was completely independent of the steering.
Steering gear failed by leaking steering fluid on inside bushings on tie rods. Bushings degenerated and suddenly had substatial play. Caused steering wheel to have about 4 inches of play and made car difficult to keep in the road even at low speeds. Car would veer left then right - causing oversteering just to keep it straight. Cost of repair has been estimated at $2,000. Dealer (jim cogdill Dodge) says car is not drivable in current condition.
As we were turning into a parking lot, the car shuttered and then made a noise and felt like a flat tire. I stopped the car and looked for a flat and found none. The car then would barely go forward or backward and I had no steering control. Next morning, in daylight, front tires were aimed at a 90 degree variance. Bolts holding steering rack had sheered and bend/broke tie rods also. I see a similar previous report in your files. I do not know what would have happened in high speed situation!.
When driving at any speed steering wheel lockrd up, and consumer had no control. Then rack pinion broke, causing one wheel to go to the right and one to the left. Consumer applied the brakes, and vehicle came to a stop.
The rack and pinion mounting bushings failed. Nlm.
Rack and pinion steering failed, steering will is not straight and the wheel pops and scrapes when turning the wheel. Nlm.