Front End Issues

[likels]

hmm.. front struts, and additional repairs totaling over $5000.. really don't want to keep the car now.. I am afraid of it

[jbolash]

yes I have a carbon copy of your problem.I have been at the dealer 4 times. I notice when it is damp out that the noise is not as bad, The next part that they are replacing sway bar bushings.If someone finds the problem please let us know. Also a Star case .

[nspatial]

I write this for all of you out there having unresolved front end clunking issues with the 200. As you will see in my previous posts, I was having this issue that took well over two months to fix. In summation, here are the parts replaced:

Both left and right struts
Both sides inner and outer tie rods
Steering shaft
both lower control arms
cradle was re-torqued.
Engine was unbolted and re-attached to cradle
two four-wheel alignments

In the end, as a result of Chrysler engineers, a new tie rod was created for both sides. Instead of the normal rubber type bushing, the new part is a semi-metallic composition.

There is supposed to be a TB issued in the near future; as of yet, I don't know the number, but I will post it for you all when I get it. So far, the car is now rock-steady, and that is after I drove it "very aggressively :-)". I did this since I have almost exhausted my bumper to bumper warranty, and wanted to speed along the process of the lemon law.

In terms of the lemon law, I am still pursuing this, as my car was having this issue since 3000 miles, and after multiple complaints, and being told that the bushings will "seat", and two months bringing the car back to the shop 3 times a week, only drive it long enough to fill up the tank, and have the car returned on empty from the "test drives". I actually was terminated from my job for "too much missed time" due to this problem, so I just want the car gone.

My lawyers said I only have a couple of more days before Chrysler has to give me their first decision on my car, but flat out, I will never be happy with this car, or the 200 again, until they change the components.

That being said, I already picked out my next car, a black 300C with the Pentastar and all of the toys. Just waiting to finalize the deal. Good luck everyone!

[iammeiamfree]

I am driving a 2013 Chrysler 200. I am also hearing that clunking noise. Not all the time, but I hear it mostly when I am making a turn or, like the others, when driving on a bumpy road or going over speed bumps.

Can anyone tell me or does anyone know- that if I take the car into the dealership, is this an issue that would be covered under the warranty? We have about 46000 miles on it- so we only have a few hundred more miles on our car before the warranty is up.

[JP_200_Limited]

I am currently dealing with this same front end clunking issue. I will be making my 3rd appearance at the dealership later this week. It started ever so slightly at the end of last summer between 40-50k miles, and went away in the winter, but now its back louder than ever this summer.

Symptoms are as follows:

You never hear a sound during the winter (or basically below 40-50 deg. weather) As soon as the season changes and warms up and you drive the car ~20 to 30 miles/minutes you hear a clunk about every 10 feet or so (or more on uneven pavement or bumps). The clunk can be felt in the steering. The audible noise is coming predominantly from the front left/center (more left than center) of the vehicle.

It seems that the entire engine compartment must be brought up to temperature before the problem announces itself. I have taken 2 service reps for a drive, and both times they nodded and agreed that its completely annoying and clunking like crazy. Then, they take the car out back, park it for 3 hours until someone can work on it..... and the car cools down, stops making the noise because its cooled..... and the technicians put it on the hoist and poof, they say nothing is wrong....

Apparently, they have to confer with the service rep to explain what they think is wrong... and since neither of them really knows whats wrong, they just agree to throw some parts on it and test drive it for 30 seconds around their parking lot and call it fixed. I even told them to drive the car --- PLEASE drive the car for 30 mins --- the gas is on me!.... both times they said it was fixed and both times a 30 minute drive proved otherwise.

So far, I have gotten a free lower control arm, free torsion stabilizer sway link or something, and some more work done on the right rear (when the noise was coming from the front) They recommended an alignment, and Chrysler threw that in for free ($150 bux) and the clunk has not even remotely stopped happening.

Even if they fix this, which I know will only be a Band-Aid fix, I will not buy another 200 again, this drive train is junk. It makes more creeks, groans, thumps and noises than a 150 year old haunted house in a hurricane.

I am now looking at Jeeps

[Boblcraft]

I had two Chyrsler Sebrings'- 2009 Limited Hardtop Convertible and a 2010 Sedan Touring. The 2009 convertible started the clunking sound on the driver's side at about 2000 miles. The dealer replaced the CV joint, struts and finally the rack and pinion. It corrected it for about 3000 miles and the noise returned. The dealer replaced the rack and pinion for a second time and it corrected the problem. I subsequently drove the vehicle to 141,000 miles and no noise. The 2010 Sedan started the noise at about 40,000 miles and although we had experience with the 2009 and the same noise the dealer thought it was the driver side CV joint. It correct the noise for about 10,000 miles and the clunking returned. He then still refused to accept the rack and opinion proof and replaced the struts. The noise went away for about 5000 miles then returned. Upon review, the previously replaced CV joint on the driver side started leaking. They replaced the boot. The noise remained until I sold the car at 143,000 miles. My money is on the rack and pinion unit.

Two things strike me- (1) Chrysler HAS TO ABSOLUTELY BE AWARE OF THIS! This is nonsense that they hide from it. (2) The rack and pinion units are almost always on back order according to my dealer.

[Boblcraft]

Not giving up on Chyrlser because of the convertible, I bought a 2012 Limited Hardtop Convertible used with about 20,000 miles. As soon as I started the long drive home a vibration/shimmy (felt more in my seat than the wheel) was pronounced starting at about 60 mph. The more you drove the more annoying. Standard highway surface- nothing out of the ordinary.

I thought it might be a "flat spot" sitting on the lot or alignment. I immediately took it to the dealer and they aligned it and balanced the tires. The problem persisted. They then said it might be a bad tire. I replaced all 4 tires and at their suggestion with the OEM Goodyears. Down the road and the problem is still there! I have it back at the dealer and want them to look at the struts or torsion bar bushings or even a tie rod. It's unacceptable Does anyone have any suggestions as to a corrective action. As soon as I get it back from the dealer I'll post the results but don't have much faith they will fix this.

[manualsco]

You should download Chrysler repair manuals, workshop manuals and wiring diagram.