U.S. public vehicle records

1996 Chrysler CONCORDE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

120 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

78,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 47 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering:Rack And Pinion is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 120 complaints (22.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	41	34.2%
Braking behavior	12	10.0%
Transmission and shifting	10	8.3%
Engine operation	3	2.5%
Electrical and battery issues	2	1.7%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering:Rack And Pinion

Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly

Steering

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Air Bags:Frontal

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Steering:Rack And Pinion	27
Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly	14
Steering	13
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	5
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	5
Air Bags:Frontal	4

Steering:Rack And Pinion: 27; Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly: 14; Steering: 13; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Air Bags:Frontal: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 5

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 73 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2015

1996: 5; 2000: 22; 2001: 17; 2002: 11; 2003: 23; 2004: 11; 2005: 7; 2006: 10; 2007: 2; 2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2015: 1

Pattern summary

Steering:Rack And Pinion leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10005041 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)

ON 10/11/96 I PURCHASED A NEW CHRYSLER CONCORDE FROM A LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER HERE IN MONTGOMERY, AL. (VIN [XXX]) ON JAN 2001, I REPORTED TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER ABOUT THE FRONT END SUSPENSION WAS POPPING AND CRACKING WHEN YOU TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS TIE ROD BUSHINGS AND LOWER ARM. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT ANYMORE WHEN DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. THE DEALERSHIP MADE THE REPAIRS. (SOMEWHAT BETTER @$577.00 / MILEAGE WAS 36430) ON 31 JAN 03, I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO THE AUTOMOTIVE SER…

Owner-reported narrative. 51,758 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005041 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007880 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)

STEERING RACK REPLACEMENT IN 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE IS VERY COSTLY AND PROBLEMATIC. HAD I KNOWN ABOUT SUCH AN INHERENT BAD DESIGN I WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, LET ALONE ANY CHRYSLER PRODUCT. MY PARTICULAR UNIT HAS FAILED AT THE LOW MILEAGE OF 110,000 AND BECAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO FAILURE! FURTHERMORE, DURING THE REPAIR PROCESS MANY OTHER COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE REQUIRED TEAR DOWN TO ACCESS THE FAILED STEERING RACK COMPONENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE STEERING RACK FAILURE, THE FUEL RAIL GASKETS ALSO FAILED IN LEAKAGE…

Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007880 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031142 · 2003-08-09 (August 9, 2003)

STEERING IS VERY BAD. PULLS TO THE LEFT. RACK AND PINION BUSHINGS BAD, AS WELL AS A TIE ROD. USUALLY MAKES A POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING. ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED. CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT. REPLACED WATER PUMP TWICE AS WELL AS THERMOSTAT. ABS LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. BRAKES ARE VERY BAD. I'VE REPLACED THEM NUMEROUS TIMES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 144,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031142 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10064420 · 2004-04-02 (April 2, 2004)

I OWN A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE WHICH HAS BEEN GIVING ME STEERING PROBLEMS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I FIRST NOTICED IT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS ON VERY COLD DAYS WHEN I WOULD LEAVE FOR WORK IN THE MORNING. AS SOON AS I PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND MADE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST TURN OF THE WHEEL THERE WOULD BE SOME LOUD POPPING NOISES AND THE STEERING WAS STIFF. ONCE THE CAR WARMED UP THE STEERING WAS MORE FLUID AND THE NOISE WOULD DIMINISH. THESE SYMPTOMS HAVE CONTINUED AND NOW I SEEM TO EXPERIENCE THEM EVEN IN WARMER TEMPERATURES. RECENTLY…

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064420 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004590 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)

UNDER VEHICLE WAS WATER WITH TRANSMISSION FLUIDS, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY DEALER TECHNICIAN ENGINE PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004590 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015444 · 2003-04-08 (April 8, 2003)

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO DOWN SHIFT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015444 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10105560 · 2005-01-26 (January 26, 2005)

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN FOR THE SECOND TIME.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. THE HEATER STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. *TC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10105560 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 747198 · 2001-06-21 (June 21, 2001)

CAR INTERMITTENTLY STALLS FOLLOWING INITIAL SHIFT FROM PARK OR DRIVE. VEHICLE LOCKS IN 2ND GEAR (LIMP MODE). POOR SHIFTING, DELAY IN GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE. DELAY ENGAGEMENT AT VEHICLE START UP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 747198 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10154091 · 2006-03-20 (March 20, 2006)

1996 CONCORDE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. *TS ***NAR*** THE TRANSAXLE LEAKED, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154091 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10283735 · 2009-09-12 (September 12, 2009)

I'VE HAD A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE LX FOR ABOUT 1 YR. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION 99% OF THE TIME I HAVE TO KEEP TURNING THE KEY UNTIL IT TURNS ON, IF IT EVEN DOES, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO EVERYTIME MY CAR DOES TURN ON, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE DOOR LOCKS KEEP GOING UP AND DOWN. IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVABLE FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS NOW. REPLACED RELAYS, FUSES, STARTER, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY! I EVEN TOOK IT TO A SHOP WHICH THE MANAGER IS A FAMILY FRIEND, HE HAD IT FOR 2 WKS. RAN A FULL DIAGNOSTIC …

Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10283735 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10171927 · 2006-10-26 (October 26, 2006)

LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR ON MY 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ITEM THAT WAS NOT REPAIRED PROPERLY. THIS IA A LOW MILEAGE AUTO WHICH IS DRIVEN BY A SENIOR CITIZEN. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 69,715 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171927 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10509919 · 2013-04-29 (April 29, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED AND REPAIRED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V184000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FUEL RAIL HAD FRACTURED CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509919 at NHTSA ↗