VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A TRANSMISSION CASE BOLT CAN LOOSEN AND FALL OUT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL.
Safety risk
THE VEHICLE COULD LOSE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO THE PARK POSITION WOULD NOT LOCK THE WHEELS, AND A PARKED VEHICLE COULD MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT SET.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH BALL JOINTS THAT CAN PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND, IN THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE.
Safety risk
THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
3
143,000 mi
Electrical system: ignition: switch
2
—
Power train: automatic transmission
2
147,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components
2
—
Electrical system
1
261,387 mi
Electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash
1
—
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
155,000 mi
Engine
1
155,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
1
148,385 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine
1
—
Fuel/propulsion system
1
155,000 mi
Power train: axle assembly
1
107,433 mi
Power train: axle assembly: axle shaft
1
—
Steering
1
—
Suspension: front: control arm: upper arm
1
107,433 mi
Tires
1
89,050 mi
Tires: tread/belt
1
—
Unknown or other
1
88,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
1
104,000 mi
The 1996 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 1998 model has about 1.5 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.