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
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
7
73,462 mi
Electrical system: horn
2
—
Power train: automatic transmission
2
115,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
2
115,000 mi
Air bags: frontal: sensor/control module
1
69,933 mi
Electrical system
1
98,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
1
100,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control
1
—
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
115,000 mi
Steering
1
—
Structure: body
1
62,500 mi
Structure: body: trunk lid
1
153,000 mi
Suspension: front
1
107,233 mi
The 1997 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 1999 model has about a fifth 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.