1997 Chrysler Concorde Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe coolant and engine problems — overheating, repeated cooling-system repairs, coolant entering the cabin, and engines that seized or stalled without warning — along with fuel leaks around the injection rail and worn front-suspension/steering parts that produce clunking, wandering, and play in the wheel. Many of these reports arrive at higher mileages, but transmission-interlock and airbag complaints appear at very low mileage, and several fuel and cooling reports describe fluid loss that occurred suddenly rather than gradually.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell and leaks at the injection rail

   • 16 complaints (12%)
   • median 71,000 mi at 8.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2011

   Owners describe a gasoline smell after driving or while parked, with fuel found leaking at the fuel injection rail, its O-rings, or the pressure regulator and damper. Complaints mention repairs done under the fuel-injection-rail recall and leaks returning years later, and some reports describe a fire starting in the engine compartment that a dealer linked to the fuel rail. Some owners say a dealer declined to perform the recall or told them only one side was covered. Reported from about 42,000 to 100,000+ miles, often noticed after driving or while the vehicle sat parked.

   Recall 98V184000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 98V184000 was completed and keep the paperwork; with the engine cold, smell around the fuel rail and look for wet or stained areas on top of the engine and on the ground after parking.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “(1) always smelled gasoline after driving car for a while. A couple of repair places could not find a problem. I finally figured out myself where the leak was in the engine and pointed it out to a repair man. (2) this repair man told me it definitely was leaking and if I let it go any longer there would certainly be an engine fire. When I questioned him about other occurrences of this problem, he said that he had seen this happen more often on Chrysler's than any other car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10104737, filed 2004-12, 71,000 miles

   “First, it started out with the cracked fuel rail problem which cost us over 900.00 to remedy and ever since we have had nothing but problems with it not wanting to idle so we replaced the idle contol at the cost of over 60.00 which still hasn't fixed the issue. The scans being done show a misfire in cylinder #5 but also can't be remedied. You can be driving along at highway speeds and all of a sudden it bucks wildly, the tachometer swings wildly then it just stalls and won't restart. The EGR valve at a cost of over 114.00. Problem still exists. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10082570, filed 2004-07, 97,864 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Worn cradle bushings and front-end clunking

   • 15 complaints (11%)
   • median 120,000 mi at 12.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2009

   Complaints describe clunking or grinding from the front end, vague or wandering steering, wheel shimmy, and alignment that will not hold. Owners report worn cradle bushings, inner tie rods, and sway bar parts being replaced, sometimes repeatedly, and one report describes the engine shifting enough under load that the throttle was affected. Several owners say the noise returned after repairs. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 145,000 miles, with some reports at higher mileage.

   What to check: Drive over uneven pavement and listen for knocking or clunking from the front, and check for play in the steering with the wheels on the ground. Ask whether the cradle bushings and tie rods have been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have experienced alot of play in the steering of my Chrysler Concorde 1997. After inspection it was found that the front cradle bushings where worn away. I have owned this car for 2 years. I looked at a web site concerning this and other problems with this and other chrsler models. And is concerned about the issues related to severe and catastrophic failures with these vehicles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10259198, filed 2009-02, 143,500 miles

   “My car started making a clunking noise, and I checked out the problem and found the engine cradle bushing were junk. The car only had 62000 miles on it. This could of caused a very bad accident if the cradle had broken. The car was lifted off the ground and there was about a 2 iinch gap between the frame and cradle where the bushing are worn out. I current don't drive this car do to this issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10213519, filed 2008-01, 62,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Cooling system leaks, overheating and engine stalling

   • 13 complaints (10%)
   • median 97,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2010

   Complaints describe the temperature gauge climbing, the high-temperature light coming on, coolant loss, and repeated replacement of cooling-system parts. Some owners report the engine shutting off or seizing with no warning after running hot, and mechanics reportedly struggled to trace misfires and stalling that followed. One report describes coolant and steam entering the cabin through the dashboard while driving. Reported from low mileage up to about 125,000 miles, with many reports between roughly 80,000 and 100,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check coolant level and look for residue or damp carpet under the dash, and ask whether the water pump, radiator and hoses have been replaced. Watch the temperature gauge during a long test drive and confirm the engine idles and restarts smoothly when warm.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In 2002 our car overheated we took it into a repair shop. Since the it it was bought in on four different occasions to repair the cooling system, over a span of less than a year. The entire colling system, except for the heating coil has been replaced. Then the check engine light came on. It has had a misfire in cylinder #5 and we have sunk in over a $1,000 and the problem is still not fixed. The mechanics have told us they can't find what is causing it. The light has been on for over eight months. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10073015, filed 2004-05, 80 miles

   “On christmas day driving with my son to my mothers home about one hour away, I exited the freeway and stopped at the signal. When the signal turned green, I pushed the gas, the car did not respond. I checked to verify that the car was in drive. Put the car in park, and attempted to restart the engine. The engine did not respond. The vehicle was pushed to a park and ride, then towed to the dealership. The dealership reports that the engine seized, and is destroyed beyond repair of the value of the vehicle. There was zero warning. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10146574, filed 2005-12, 97,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Floor shifter can be moved out of park with key out

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the vehicle rolling after being placed in park with the key removed, in some cases rolling backward into another vehicle or down a driveway. Dealers reportedly found the ignition-park interlock inoperable, while in other cases the dealer said the shifter simply had not been fully engaged in park. One owner notes the condition came back after an earlier repair. Reported from roughly 16,000 miles up to about 96,000 miles, typically when parked on an incline.

   Recall 04V021000

   What to check: With the key removed, try moving the shifter out of park, and check that the key cannot be removed unless the shifter is in park. Ask whether recall 04V021000 has been performed and whether it has been redone.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The consumer the placed vehicle in park, took keys out and shut off ignition, the vehicle then slipped out of park, rolled backwards and hit parked vehicle on other side. Consumer suffered a slight injury on skin because her legs dangled slightly out.”

   NHTSA complaint #10015706, filed 2003-04, 16,000 miles

   “Vehicle was left in park with the motor idling. It rolled up the owner's driverway and crashed into the garage, then shifted into reverse. Owner managed to turn off the ignition and stop the vehicle, brakes would not stop it. Dealer said that owner must not have placed the transmission completely into park. Could find nothing wrong.”

   NHTSA complaint #842892, filed 1999-09
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying in collisions

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 85,000 mi at 7.4 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2009

   Several owners describe front, side, and rear impacts at highway speeds in which neither airbag deployed, including a head-on collision and a rear impact that pushed the trunk in. In one case the manufacturer's investigation reportedly concluded the impact speed was below the deployment threshold. Complaints come from owners who were belted, and some note seat or seat-belt hardware also gave way. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 45,000 to 125,000 miles, in collisions at highway speeds.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for any history of airbag warning-light repairs or crash repairs, and confirm the airbag warning light comes on briefly and then goes out at startup. Have a shop scan for stored airbag fault codes before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Totaled my 1997 Concorde on 4/6/03 and the air bags didn't deploy. The conclusion of Chrysler investigation was, I wasn't going fast enough for the air bags to deploy. I hit the guard rail and concrete wall at about 60 MPH. How fast did I have to be going to have them deploy???”

   NHTSA complaint #10018343, filed 2003-05, 45,581 miles

   “My vehicle, driven by my step son, crossed the median, spun around and slammed backwards into a power pole. He hit with enough force to push the rear bumper and the trunk in almost 3 feet and yet the air bag didn't deploy. The sudden stop broke the front seat loose from the floor and ripped his glasses off his head and flung them into the back window. Fortunately he had his seat belt on, or the recoil would have sent him the forward momentum from the recoil would have sent him through the front window. Still the air bag did not deploy. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10292195, filed 2009-11, 85,000 miles

Buying note. On a car this old, condition and service history matter more than the badge: check for coolant and fuel leaks, listen for front-end clunks, and confirm both the fuel-rail and shifter-interlock recalls were completed. A pre-purchase inspection that includes the cooling system, fuel rail area, and airbag fault codes is worth the cost.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.