Chrysler Concorde

jayrider · April 2004

My 02 Limited still keeps a smile on my face. Trans likes to hunt a bit when accelerating quickly after a slow down but seems solid. Can spin the front tires off the line if I get aggressive. It has the engine and suspension of the 300M. Very comfy leather seats. Planning a West Coast trip next month.

canddmeyer · April 2004

I rented a Concorde last week. Nothing in the paperwork noted what year it was, but I suspect it was a 2003 LXi model. Other than a slight vibration in the steering, it was a great car. There was loads of trunk space, the engine had great power, & MPG was 25+. My wife & I melted into the leather seating. The rental agency ran out of Intrepids, & the replacement Taurus had an engine light come on b4 I left the lot, so I got a free upgrade to the Concorde. Nice vehicle.

domino777 · April 2004

Concerning the "clunking" noise coming from the R/H front side. I have a '96 Concorde LXI with a similar problem. I replaced brakes, rotors and found inner tie rod end worn. I replaced tie rod end and next step in the shopping list is going to be a suspected bad cv joint. I looked at everything and it all seems tight. C/V joint does have play in it. Car has 103k. Anyone with a similar problem?

robw · April 2004

My 2001 Concorde LXi is still exhibiting the same front end noises .... this has been going on since October '03, and the dealer's most recent explanation is "the normal shifting & settling of a large car during acceleration or low speed driving". I could have jumped out the window when they told me that. However: the March '04 Edmunds letters to the editors has a response about their long-term Pacifica which needed a new transfer case to fix cracking & popping noises in the suspension. Does a vehicle with traction control have a transfer case, also? Their Pacifica has AWD, but most LXi's have traction control, so this could be the problem we're all experiencing. Thoughts?

ijennings1 · May 2004

I'm considering buying a Concorde LXi 3.5 in the next year. Are these relatively easy to work on youtrself; Such as engine oil filter change, air filter, disc pads etc? Also does this engine have a cam belt or chain? If it is a belt, when should it be changed and how expensive is it to have done? I've also heard Chrysler auto boxes need major work about 50k miles.
Thanks in anticipation

questioner · June 2004

My 2000 buick was totaled in an accident. I had planned to get a low milage used car this time with the settlement paid by the insurance company of the other driver. But I came across this nice 93 concorde the day before yesterday, which has 100k miles on it. This car is clean from inside through outside with leather seats, full power, ABS, cruise and four almost new tires. It seems to be a nice car for me as a student with the price of $2050 drive-out after tax and fee. The only problem I noticed in my 40 minutes test-drive is that it stalled once when idle. After reading some previous articles here, it seems this problem can solved by replacing the cam sensor or the carckshaft sensor. Will a 93' concorde be a good buy at this 11-years old age? I didn't notice any engine or tranny problems. The tranny jerks some when shifting into reverse or forward, which I thought is normal for such an old tranny, my 2000 buick's tranny jerked more than that. I was kind of worried the tranny may fail soon but somebody here mentioned it seems that the tranny either failed early or seem to last. Is that true?

The dealer doesn't know anything about the matainnace record either so we don't know the belt has been changed or not. I won't be able to change the belt by myself. I wish $300 will be enough to cover it.

We also don't know the tranny has been rebuilt or not. The fluid is OK, but not very clean. I saw some bubbles in the fluid, is that a bad sign? If I take it to a tranny shop. Should they be able to tell me whether it has been rebuilt before or not? The mechanic said the tranny is shifting well and engine sound good. I made appointment with him at tomorrow noon to further check the car. I also made appointment with a tranny shop tomorrow to check the tranny. It's a small tranny shop. Do you guys think I should take it to a Chrysler dealer to have the tranny checked because the samll shop may not be able to do the job because of insufficient equipment?

This car has 3 previous owners according to carfax report(since there are 3 dirrefrent title number from the report). 1st owner 93-94. 2nd 94-03. 3rd May-03-to-04. The car has 4 almost new tires(maybe 1/2 or 1 year old) on it. I assume the car has been taken good care of. One question is that there is no milage reading of the car when in May 2003 a new title with different title # was issue, if that still means the car was sold in May 2003. Why this 3rd owner want to sell the car just a year later after he bought it.

I did take the car to the mechanic today. He did not have much time today so he did a short testdrive for me. He noticed the car has accident before(which didn't appear on the carfax report). The front bumper and hood have been repainted. Also the front rail after the bumper before the radiator had been worked on because of the accident. He said there probably is no serious structure damage so it's no dig deal since many cars on the street has been involved in accident before.
What do you guys think?

Please give some opinion if you know about this car. Thanks a lot!

jayrider · June 2004

Two grand is pretty cheap for a car. Expect repairs but if all you want is an around town car it might be worth a shot. Why not look at a newer car more in line with your 2000 Buick?

ceprise · June 2004

The engine in my '99 Concorde died after 98,000 miles. It is a 2.7L California/NJ engine. It first started to miss, then started to screech (not like belts), then stopped completely. The tow truck operator started it and it crawled up his ramp. It started at the shop, to crawl into the service bay. My mechanic pulled the heads, and said nothing was broke on top, that the problem was a major internal problem. I called D/C and was told there was no power train or extended warranty.

Any Suggestions, hidden warranties, lemons, etc??

Sylvia · January 2005

atlanta buyer · January 2005

I love this forum. I'm looking to buy a Concorde, 2002 with about 90k miles on the odometer. Can someone give me a list of what to look out for at this mileage (tranny, engine, electrics, etc)? Am I better off looking for a car with lower miles? I plan to put at least 25k miles a year on the car.

Many thanks!

smithed · January 2005

I looked at a 2004 LXi last evening. Red with tan leather interior. Moonroof, seemed to have all the bells and whistles. I am biased toward this car because it is so similar to the '99 Intrepid ES I am currently driving (and which I intend to keep in the family, now at 95,000 miles) and which has performed with minimal trouble. The Chrysler has 14000 miles and seems in good to excellent condition. I drove it for about 30 minutes around town and on the expressway. My fingers went right to all the controls, nothing new to learn. I love the size of the trunk (even bigger than the big one in the Intrepid). Engine is the 3.5 version of the 3.2 in the Intrepid.

My questions to you: Have any particular problems been common in these later iterations of the LH? Were any significant improvements made since they were bolting these together in 1999?

Dealer wants $18990, but I see Edmunds only estimates about $17000 so I would have some negotiating to do.

I am disappointed in the small trunk that Chrysler has decided to go with on the 300--it's size would be a drawback to my purchasing one. I often carry 4 to 5 people on 700-1000 mile trips along with all their gear, so trunk space is important.

Thanks, I will check back.

smithed · January 2005

My experience is with a very similar car, a 1999 Intrepid. It has been very good and has 95,000 and I am expecting that many more. It has the 3.2 liter engine. From what I have come to know the 3.2 and 3.5 are much more reliable engines than the 2.7. Most people would tell you that if the car you are looking at has the 2.7, it would be wise to stay away.

oldsven · January 2005

If the price is right, go for it. I have a 2000 Concorde with 227,000 miles with no mechanical troubles yet. You will probably need to replace the struts in the next 50k ($600). Try to find a service record to see if the tranny has been flushed at least once. The 2.7 engine is great and has a timing chain instead of a belt.

kesmoe719 · February 2005

My concorde needs brakes and rotors.Is paying $300 dollars for all to expensive?

sheena18 · February 2005

I have 2002 Concorde lxi with about 13k miles on it. If I don't drive the car for 4 or 5 day's the battery dies. The dealership is saying that there is nothing wrong with the car that would cause the battery to die or drain. Chrysler is telling me that I have a high performance car, and that it's meant to drive ~ not sit. I have been buying Chrysler vehicles for 40 years, and have never had this problem before. Has anyone experienced this problem with the Concorde?

njerald · February 2005

That's inexpensive

disgruntled1 · February 2005

I found your post mindblowing, oldsven. I purchased a 2000 Concorde LSI with 23,500 miles in 2003. To date I am just under 46,000. Last week I took my very first car (which I affectionately named Connie)into a shop who gave me a suspected diagnosis after listening to the noise under the hood. The tech suspected the noise came from the timing compartment. I took the car home until this week as I needed time to afford the expense, but upon commuting back to the shop, Connie died on me. The diagnosis this week, after taking the front end apart, was an apparent internal leek which somehow caused antifreeze to mix with oil. I confess, I know little to nothing about cars. Anyway, my 2.5 liter motor is finished, at an expense of $4,200 for a refurbished Eagle with a 3 year warranty. With labor the bill comes to $5,333, including the towing service to get to the shop. I'm devastated, especially with 9 grand left in payments. I need to join a class action...

Sincerely,

Disgruntled1

champlin · February 2005

I JUST HAVE AN OFFER....A GUY IS OFFERING ME A CONCORDE 2001 LXI...25,500 MILES....EXTREMELY FINE LOOKING CAR...I SAW A 3.5L ENGINE AND THE EQUIPMENT IS VERY VERY GOOD....HE'S ASKING FOR 8,500 USD...ORIGINAL OWNER...WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME?

BEST REGARDS

fighter1 · March 2005

I have 97 concord LX 3.5L auto trans with 95800 miles on it. When trans shifts from second to the third gear it shakes whole vehicle and give terrible vibration and noise. Dealer suggested trans replacement. How much it going to cost me? Beside trans car has no problem at all.

fighter1 · March 2005

You have valet parking keys. They are can not open trunk and gloves compartment. Ask you dealer for normal keys. They have to find them or could make based on vehicle VIN number.

realtor2 · March 2005

Hi all:

My multifunction switch which operates the blinkers/wipers & washer broke from the steering column.

Has anyone replaced one of these? Please advise the steps.

Thanks for the help.

Realtor2
"Larry"

njerald · March 2005

I haven't replaced one but I do have a service manual that everyone should have, unless they want the dealer to do everything.

1. Disconnect negative battery cable
2. Remove the tilt lever
3. Remove the upper and lower steering column shrouds.
4. Remove the switch mounting screws and connectors.

scottyp · March 2005

Hi all, I just bought a 1999 Concorde LXI with 96K on it. Nice car, much different than the Grand Prix that it replaced(totalled).
So far only a few things to question... one of the door locks does not work when I lock or unlock all the doors, it has to be manually locked/unlocked. Do you think this just a bad switch? The same thing happens with the trunk. It will not open with the inside button or the remote. Another switch?
I am also getting a moaning, grinding sort of sound from the steering only when the car is first started and cold. It goes away after a minute or so. I hope this isn't the steering rack going out?
Other than that, I really like the car.
Thanks

tysalpha · March 2005

Hey all-

I recently inherited a 99 Concorde, and overall I'm happy with it. However, I have a problem with my windows working intermittently -- which judging from the messages here has been a common problem.

I was able to get the three passenger windows functioning by using a knife to loosen the window seals, and then cleaning the seals out and the gunk of the windows. However, the driver's window won't budge. It seems like the switch is working, as I notice a dip in power on other electrics.

Has anyone had luck with other techniques? I'd rather not pay a dealer to replace the motor if I can get it working enough to clean the track out (which worked on the other windows).

Thanks!

brownmouse · March 2005

At 92,000 miles my 2000 Concorde LX developed uneven tire wear. Rick Hendrick, Charleston, SC dealership service then made the problem worse by damaging the steering rack while replacing all the bushings for over $1200. I paid another $900 to get the steering rack fixed someplace else. At 132,000 miles, I heard a tapping noise.
According the an independent mechanic I took it to this time, the noise was a bottom bearing in the engine. He says the 2.7 liter engines are defective and Chyrsler should have recalled them.
If you plan on trading in your Concorde b4 the mileage gets high, no problem; but if you commute to work like me - don't buy one. I now drive a 2004 Honda Accord and will never go back to Chrysler.

xpresser · March 2005

Hello all!

I just want to say thanks for all who have submitted questions and/or answers in this forum. I have learned a lot from reading these posts and it's greatly appreciated.

Yesterday I purchased a '99 Concorde LXi w/ 90k miles. I was going to buy a new car but my credit isn't the greatest right now so the interest rate on the load that I was approved for was too high for me to be comfortable so I moved to plan B.

Plan B is: A) buy a used car with cash.

build up my credit rating. C) in about 1 or 2 yrs, depending on how well/fast my rating rises, sell or trade in the used for a new car via a low interest rate loan.

Good plan? I hope so! So before I bought the Concorde yesterday I was already aware of some of the problems that this model has. But since I only plan on having it for a year or two I hope to escape with little trouble.

The car has had one owner. Everything OK on Carfax. The previous owner lived in a small, somewhat isolated town..not sure what that means if anything. The car seems to have never been smoked in which is a big plus for me. I have noticed the rubber trim around the headlights separating, not too big of a concern for me as long as it doesn't get worse. Road noise is acceptable, ride is great, comfort is fantastic. Super, super clean car. Previous owner really took care of it.

I bought it from a small dealer. He had it listed for $6,299 a several days ago when he first got it then dropped it to $5,999 this last Friday. I showed up Saturday morning and took the car home for $5,000. I checked other Concordes in this area and I believe I bought it at a reasonable price.

I expect things to come up that need attention, I just hope it won't be too hard on my pocket book. I am hoping that many of the common things that happen on these cars has already happened while the previous owner had possession and have been dealt with. I am prepared for things to happen since it's reaching 100k miles but after all...this is Plan B!

Anything I should have done to the car at this point in it's life?

Thanks again!

oldsven · March 2005

Sounds like you got an excellent price. You should probably have the transmission flushed unless a service record shows it been done recently. Every 40-50k is cheap preventative maintenance (~$100). I think that car has a rubber timing belt which is due for replacement if it hasn't been. At 100k there are several routine items, plugs, radiator flush that would be a good idea.

xpresser · March 2005

Thank you for the advice. I will get the radiator and tranny flushed and have them check the timing belt and plugs.

Thanks again!

h31 · March 2005

Headlights were left on the other day (wife) and drained the battery. After charging, the ATC fails to function. Temp readout is 2 dashes, turn off and it turns itself back on, blows on high (hot) at all times and the AC icons bounces on and off. Get in today and the draw fan for the temp sensor was running with the car off and keys out (car had been sitting for at least 6 hours). Anyone have an idea? Thanks.

njerald · March 2005

You will need to look at the trouble codes with a DRBIII scan tool.

There are 16 codes for ATC faults.

If the temperature reasdout was working, you could put the ATC in dianostic mode w/o a scan tool and read the faults on the temp display.

There are four conditions when the draw fan for the in-car sensor will run: one is when the vehicle door is opened and closed w/o turning on the ignition switch - the fan will run for about 2 minutes after the car door is shut.

That is the best I can tell you!!!!!!!!!!!

tlcm1 · April 2005

I loved my '94 Concorde so much, never had a problem with it till this year when the air bag light decided to stay on (off and on) which switched the power steering to manual and the gas gauge stopped at a quarter of a tank. But, other than those two probs the '94, for me, was a very good car.

I did some research and found that the 2001 were the best over-all of the 2000's, so I bought a fully loaded customized 2001 LXi two weeks ago for $13,500. I feel spoiled driving this car, it's so beautiful from its looks to the performance. I still need the Owner's Manual and the only thing I noticed a difference is the size of the gas tank, which I have to fill more often than I did with the '94.

TLCM

xpresser · April 2005

Easy to find a 2001 Owners Manual...I did a search on ebay and found 4 of them...cheap too!

Good Hunting

nwslug · April 2005

1997 Concorde - with Automatic Temperature Control System. Last summer we drove cross country in the summer. The third day out we were driving across Wyoming and after about 3 hours of driving I things started getting hot and there was no air coming out of any vent. I could hear the fan running. The next morning it worked OK for another 3 hours. I have determined that after that time period, all of the dampers close down -
while the fan continues to run. Reaching half way, I was able to get the button sequence on the ATS to get error code read outs. Whether it was working or had quit working, I NEVER got any error codes. My son - a mechanic - says that he can't fix it if he doesn't get a code or I can't get it in when it isn't working. We are now approaching another cross-country vacation and would sure like to have it working again. Is there any history you have on this failure? Will we have to replace the control head? Next week I'll be driving it long enough for it to fail - Maybe - can anyone tell me which buttons to push to read out the error code - I lost the information. We have about two weeks to get this fixed. What do you recommend?

nwslug · April 2005

Last summer I replaced the battery on my 97 Concorde as a precaution before a 5000 mile XC drive. When I got back, the battery went dead. I spent several cycles trying to recharge it. Finally replaced the 7 yr guarantee battery under warranty. This brand new battery also started going dead. After many cycles, I finally replaced it again under warranty. This new one has been in for 2 weeks now and seems OK. I think one of the problems is that today's maintenance free batteries just won't stand a slow discharge for very long. They ARE made different than the old ones - and from research, if you have a maintenance free battery that goes dead and it sits totally discharged for about 2 days, it gets into an irreversable state of sulfating.

jester1 · April 2005

1: Sup, my name is Jonathan and I own a 2002 LXi, I put 20" rims on it and im looking to lower it atleast 3" in the front and 2" in the back because i dont like how high the car sits with the rims on, I've searched every where with no luck, do you guys have any advice before I give up on the situation???

2: Do you guy think that a suspension from an Intrepid would fit my Lxi ???.....just thought I'd ask.

jester1 · April 2005

Sup, If I install a cold air intake for my '02 Concorde LXi, will it improve my gas mileage?

chryslerdb · April 2005

Hi all! I am considering purchasing a year 2000 Concorde LXi. It has 101k miles on it and I was just wondering how many miles you can expect to get out of these cars?

Thanks!

chia · April 2005

I just bought a 1997 concord today..no manual..the little red sensor stays on when doors are unlocked. Ever hear of this?

njerald · April 2005

Buy an owners manual on EBAY. Service manuals wouldn't hurt either.

iamgrampa · May 2005

Bought this great car new, now at about 60000 miles. Yesterday filled up prior to heading out of city. As we left service station the low fuel gong sounded and the gas guage momentarily went to zero and then to full again. It did this for the whole trip of 200 miles at random intervals. I checked the fuel tank cap to make sure it was tight. The car did it again this morning about 4 times in 6 blocks. I called the dealer and the service manager said, "I have no idea, bring it in for a check". The question is Has anyone else out there experienced this? My wife is uncomfortable driving the car like this, especially out of the city. Any info would be appreciated.

njerald · May 2005

Dealer will have to hook up his "DRBIII" diagnostic tool and check for "DTC's, Diagnostic Trouble Codes). Then a self test of all gages.

Could be a Fuel level sender or the whole non-servicable Instrument Cluster may have to be replaced.

coupedncal · May 2005

I am considering purchasing either a Concord or an Intrepid. I have heard quite a bit of problems with the 2.7 liter engine. Are there similar issues with the 3.2 in the LXI Concord or higher Intrepid model ? Are there other issues i should watch out for ? I will be going from a Japanese import to a Chrysler product. Can I remotely get the same reliability ? What is the most these engines go ?

driver60 · May 2005

Best advice is to stay away from the 2.7. Sludge problems. The 3.2 doesn't seem to have that problem. I bought a 98 LXI new and on a 3500 mile trip from Minnesota through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota averaged 27.7 mpg. Drove speed limit which is 75 plus a bit in the west. Also prowled off Interstate much and took mountain two lane roads. I was very satisfied with the mileage. Two weak points. Warped the front rotors a bit going down the west side of Loveland Pass. Check the positive battery connection every year. Flimsy cable clamp that corrodes and falls apart. I cut the end off and reconnected the old style lead clamp. I take the air cleaner box off to get at the battery.

jd2005 · May 2005

I have a 1998 Concorde LXI with 95K miles, exhibiting the following two behaviors:

1) Sometimes the headlights will flicker on and off. This is most noticeable when coming to a stop and sitting for a few moments, like at a stop light. I can't tell if the flickering is happening while the vehicle is in motion, or just while idling at a stop.

2) I will occasionally notice the sound of a fan running when the ignition is off. It sounds like a heating/defroster fan, coming from the vicinity of the dashboard.

Any ides? Thanks in advance!

-JD

robw64 · May 2005

The rear drivers side door lock on my 2001 LXi has stopped working (whether using the remote or using the lock button inside the vehicle). When the drivers door locked stopped working last year while still under warranty, the service advisor mentioned that this was a very easy fix ... they'll just pop the door panel off, plug in a new power lock actuator, and pop on the panel again. Would this be a procedure an owner could do? I'd like to order the part and do it myself if it's possible. Thoughts? Thanks all!

dixieista · May 2005

My husband and I just purchased a '01 Concorde LXI and we love it! But the v belt broke today and the serpentine belt needs replacing as well, but my husband is unsure of where the tensioner is for the serpetine belt. ANY help would be so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Libby in GA

njerald · May 2005

Buy the service manuals from Chrysler or on EBAY if you want to do your own work or troubleshooting!!!

Otherwise take it to someone who has the manual or experience.

samuel1 · May 2005

I have a 99 Chrysler concorde. It has 65,000 miles. For the second time in 6 months I'm having Transmission problems. Has anyone else had this problem?

rschelle · May 2005

I own a 1996 concord v6 fuel injected w/65000 miles. Replaced fuel pump last week

car will not start(turns over) and when it sits for a couple hours will start. No codes
come up to indicate problems. Has also died while driving and may or may not start.Anyone have any thoughts on this. Work done at local ser station that has diag. equip. but feel like they are guessing. Help!!!

carguy8532 · May 2005

Hi, I just purchased a 99 LXi with 81000 miles. I took it home for an overnite test drive and everything was fine except for an alignment problem. Now the car has a clunk in the front end and when turning the wheel left it feels like the tire is going to fall off. Also when going 25 Mph the car shimmies badly from the suspension. Did anyone else have this problem? I cant find any answers to this anywhere and people keep telling me it's just the struts, but I think there's more to it.

Chrysler Concorde

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