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Chrysler Concorde

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Comments

  • 88218821 Member Posts: 2
    bought a 2000 LX in May & 1st time I checked oil was bone dry! Filled er' up & consistently takes 1 full qt. per around 1000 miles!!
    Took it in for service & they tried to tell me this was w/in their "guidelines"! At 9200 miles they have now replaced valve seals & gaskets. Anybody else get a oil guzzling Concorde? I filed for arbitration & want new vehicle.Certainly not what I expected for $25 g's.
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    That´s life sometimes you have luck,sometimes you don´t.
    I can understand your position,and most of your bad experience comes from the bad service you had from your dealer,and also there you have to be lucky to have a good experience; just remember all cars are serviced by humans,and sometimes we don´t do our job good enough.
    I also avoid situations,so I try to keep of my car from the service dept. but I take it for normal maintenance and I try to avoid looking for trouble.(I´m not saying you are looking for them),but sometimes we are more aphrensive,and we look more closely into things;I never mind you,I just think you should get another car,because no matter what you´ll never be happy with your 300M.
    Just my 2 cents.
  • tksatksatksatksa Member Posts: 30
    I watched the video that came with my LHS and in it they mentioned that some oil 'consumption' was normal during the break-in period. But to still be burning that much oil at 9600 really does seem excessive.

    What burns me is when service depts try to alabi their way out with 'no trouble found', 'that's normal' or 'they all do that'. Do you think that they would accept those conditions for their own cars?

    Good luck; I hope it worksout well for you.
  • lgc21lgc21 Member Posts: 1
    Have had my 2001 Concorde LXi 2 weeks now, traded in a 95 Aurora that had all the bells (Bose, heated seats, moonroof, chrome whls, autobahn pkg.) and really thought I would be stepping down. Fact is, the more I drive this car, the more I like it. Only have 800 miles, but not a single thing to take back to the dealer and no oil consumption yet. A little disapointed by gas mileage, as it is identicle to V8 Aurora, but to be honest not THAT much difference in power (though I do miss the sound of the 32v howling V8). Not a squeak or rattle, some road noise, but not as loud as the Aurora's wind noise, actually like the handling of the Concorde BETTER! Infinity stereo excellent, almost as good as the Bose, like the dash changer as opposed to the trunk mounted one I had. And the TRUNK!Q! Yikes, if the back seat folded down it could be a camper! Leather seats very comfortable (wish they were heated for those cold mornings w/bad back). My son's first comment while riding in back was that he felt like he was in a limo he was so far back there. Dash, controls, ergonomics and styling all A+++ I hope the reliability is better than the Aurora, which I liken to an American Jaguar, very costly to maintain and had really lost my confidence. Has anybody out there tried undercoating their Concorde to cut down some of the road noise?
  • speedracerspeedracer Member Posts: 8
    What's all this crap about road noise. Don't any of you people test drive a car before buying it. I find the Concorde to be a very quiet car. Better than some "German" cars. I personally drive a Toyo Solara, which is very quiet and the Chrysler is a little bit more "noisier", but far from being a distraction. A major cause of road noise are your tires and the road surface. If road noise really bothers you, just crank up the infinity stereo. It's a cure-all for all noises.

    Just drive and enjoy your Concordes!!
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    Most of the road noise comes from high air pressure on the tires; so try to set them at 28psi. And you will see how quite the car becomes.
    If you could see a car that was just delivered to the dealer,and NO ONE has touch it,you will see a green or red label at the wheels or tires,if you remove those labels you will read there,that you(the dealer( most set air pressure,because ALL tires are set at the assembly plant with high pressure,and the dealer MUST lower them.

    But there is NO dealer from any make,that takes care of that,in many cases you may even see those labels at the showroom,if you can buy a GOOD air pressure gauge,and check your tires and even go to your dealer and test for yourself any vehicle ready at the showroom,or ready for delivery,or even have a quick check to any demo,you will see that those tires were not set.

    So take my advice,go and set for yourself your car tires before driving it in the morning,set them at 28 psi. and you will have less noise and better grip in wet conditions.

    Congratulations,and enjoy your beautiful car!
  • 401k401k Member Posts: 16
    From personal experience, if one were to fill the Goodyear tires on their Concorde at 28psi they can be pretty much assured of having to replace the tires because of excessive outer-edge wear long before the tires have given 25,000 miles of service.

    I had to replace the Goodyear tires on our 1998 Concorde LXi at 22,500 because of excessive wear even though I had (foolishly) kept the pressure in the 30-32psi range for the first year. Once I noticed the excessive wear, and upped the pressure to 35psi, it was too late. Our Michelin X-Ones now get regular checks and are kept at 35psi. I expect to get 60,000 mile on this set. (The Michelins are slightly quieter, and provide even better handling than the Goodyears ever did.)

    Prematurely bald tires will NOT give you better traction in wet conditions!
  • copperhead1copperhead1 Member Posts: 157
    You are wrong!,your tires wore out because of a BAD "ALIGNMENT" and balancing,tires will NEVER be replaced prematurely because of 28.psi NEVER!
    Of course it will depend on your driving,and let me tell you again that with 28psi you will have more grip on wet surfaces than with 35psi.
    I´m not in the mood to explain you why,but if you can get in touch with ANY guy who knows about TRACTION, or ask any real race driver,and for sure they will tell you that you will have to increase the tire pressure in DRY conditions if you want more grip,but in wet you have to lower it to have grip.
    And with 28 psi you are OK to drive your car at highway speeds and safe also in the city and the most important issue is you will be safer in wet conditions.
    But anyway,you can think whatever,be happy drive your car at 35psi,then feel all the road,have more road noise,AND god bless you in the rain!

    PS. You better align,rotate,and balance your tires every 6000 miles,and you will see(if the job is well done),how much will your tires last.
    Find a specialty shop for that job,make the alignment on the 4 wheels,and set air pressure at 28 psi,and enjoy your driving,you will drive quiter,and safer in wet!
  • 401k401k Member Posts: 16
    Whatever you say.

    This board is such a pleasure.

    ;-)

    Happy Motoring.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Reading about everyone's experience with the GAs on our cars, I expected mine to be replaced by now, but at 24,500 miles 2 are still very well treaded and 2 are much better than that. What are we doing wrong? Are we driving too gently? rotating too often? Too much air pressure?
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    My 99 Concorde LXI now has about 40,000 miles on it and I still have the original Goodyear tires and the tread is still really good.
    I had thought about changing the tires back when my car had about 20,000 miles with the hope of reducing the outside road noise in the car until I had taken a ride in my neighbors Concorde which had Michelin tires on it and the Michelins made a little difference but the car still picked up a lot of road noise.
    From the looks of the remaining tread I have I would think I should easily get over 50,000 miles on my Tires which falls in line with my previous new cars.
    Regardless if you are driving on Goodyear, Michelin
    or whatever brand I wish all of you a happy and safe driving experience with your Concordes.
  • jbradsjjbradsj Member Posts: 1
    I have a problem with the transmission. It has to take about 20 seconds for it to shift into gear when cold and sometimes it will wind out without shifting and I have to stop the car and turn it off and restart it for it to go away. I had a leak in the trunk, a foot of water which rusted my jack. I bought it back to the dealer and of course they disavoid any knowledge of a recall even seen on the internet. The gas station that I had 4 snow tires put on the car for put the tires to 35 psi and when the window is down slightly you can hear the tires and it sounds like a truck. I think I believe you about a lower pressure of 28 psi and will reduce the pressure. The wipers on the car cost about $60 a pair and if you replace these wipers you can not get the water spray hangers to fit without taping them to the wiper. What do I think about the car, I have had it for about 3 years and I would get rid of it but with 90000 miles I would get nothing and by the way I spoke to a salesman for Chrysler when he was away from the dealership concerning the transmission and he said it is a common problem with the car and would cost $800 to fix it. He stated the problem goes away when the car warms up when the hydraulics work through the transmission. Would I buy another Chrysler? NO.
  • repjrepj Member Posts: 14
    A buddy of mine has a 97 Concorde LXI. The engine just seized up on him w/o any warning from the temperature gauge of the oil gauge. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is there anyway to get Chrysler to replace the engine? Seems to me that it is the fault of Chrysler since this happened w/o warning. Thanks!
  • dcox87dcox87 Member Posts: 3
    I have a line on a 2000 Concorde LXI w/23K miles and the dealer is asking $17,600. Holidays and the big "R" word has them ready to sell. I currently have a 98 leased Jeep that I am turning in. Based on my experience with the Jeep, I am a little gun shy with Chrysler. Does anyone think Concorde is a good car for the long haul?? 100K miles or more??
  • fritofrito Member Posts: 70
    My only concern with the used `Corde would be if it had been serviced regularly for the first 23K miles. If the dealer can produce regular oil change records for every 3K miles etc. then I would probably get the car. My `99 `Corde LXi with almost 19K miles has been perfect. I think these 2nd generation Concorde/Intrepids will eventually prove to be one of the more reliable sedans produced in the last several years.
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    In response to your post you may want to consider an extended warranty if you plan on keeping your Concorde for 100,000 miles.
    The cost of a warranty is really not as much as it may appear to be because realistically the odds of driving any front wheel computerized fuel injected car with many power options for 100,000 miles without having some costly repairs are slim to none and with that in mind even if you are very lucky and only have a few repairs when you deduct the cost of those repairs from the cost of the warranty the warranty cost will not be be all that much....but on the other hand if your car needs lots of repairs the savings by having the warranty can be very much.
    If you read a few of the posts just above yours you will see that 1 owner needs a transmission and the other an engine.
    I have a 99 Concorde LXI with 42,000 miles which has been a good car mechanically but at 38,000 miles I developed a bad oil leak that turned out to be a minor repair but did require a 4 day car rental that was paid for by my extended warranty.
    Another nice feature of the extended warranty is there is no reason to pay for the costly preventive maintenance that the dealers try and push on you saying they should be done if you want to keep you vehicle in good condition...some of the preventive maintenance suggested are...Tranny service,fuel injection service,timing belt,CV repacks and boots,ect..theses services can amout to more then the cost of the warranty itself and are not required to keep the warranty in effect.
    Just a suggestion....and I wish you the best of luck with whichever car you end up choosing
  • heydave_heydave_ Member Posts: 10
    My dealer hit me with a "no problem found" on my center armrest on my 2000 Concorde with the bench seat option. The problem is that the flip down armrest, which (to the best of my recollection)used to sit horizontally with the front edge about 2 inches up off the seat now points downward and the front of the armrest rests on the seat cushion. I know this thing used to sit horizontal, at least I think I know - it's my wifes car and I don't drive it much. Can anyone confirm this for me?

    Also, I'm getting all four sets of brake pads replaced under warranty for a loud "groan" just as the car comes to a stop. Is this common?

    Also, the rear door lock plunger fell down into the door,disappeared from sight, geez, what's next here, only 9,000 miles on it. Love the looks and performance though, and the trip computer is cool. Rear legroom astounding. Gets good mileage. Nice car, just hope it doesn't turn into car from hell with a bunch of weird problems.

    Thanks for listening.
  • cool_robgcool_robg Member Posts: 10
    I leased a 2000 that came with the bench seat. And yes, the armrest will point downward on the seat if you relax your right arm on it. The armrest is attached to the driver's seat and moves along with it. So, if you adjust the seat up or down, the armrest will lower or rise with the seat. The 2 inches of room you saw may have been the result of the driver's seat being lower than the passenger seat. In effect, the armrest was resting on the passenger seat but from the driver's side it appeared to be raised in the air a couple of inches.
    It is annoying but you'll just have to get used to it. I did. 15 months/15k later, I have enjoyed the car for the most part. From speaking with other Chrysler drivers the cars do seem to be plagued by various "weird" problems. For example, I have a driver's side window that from time to time will not open. There's no discernible pattern to it. It happens so infrequently that I really don't bother with it and I have serious doubts that the dealer will be able to solve the problem so I prefer to avoid the hassle until the problem becomes burdensome. All in all, the problems have been minor and have not sufficiently diminished my satisfaction with the car.

    Enjoy!
  • kodamarkodamar Member Posts: 6
    Looked at buying a Concorde/Intrepid/LHS, etc. back in the spring of '00. Didn't get around to deciding, so I didn't buy anything. Then, in October I was driving my "beater" '83 Pontiac J-2000 in heavy traffic and was rear ended by a Concorde. (About 25 mph, I was stopped) The Concorde's bag did not deploy, but the shallow nose "lifted" my car when it hit, scrunching the hood, blowing out the radiator and shredding the nose piece. The back of my J-2000 looked like it hadn't been hit except for the slightly bent license plate. I have seen two in body shops in similar condition since this. Are collision insurance rates higher on these cars because of this?
  • tim8532tim8532 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 98 concorde with 35000 miles. it has a strange knocking coming from somewhere in the front of the car. has anyone else experienced this? i've taken it in 4 times at 2 different dealers, and they replaced the sway bar links. it hasn't helped. recently they diagnosed the problem saying all of them sound the same way, but i know thats a lie. has anyone else experience this? please tell me what to do.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,671
    just read your story, after you pointed directed me here. There must be something about GM's J-cars from that era. I rear-ended a 1982-3 Cavalier with my 1980 Malibu. I nose-dived under it, and its bumper caught me right in the grille. The whole header panel was smashed, and the fender was pushed just far enough back into the door that it would creak whenever I opened it. Also had to slam the door after pulling the hood release to get the hood to open! In contrast, the Cavalier's rear bumper pushed in, but popped back out crooked, the plastic end-pieces on either side of the bumper were bent, and one of the taillights got busted.

    Anyway, back in 1996, I saw a first-generation Intrepid that had rear-ended a 1989-91 or so Grand Marquis. The Merc buckled at the rear axle, causing the whole rear-end to drop down. The Intrepid only had a dent on the hood between the headlights.

    In fact, a few moments later, I saw that same Intrepid driving behind me! Looking for its next target, perhaps? ;-) Thankfully my next turn was coming up, so I didn't have to see it behind me for long!

    I don't know if insurance rates are higher on the Concorde as a result of their tendency to go under vehicles. I think most newer, low-slung cars will do that, anyway. I hit a '92-98 or so Grand Am with my Intrepid, and it didn't really do anything to either car. Bent my license plate, creased the bumper-grille a bit, and took a small chunk out of his rear bumper. My Intrepid would easily go under the bumper of, say, my 1968 Dart, for example. In fact, the Dart's bumpers look like they're angled to encourage that!

    -Andre
  • cabelmancabelman Member Posts: 1
    We just bought a new 2001 LXI. Does anyone know if there is a valet key or a way to disable the trunk lock ? The dealer says no. Hope someone can help. Thanks
  • pachristinpachristin Member Posts: 1
    I own a 1994 Chrysler Concorde. In August 1999 I started to have problems with the transmission at 68000 miles. The transmission was down shifting to fast causing the car to feel as if it was hit from behind. The dealer rebuilt the transmission for a low cost of $1930. I had an after-market warranty which covered most of the bill. Last week the transmission started to go again. This time it would not engage in gear when shifting into drive, or stay in a low gear and even shift into neutral on its own on the freeway, I would have to stop on the side of the road and shut the car off and restart it. I have 76,900 miles on the car and it is in the dealer again. This time they say my high pressure lines (rubber hoses) are leaking and they need to be replaced for $300 before they can even figure out what the problem is with the transmission which they rebuilt. I am frustrated with this vehicle because I keep up the maintenance and it still continually breaks down. When I had 29,000 miles on it, the master cylinder went out and had to be replaced. I will definitely never by a Chrysler product again!
  • glinda49glinda49 Member Posts: 15
    Both L.'s from the word Chrysler have disappeared from my Concorde. I have a 96 LXi with gold letters. Dealer wants a small fortune to replace letters. Does anyone know where I may get them cheaper?? Thank you.
  • phatfotophatfoto Member Posts: 3
    Back a few months ago, my '94 3.5L 'Corde developed a miss. I checked the plug wires for continuity and resistance, changed the plugs, and checked the coil pack. All good. OK. As it got worse, I finally took it to the dealer. I took it to a 5 star shop even (but it was the only Chrysler dealer within 100 miles...). Well, it took them over a month to return the car to me, and they replaced all three catalytic converters. But it still didn't run right... Problem was... THE PLUG WIRES were arcing IN THE VALVE COVERS!!!! I paid for the cats, but the shop picked up the rest (labor, tune up, fluids, rental car and sublet exhaust work...). Believe me, I'm waiting for the Customer Service Card from Daimler Chrysler...

    Also, the ATC head unit crapped out since I got the car back. I'll replace that myself.

    It might seem like I'm dishing on my car (in need of new paint and waiting for the district rep to call back...), but I love it. Well, I hate the 110 MPH speed limiter, and there is a lot of wind noise around the power moon roof... But it always fun to throw this car into a corner and accelerate out HARD!!! Turn off the Traction Control and leave a smoke trail off BOTH tires... Embarrass the fart piped imports... And shorten any trip involving two lane highways...
  • bluesman56bluesman56 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1994 Chrysler Concorde with 149,000 miles on it and have experienced some of the typical problems. At 49,000 miles I lost my air conditioner and was told it would cost $450 to repair. For the past 100,000 miles, "open windows" substituted for "air conditioning". Living in the northeast, I did not consider "loss of AC" a serious problem.
    If I was given a quarter for each wiper blade I've had to replace, I would have enough money to fill my gas tank... at todays gas prices! With the "Cab Forward" design, you have to purchase wiper blades that are so long you could break one in half to replace two on a Toyota Corolla.
    My new brakes were making a funny squeeling noises when coming to a stop. A Chrysler mechanic told me this was normal and should not be a problem. I guess that means all other car owners should have their brakes checked if they are quiet?! I dropped in on relatives one day and saw my brother carrying his trash cans from the driveway to the curb. He thought he heard the Garbage Truck pulling up. It was Sunday. The trash collectors do not work on Sunday. I think you know where I am going with this... I'm very happy to say my brakes are no longer attracting the neighborhood dogs... No more squeeling noise... I guess it's time to have them checked? My brake woes are not completely gone. I am now hearing a different noise coming from them. A "sha-sha-sha-sha-sha-sha" noise. I took it to a different Chrysler mechanic who told me... You guessed it... It is normal, there is nothing wrong with your brakes. So I asked, "There is nothing wrong with my brakes? Is there something wrong with your hearing?" It came as no surprise when he replied, "Huh?? You'll have to speak up, I've been using the air wrench all afternoon and can't hear a darn thing." I'm not worried about it. Except when I have to make an occasional abrupt stop and my "Anti-locking" brakes lock up and my dentures become my new hood ornament... Can you believe that? I don't even wear dentures!!
    I may have added some humor but I have experienced all those problems. The biggest reason why I am in the Town Hall is because I am having a problem with what I think may be related to my transmission. At low speeds (5 -25 MPH) I hear a continuous "chug...chug...chug" noise and can also feel the vibration caused by it. The transmission fluid is full. I did not think it was the U-joints because as I increase speed, the noise smooths out and is not as loud and I feel less vibration or none at all. Could I be losing a wheel bearing? My wheels don't feel sloppy when making turns? With 149,000 miles on the motor, it's probably time to get rid of it... Only one problem, I still have a years worth of payments to make on it so I need to keep it running a little bit longer. All-in-all, I can't complain. I have not put a lot of money into this vehicle. Any advice you have to offer, would be much appreciated! Thank you.
  • darpin1darpin1 Member Posts: 49
    http//: www.Allpar.com

    The Tech Forum in the index is where you can connect with people who might be able to help.

    This is a site for people who own and like Chryslers they are not affiliated with Dailmer Chrysler.

    All the best!
  • jimmyandjamiejimmyandjamie Member Posts: 3
    I had a '95 Chrysler Concorde and had nothing but problems with it. While that particular year is known to have some problems, I didn't plan on having to remake the entire car. Everything from brake problems, air conditioning problems,never starting in cold weather, to the transmission going out on it when it was only 5 years old and had about 75-80,000 miles on it (average mileage should be about 100-150,000 mi. for the transmission). The car was regularly taken care of, however, constantly let me down. My advice, don't buy one unless you've got the bank and patience to back that thing up. I have since traded mine for a much better and dependable car, and am so happy to have that anchor around my neck gone! Chrysler needs to rethink the whole reliability and quality issues, they must feel they are underrated.
  • mikezakmikezak Member Posts: 95
    I came to this site, as my local Chylser dealer gave me a Concode LX as a loaner -- while my transmission was being rebuilt!

    I have similar transmission problems that some of you have stated. My vehicle is a 94 Plymouth Voyager Van, but probably has the same transmission.

    Symptoms were it would not shift from 2nd to 3rd when 'cold'. Clutch plates in the transmission were 'burnt'. Transmission is currently being rebuilt. Fortuntately I am covered by the Chysler Ext Warrenty for 100K (Van currently has 89K).

    I was thinking about looking into purchasing a Concord,...but after looking at some of these posts I may reconsider.
  • elyons1elyons1 Member Posts: 7
    I've had my Concorde for 6 months and 7,000 miles and have mixed emotions about it. I love the ride, looks, and gas mileage (for the size vehicle). But, the car has alot of rattles and squeaks for the price. I had the car in the garage for a terrible rubbing sound in the front end and a engine that races between 500 and 1000 rpm while at stop lights. The garage couldn't find anything wrong, but the noise in the front end has stopped. Has anyone else had similar problems?
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,671
    elyons1:
    When the engine revs at stoplights, are you sure that's not just the cooling fan cycling on? My 2000 Intrepid does that sometimes when it's sitting. The idle speeds up for a few seconds, then slows back down.

    -Andre
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    Just wondering if any posters have a 98 or newer model Concorde with over 50,000 miles and if so how their car has been holding up.
    I have a 99 Concorde LXI with a little over 44,000 miles and have had it serviced by the selling dealer since day one.
    My bumper to bumper warranty ran out at 36,000 miles and in the next 8,000 miles I required 2 repairs which totaled a little over $1,000 dollars
    (thank god for the extended warranty as my cost for the repairs was..0..)
    I'm sure if I had to pay for the repairs I would have a much different feeling about my car but not having to be concerned about repair costs on my Concorde and the fact that I still love the styling of both the interior and exterior I have to say that I still enjoy driving the Concorde after owning it for almost 45,000 miles.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,671
    Not quite a Concorde, but I do have a 2000 Intrepid that's pushing 41,000 miles. I'll probably hit 50K in 3-4 months. Basically, all I've needed was a tranny service and new tires at 30K, a new power lock actuator in the driver's door at 35K (under warranty), and new front brake pads at 39K. Alot of that mileage was put on by delivering pizzas, which probably explains why the cheap, 300-treadwear tires wore out so quickly, and by flicking that power lock button 40-50 times a night, something's going to wear out eventually!

    Otherwise, the car's been fine. As for maintenance, I change my own oil about every 3K miles, and rotate the tires every 3rd oil change.

    What kind of repairs did you have to get done after the factory warranty expired? I have a 5yr/100K mile extended warranty, but my deductible is $200.00.

    Best of luck with your car,
    -Andre
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    I thought I put a lot of miles on my car but sounds like you sure will pass my mileage in no time at all.
    The repairs I needed on My Concorde after my factory warranty were 2 seperate repairs.....the first happened at about 38,000 miles when my car developed a bad oil leak but it turned out to be a minor repair...I think they just had to tighten my coolant lines but it required me renting a car a car for 4 days until the dealer was able to make the repair.
    My second repair happened just the other day when my car had a little over 44,000 miles and devoleped a loud noise when the cooling fan came on and had to have my fans replaced which is a major job as I was told they had to remove the nose cone to replace it....the dealer listed the part on my invoice as a...fan radiator....the cost on that repair had I not had the extended warranty would have been about $800.00 dollars plus a one day car rental.
    I have the Maxi Care 0 deductible warranty so Chrysler covered the entire cost of both repairs plus the total five day car rental.
    Other then those repairs my Concorde has been a pretty good car and the way I look at it is costly repairs are not exclusive to only Chrysler and i'm sure GM owners and Ford owners have similar repairs needed on their cars as well.
    I wish you the best of luck with your Intrepid and hope you have many safe and carefree driving miles in the future.
  • elyons1elyons1 Member Posts: 7
    Andrea,
    I also thought of the cooling fan as a possible culprit. But the engine actually goes from 500 to 1000 rpm in a matter of a second. And if you don't have your foot on the brake solidly the car actually wants to take off. I have never had a car do this. I feel it's actually dangerous. Once it happened when I was moving my foot from the brake to the gas. I'm just glad I didn't hit the guy in front of me. Thanks for the thought.
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    My 99 Concorde also surges at times at a stop as you stated in your post.
    I was uncomfortable with this and had asked the dealer about it almost immediately after purchasing my car and was told that it was normal for the car to surge and that I should brake harder when at a stand still with the car in gear.
    I have to say that I also found the surging to be a little dangerous but it's something that I have learned to live with.
    By the sound of the rpm surge on your car it sounds much more drastic then my situation and if that was happening in my car I would ask the dealer to take you for a ride in another Concorde so you can see for yourself if in fact it is normal for the Concorde to surge from 500-1000 rpms at a stand still.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,671
    elyons1,
    If your car is actually trying to lunge ahead when the engine starts revving then yes, I'd say something is definitely out of whack! I use my Intrepid to deliver pizzas part time, and that was when I first noticed the engine surging. It would usually be when I would be standing at a customer's front door, waiting for them to take their sweet time to open the door. I work in a pretty good neighborhood, so I'd usually leave the engine running to save on starters. Well, first, I'd hear a clicking noise, then the engine would start revving, for maybe 30 seconds, then it would slow down again. Also, at night, sometimes at a traffic light, my headlights would momentarily dim. I finally made the connection that this was when the cooling fan would cycle on...it's just that I'd usually have the stereo cranked up loud enough that I didn't hear the increased revving!

    On a somewhat related note, I used to experience a problem when I would first start the car, and shift into reverse...it wouldn't engage, and I'd have to shift through the gears until it finally caught. Considering all the bad press about Chrysler trannies nowadays, I figured mine was starting to have some problems. The dealer could find nothing wrong with it, though. I discovered the "problem" myself one day. Ever notice how when you first start the car, it surges to about 1000 RPM or so, then after a few seconds, settles down to 500-600? Well, I discovered that if I shifted into reverse after it settled down, it was fine. But sometimes, when I was in a hurry (delivering pizzas, for example), I would hit reverse immediately, and that's when it would often not engage...it would just go into neutral. I guess maybe it's designed not to shift into gear when the engine does that initial surge.

    I've never noticed my car trying to lunge ahead at a traffic light, but I have discovered that if I don't keep my foot pretty firmly on the brake pedal, it will creep forward very gently.

    -Andre
  • frank58frank58 Member Posts: 54
    I have had my Concorde for a tear now, and I am very happy. The only warranty item has been new windshield wipers. My dealer in Braintreee Ma, South Shore Chrysler is the best.
    My wife loves this car, she is not a car person like myself. This maybe the best car for the 1st year that I have ever owned. And I have owned a lot of new cars
  • elyons1elyons1 Member Posts: 7
    I too was told that it was normal when I bought the my 2000 Concorde LXI. I told the service manager that Chrysler must do things differently than Ford or Buick. I have owned both makes and never had this problem. Mim919's post mentioned the garage saying to stand on the brake, and that is exactly what I told my garage I have to do. The problem is that it doesn't do it all of the time (and certainly not when the mechanic is driving it, that would be to easy).

    Has any one had trouble with their Infinity speakers rattling. This too is an ocassional happening which drives me nuts.

    We're expecting a new edition to our family this year. So, we're contemplating trading our Concorde in on a more economical vehicle to allow for an addition to our home, until I saw the Blue Book value. Ouch , in 5 months a $29,000 car is worth $18,500. My 3 year old Explorer I traded in was worth more. I really hope buying a Chrysler was a sound decision, because I can't afford to change now as I have lost all my equity. Perhaps any car in this price range would have lost similar equity. Thanks for your posts everyone.
  • hhjrhhjr Member Posts: 5
    Hey, people. First time on the site. I will purchase a '97 Concorde LX in April. Hope I haven't made a poor decision. Looks like I can expect mechanical problems to occur. It has over 100,000 miles on it. The price was good ($5900), so I thought it would be a sound investment. I did receive a 3 month/unlimited mileage warranty on it which covers the engine, transmission, electical parts(alternator, starter, radio), etc. Looks like I will put it to good use. It has a $50 deductible.

    Seems as though I should re-up the warranty when it expires in July. It will cost me another $150 for an additional 3 months. Let me know if I should continue with the warranty, and what problems to expect in the '97 Concorde...thank you in advance......
  • mimi919mimi919 Member Posts: 85
    I would like to wish you the best with your 97 Concorde purchase.
    To give you my opionion on your question about extending your warranty.....
    First let me start off by saying that I have been self employed in the used car business for over 20 years and I feel that I am reasonably knowledgeable on repairs and the cost involved with these repairs.
    The car you are buying as most newer cars today have front wheel drive with fuel injection as well as being computerized with many power features all of which are extremely costly to have repaired.
    The fact that your Concorde has 100,000 miles on it is all the more reason an extended warranty make good sense...speaking for myself I would feel much more comfortable owning a car with 100,000 miles that was covered under warranty then a simalar car with 50,000 miles that had no warranty.
    My suggestion would be to take the longest warranty available to you....you had said that the cost was about $50.00 dollars per month and in my opionion you won't be sorry that you did.
    I have a 99 Concorde with 46,000 miles and it runs just fantastic now but It did require about 1,000 dollars in repairs in the last 10,000 miles.(which was covered by my extended warranty.)
    I find that the majority of people employed in the service end of the car business such as service writers,mechanics ect do take out the extended warranty when purchasing a new car themself.
    If you have any doubts of the importance of protecting yourself with an extended warranty just take an hour or so and scroll through the old posts and I'm sure then you will realize the importance of protecting yourself with a warranty.
    The one thing to remember is a warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind it so it is very important to be sure the warranty is offered by a reputable company....one example of a common problem is a blown head gasket which is a costly repair and often caused by a car overheating.....A good manufactures extended warranty will cover that repair with no questions asked and even supply a rental car at no cost....on the other hand a not so good warranty offered by a not so reputable company may look for a way out of their contractual liability and investigate the cause of the overheating problem and if it turned out to be the thermostat sticking in the closed position and the thermostat not being a covered repair may refuse to cover the cost of the repair to the head gasket.
    Well thats my opionion and again wish you the best with your car purchase.
  • bobarnoldbobarnold Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I leased a new Concord in 1994 and liked it so much that we purchased the car when the lease was up in 3-years. We still have it, and we still love it. However, I would hate to think how much we would have spent on repairs had we not purchased a 70K mile/7-year bumper to bumper warranty. Our callas area dealership (Huffines) had really good technicians and customer service people to help us, but I'm sure they lost their profit with all the repairs they had to make from 1994 thou 1999.

    While we admire the roominess, exterior design and good looks of the Concord, I would hope Chrysler would hold their suppliers of parts to a similar high standard of longevity and performance.

    We have recently been looking to trade our eldest car (1990 Cadillac Seville) in for a new 2001 model. Since my wife is in real estate and needs large doors and a large trunk, we checked out Mercury Grand Marquis, Toyota Avalon, and similar semi-luxury models. We've come to the conclusion that the new Chrysler Concorde fits our requirements perfectly, and the manufacturer's incentives and pricing still make the Concorde a good buy. We're about to close the deal. However, we really hope that Chrysler has solved some of its supplier quality problems since its 1994 model year. (Say a little prayer for us!)
    BOB IN DALLAS
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,671
    I know a few people who have '93-94 LH cars with mileage approaching 100K or more. Supposedly, these were the worst of the batch, being earlier production models.

    I think most of the problems with the LH cars were eliminated when they were redesigned for 1998. There will still be some lemons in the batch, just like with any car.

    I've put over 42,000 miles on my 2000 Intrepid, and the only thing that's broken so far is the power lock actuator in the driver's side door (replaced under warranty)

    The Concorde's interior is stretched out a bit compared to the Intrepid, so it may actually have more legroom than cars like the Grand Marquis and Avalon.

    Good luck with your purchase,
    -Andre
  • hhjrhhjr Member Posts: 5
    ...for the wonderful info and advice. I have now purchased the vehicle, and will use your priceless advice to re-up on the warranty once it runs out in June 2001. You certainly break the myth that women don't know anything about cars except putting gas in them. In fact, you know a lot more than I do, and as a man I'm supposed to be wise with these decisions...go figure!!

    Hey, I don't check the messages often. However, I would like to hear from you if you have any other worthwhile advice for me. By the way, did you ever have the problem of the "check engine" light coming on after getting gas? Some have told me that this may be the oxygen sensor and I shouldn't worry. Guess what?...worried!! Let me know what this problem may be attributed to, if you don't mind.

    Once again, thanks for the invaluable help, and good luck in your continued endeavors
  • tksatksatksatksa Member Posts: 30
    I have an '01 LHS. When I bought it I was told to make sure, when screwing the gas cap back on, to turn it until it clicks. Failing to do so may cause "a warning light" (they didn't say which one). You might experiment with this and see what happens.

    Good Luck.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,671
    I've never actually had this problem happen to me, but when I bought my Intrepid, the salesman warned me about two possible things that could cause the light to come on...

    1) Topping off the tank after the automatic shut off kicks in on the gas pump.

    2) Over-tightening the gas cap. He said to turn it until it clicks once. No more, no less.

    When I refuel, I'll usually round it up just enough so I don't get any pennies back in change, but nothing like on some of my older cars where you could still slip in a 1/2 gallon after the pump first shut off.

    -Andre
  • luvmylxiluvmylxi Member Posts: 3
    what is zaino? i have heard a lot of talk about it but have no idea as to waht it actually is. can someone help me out wit this?
  • ppc49ppc49 Member Posts: 1
    I love my 96,Concorde, we have only 42,000 miles on it, very low mileage for an older car. No real problems except the check engine light has been coming on since about 58 miles on car. It happens only on cool / cold days, all the heads up lights will remain on, (usually they go thought test and turn off, when you first start car)after you turn car off and then back on you have the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ... after about 50 miles or so it (check engine light will) turn off. At first we took the car in about every 2 weeks and they would keep it for a day or so and either say we fixed it or could not get car to do it again... So we Just lived with it for the last few years. Car is good buy...but if you decide to get newer model either JUST give the dealer your car or sell it to someone... and I do mean give it to dealer, because in their eyes it is not worth anything... My $24,000 car in 96' was only worth about $9,000 in 98' with only 18,000 miles...
  • glinda49glinda49 Member Posts: 15
    Recently out of the blue our 96 Concord check engine light came on. Our car has about 80,000 miles on it. We took it to our mechanic and he put it on the scope and it turned out that we only needed a tune up. I'm not sure exactly what he did but it wasn't extensive at all. Once our light came on it never did go off until the tune up. This was about a month and a half ago and we have not seen the light since. Hope this helps.
  • frank58frank58 Member Posts: 54
    Made the first year in my new Concorde, still love it. Warranty items added up to a new wiper motor and wiper blades. The service at South Shore Chrysler in Ma. has been great.
    People love the looks of this car, they stop and comment on it all the time. Only bad thing I can say is the resale value looks bad.
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