Most common 1996 Chrysler Concorde problems
Share of the 161 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chrysler Concorde complaints by model year
Best Concorde years: 2003, 2004, 2002. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 1995. Compare all years →
1996 Chrysler Concorde recalls (2)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
On certain passenger vehicles, the floor shifter ignition-park interlock May fail and allow the shifter to be moved out of the park position with the key removed. An inoperative interlock May also allow the key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the park position.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new load-limiting push rod into the floor shifter lever of the affected vehicles. Owner notification began on June 14, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built with 3.5l engines. The fuel injection delivery system can leak fuel from some of the sealing o-rings or from hair line cracks in the thermoset fuel injection rail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel rail o-rings and reinforce the outlet (passenger) side fuel rail. Vehicles showing fuel leakage on the outlet fuel rail must have the outlet rail replaced which includes changing the upper…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1996 Chrysler Concorde:
Fuel injection delivery system fuel leak
Steering system rack and pinion
Since opening the preliminary evaluation (pe), odi has received 6 additional complaints.during the pe it was determined multiple failure modes are involved in this matter.the warranty claim rate is high for a steering system concern.the issues reported involve premature wear out at the rack and pinion interface with the inner tie rod end(s), binding and sticking of the steering gear, cracked or broken tie rod ends,…
Steering system rack and pinion
There is no summary currently available
Auto trans ignition-park interlock
The manufacturer reports above are based on daimlerchrysler?s (dc) analysis of model year (my) 1998 (population = 356,384) and 1999 (population = 486,948) ja, jx and lh family subject vehicle data (earlier mys excluded).the population number includes all mys.the precise number of duplicates between odi and dc reports cannot be determined due to missing or incomplete information.the fatality incident involved an…
Fuel rail, brake fluid, chassis
On September 5, 2004, mr. Robert galenty of iselin, nj, petitioned the agency to conduct defect investigations of certain model year (my) 1993-1997 vehicles produced by daimlerchrysler corporation.his petition identified three issues of concern: 1) fuel leaking from the fuel injector rails; 2) brake fluid contamination resulting in brake failure; and 3) susceptibility of the vehicle frame to damage while the vehicle…
What 1996 Chrysler Concorde owners say
Steering all 61 →
I have a 1996 Chrysler Concorde lxi. My brother in law has one the same year and model also. We both have the same problem. The steering gear bushings wear out and allows the steering to wander. I have come very close to having an accident as well as my brother in law while going around a corner and expecting the car to follow the direction of steering but instead the car wanted to go straight until the steering gear had traveled as far as it could go then the steering reacted. This problem also causes excessive vibration in the front end leading a mechanic to believe the rotors are warped when in fact it is the steering gear bushings. These bushings are not available through Chrysler. Instead they want you to purchase a whole new steering gear for over $1000. …
I recently purchased a 1996 Chrysler Concorde from an individual party. 2 days after I bought the car, my boyfriend had parked along the street in front of a friends house for a moment, and had just began to pull away from the curb, when he heard a clunking noise. At the same time, he was turning the steering wheel to the left, away from the curb, but the car just kept going straight. Luckily, he was going at a very low speed, so no one was injured. After stopping the car, he looked underneath the vehicle as well as under the hood, and found that the bolts from the rack and pinion steering mechanism had been completely sheared off. They had snapped in half, leaving part of the bolts inside of the unit. I thank god that no one was hurt, and that my 12 year old son wasn't in the car when this happened. …
Engine & cooling all 26 →
My engine started making a noise on July 4, 2003. When I had it towed to a dealership they said there was sludge in the engine and it was on us, we had also purchased an extended warranty and they denied our claim and the dealership we purchased the vehicle did to, we have all oil receipts and I've done alot of research on the 2.7l engines and there are alot of the these engines with this same problem (sludge build up) the quote to repair my car is $9500.00 and I cannot afford this, it has been almost 7 months and my car is just sitting in my drive way, I'm making monthly payments on this car and it is no good. Please help all of us to do something about Chrysler. It's us little people against the big corporations and we have no chance at all.
I use to own a 1996 Chrysler Concorde lxi I have encountered several problems, such as my wheels falling off, looseness in the steering. A Chrysler dealership stated the car should not be driven on the road at all! My engine failed while driving 45 m.p.h., all power to the car died. I have been talking to several Concorde owners and this is a well know problem with these. I stop making payment for this car after the original dealership where I brought it from would not fix it while under warranty. I fear for the person who has this car now, they could lose their life.
Brakes
Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle slowed to a stop, the brakes began to vibrate and the pedal depressed to the floor. At 5 MPH the ABS engaged and stopped the vehicle. The problem was intermittent and occurred 40 times in the last two years. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to a service dealer. An independent service mechanic inspected the vehicle and also determined, the brakes needed to be serviced by an authorized dealer. The ABS engage at a low speed for no apparent reason. Updated 08/23/04.
Steering is very bad. Pulls to the left. Rack and pinion bushings bad, as well as a tie rod. Usually makes a popping noise when turning. Engine cooling system has malfunctioned. Continues to overheat. Replaced water pump twice as well as thermostat. ABS light continues to come on. Brakes are very bad. I've replaced them numerous times.
1996 Chrysler Concorde engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Chrysler Concorde a good car?
Based on 161 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 Concorde rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Concorde at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Chrysler Concorde?
The steering — 61 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rack and pinion. Next are the engine & cooling (26) and brakes (19).
How many recalls does the 1996 Chrysler Concorde have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1996 Chrysler Concorde, the most recent from January 13, 2004 (floor shift). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chrysler Concorde?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2004 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000 and 1995. See the full Chrysler Concorde years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Chrysler Concorde problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 78,000 miles; 21% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.