There are 12 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2008 Chrysler Aspenin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER ENTERING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MIDDLE CLIP COVERING THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY ON THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DEFORMED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
STEERING PROBLEMS HAD RACK AND PINION REPLACED, INNER TIRE RODS REPLACED, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, OUTER RIGHT TIRE RODS BROKEN, VERY FORTUNATE MY FAMILY AND I NOT HURT (70MPH ON I95), REPLACE OUTER TIRE ROD, PLAY IN STEERING REPLACE STEERING YOKE. ALSO WATER GETS INTO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTING OUT COMPUTER. DO NOT KNOW HOW WATER GETS IN, CAN NOT SEE FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE, BUT CAN SOMETIMES HEAR WATER SLOSHING AROUND.
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SLIPPED INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE LOW. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BECAME HARD TO STEER/MOVE IN THIS CONDITION, DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS THE VEHICLE'S HANDLING COULD CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT... AT ANY SPEED.
THE SVC 4WD LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IDLING AND OTHER RANDOM TIMES. THE STEERING ACTS LIKE ITS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE WHEN IT ISNT. THERE IS A SHIFTING OF SOME KIND WHEN THE ENGINE ISN'T ON AND THE DOORS ARE UNLOCKED REMOTELY.
AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK, THE MOTOR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT USED TO ONLY HAPPEN WHEN YOU GO PAST THE FIRST "CLICK" OF THE GAS PUMP. TODAY IT DID IT BY JUST FILLING THE TANK TO FIRST SHUT OFF. THIS LEAVES YOU WITH NO STEERING, NO BRAKES AND NO POWER WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS DANGEROUS ON SEVERAL LEVELS. THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING DOWN A FOUR LANE ROAD IN MODERATE TRAFFIC WITH FIVE PASSENGERS-TWO INFANTS, TWO CHILDREN AND ONE ADULT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL STEERING FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
THE CLOCK SPRING/STEERING SENSOR HAS GONE OUT ON MY ASPEN. WHAT I WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP IS IT HAS GONE BAD ON SO MANY ASPEN AND OTHER CHRYSLER CARS USING THIS PART THAT IT IS ON BACK ORDER AND MAY TAKE UP TO 6 MONTHS TO GET ONE... THIS PART HAS CAUSED MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKE, SKID CONTROL AND MY ALL WHEEL DRIVE TO NO LONGER WORK
WE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE UPON HITTING A MEDIUM SIZED BUMP WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 38MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN HITTING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUMPS SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LATE IN 2014. THERE ARE NO BROKEN OR WORN OUT PARTS IN THE STEERING OR SUSPENSION AND THE TIRES ONLY HAVE 3,000 MILES ON THEM. IN FACT, THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE WHEN WE REPLACED THE PREVIOUS TIRES. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE IS AN ISSUE THE IN ENGINEERING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE. IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HIT A BUMP WITHOUT THE STEERING PULLING TO THE SIDE, WHICH RE-DIRECTS THE VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD THE DRIVER GRIPS THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS VEHICLE AND WE NEED A SOLUTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THIS CAUSES A MAJOR ACCIDENT.
HELLO, I AM THE OWNER OF A 2008 ASPEN. I RECENTLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SAFETY CAR SEAT CHECKPOINT AND WAS RECOMMENDED TO CONTACT YOU BY THE OFFICER CONCERNING THE SEAT BELTS. THEY DON'T LOCK WHEN PULLED ALL THE WAY OUT LIKE OTHER VEHICLES (I.E. NOTABLE RESISTANCE WHEN TRYING TO SECURE A CAR SEAT IN PLACE). I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THIS WHEN SWITCHING CAR SEATS IN A DURANGO THAT MY BROTHER OWNS. I KNOW THE BELTS LOCK UPON BRAKING THE VEHICLE. ALSO, I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF, AND I HAVE LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL ELECTRICAL CONTROL AFTER TOPPING OFF AT A GAS STATION. WE PROMPTLY TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO DID A COMPUTER UPDATE BUT IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ANYTIME WE TOP OFF WITH GAS. AS LONG AS WE DON'T OVERFILL ABOVE THE FIRST CLICK OF THE GAS HANDLE, THE VEHICLE DOESN'T CUT OFF SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING. MY HUSBAND HAS VISITED FORUMS ONLINE WHERE THIS HAS BEEN AS ISSUE FOR OTHER OWNERS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD WHEN IT CUT OFF WITH ME AND MY CHILDREN SO WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP. HOWEVER, I FEEL IT IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY AND IF I HAD BEEN ON A BUSY ROAD COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT AS I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
THE 4WD STARTED TO ENGAGE WITHOUT BEING SWITCHED AND WITH NO INDICATION ON THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL. VEHICLE GOES INTO 4X4 ON ITS OWN. WHEN WE MAKE A SHARP TURN GOING FORWARD OR BACKING...THE REAR TIRES LOCK UP. THE SVC 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY. I CAN ALSO HEAR IT SWITCH BACK AND FORTH UNDER THE CAR EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF. PERIODICALLY WHEN YOU SWITCH THE DIAL OVER TO 4LO OR 4X4 LOCK THE SVC 4WD LIGHT JUST FLICKERS OFF AND ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN 4X4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING IN REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WOULDN'T MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO STATED THE FRONT, LEFT AND RIGHT TIE ROD ENDS HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER ASPEN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OVER RAILROAD TRACKS, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND ONCE THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE TIE ROD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND AGAIN THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIE ROD WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026