how do you know when your tie rod ends are bad on a 1997 Concorde?

Answer 1

The way to check your tie rods is to squeeze them lightly with a pair of water pump pliers. (between the top & one on the bottom of the steering knuckle) No vertical movement should be present.

Answer 2

The steering wheel turns too far before the tires turn and the car turns, so the steering gets "loosy-goosey"! Also, the outer edges of your front tires get worn, but you may not notice that if you rotate your tires from front to back all the time. Tie rods are easy to replace and the whole job shouldn't cost more than $200 with a 2 wheel alignment. But as long as you have to pay for a wheel alignment, make sure to get your lower ball joints checked for excessive play too which can also cause loosy-goosey steering wander on the highway.