NHTSA Complaint #10025420 — 2000 DODGE DURANGO

WE HAVE A 2000 DURANGO WITH 39,847 MILES ON IT. ON JUNE 6, 2003 WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO 0. THE OIL PRESSURE RETURNED TO NORMAL WHEN THE ENGINE CAME TO AN IDLE. AT FIRST IT APPEARED AS IF I HAD A GAUGE PROBLEM. I CHECKED EVERYTHING OUT AND BEGAN ON OUR WAY AGAIN JUST TO FIND IT HAPPENED ALL OVER AGAIN ONCE WE GOT TO SPEED. I PULLED OVER AND THE PRESSURE RETURNED TO NORMAL! WE SHUT IT DOWN AND TOWED IT TO A NEARBY DEALERSHIP. THERE, WHEN ASKED, I DEMONSTRATED THAT OUR ENGINE WAS OKAY BY CRANKING IT WITHOUT STARTING IT. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE ($8310). I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THERE, THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED! SOMEONE HAD EVIDENTLY RUN THE ENGINE AFTER IT WAS DROPPED OFF, BUT EACH DEALERSHIP BLAMES THE OTHER!!! ODDLY, NEITHER DEALERSHIP EVER ASKED ME WHAT MY DRIVING HABITS ARE TO DETERMINE IF I SHOULD BE ON THE 7,500 MILE SCHEDULE OR THE 3,000 MILE SCHEDULE AS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL!*AK