NHTSA Complaint #10039596 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

I HAVE A 1999 CHRYSLER INTERPID WITH 82,000 MILES. THE VEHICLES HAS MAINTAINED. THE TIMING BELT BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH. I HEARD A TERRIBLE NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY AND CALLED A TOWING COMPANY. THE ENGINE REPAIR SHOP REPAIRED THE TIMING BELT AND ALSO DID MAJOR CLEANING IN THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF BLACK SLUDGE. INITIALLY ACCUSING ME OF NEVER CHANGING THE OIL. THE SHOP HAD THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN AND DID ONE LAST COLD START CHECKING FLUID LEVELS WHICH WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL. MY CAR WAS THEN TAKEN ON A TEST DRIVE FIRST AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND THEN THROUGH TOWN AND ON THE WAY BACK TO THE SHOP THE VEHICLE DIED. NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON PRIOR TO THE ENGINE DYING. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SHOP AND THE ENGINE WAS FOUND TO BE SEIZED. I RECIEVED AN ESTIMATE FROM THEM AT ABOUT $7,000. I WANTED A 2ND OPINION SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DODGE/CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE ENGINE AS BEING SEIZED AND I RECIEVED AN ESTIMATE OF $7,700. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME AND THAT THEY HOPED THAT I WOULD GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE IN THE FUTURE TO RESTORE FAITH IN THEIR PRODUCT. IN RESEARCHING FOR A REBUILT ENGINE WE WERE TOLD BY ENGINE SUPPLY COMPANIES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON IN THIS CAR AND THAT IT WAS NOT RECOMMENED TO PUT A REBUILT ENGINE IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE SLUDGE BUILDUP. TWO DIFFERENT PLACES HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM USING PENNZOIL AND TOLD ME NEVER TO USE IT AGAIN.