NHTSA Complaint #10058769 — 2001 DODGE STRATUS

SIX MONTHS AGO, WE PURCHASED A USED 2001 DODGE STRATUS WITH A 2.7 ENGINE AND LOVED IT - - - UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED AT 80,000 MILES! WE WERE DRIVING DOWN A RURAL HIGHWAY IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WE WERE AN HOUR FROM HOME AND HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO OUR HOMETOWN. HE DODGE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN OUR AREA SEEMED TO KNOW THAT IT WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE BEFORE EVER LOOKING AT IT! (THEY ALSO TRIED TO SAY THAT LACK OF OIL CHANGES CAUSED THE PROBLEM.) AFTER HEARING THAT DODGE NO LONGER OFFERS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE 2.7 ENGINE AND THAT THEY "UPGRADED" THE TIMING CHAIN IN REBUILT ENGINES, WE KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM. WE CONTACTED THE DODGE-CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND AFTER BEING TREATED VERY POORLY, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS ENGINE. IT JUST ISN'T FAIR TO THE UNSUSPECTING CONSUMER THAT DODGE-CHRYSLER ISN'T TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT COST US $3,605. HOWEVER, WE REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A USED 2001 SEBRING BECAUSE A REBUILT ONE WAS TWICE AS MUCH. WHICH MEANS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM STILL EXISTS!*AK