NHTSA Complaint #10058806 — 1999 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

WE PURCHASED A 1999 CONCORDE THAT HAD 39000 MILES ON IT IN 2001. WE HAVE PUT 21000 MILES ON IT SINCE THEN WITHOUT A PROBLEM...UNTIL LAST WEEK. I WAS DRIVING MY 5 YEAR OLD SON TO SCHOOL AND THE CAR DIED ON ME AT A STOP LIGHT. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO HIS SCHOOL, 1 1/2 MILES AWAY. AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF I GOT IT TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY AND IT DIED AGAIN. AFTER IT COOLED DOWN IT STARTED OK AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, 6 MILES AWAY. AT 4 MILES IT STALLED ON ME AGAIN. WHEN I GOT WITHIN 1/2 MILE OF HOME IT STARTED CHUGGING ON ME AND WHEN I TURNED THE CORNER ON MY STREET IT DIED AGAIN. I GOT IT STARTED ONE MORE TIME AND COASTED INTO MY DRIVEWAY. WE COULD NOT GET IT TO START AGAIN UNTIL IT HAD COOLED DOWN FOR 2 HOURS. WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, NOT A CHRYSLER DEALER, WHO BELIEVED IT WAS THE CAM SENSOR. BECAUSE HE FELT IT WAS A POSSIBLE WARRANTY ITEM HE SUGGESTED WE TAKE IT TO A DEALER. WE DID, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO WARRANTY SO WE HAD OUR MECHANIC REPLACE THE SENSOR. THE DAY AFTER THAT WHEN WE WOULD STOP AT A SIGNAL THE OIL LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF. THERE WAS OIL IN IT SINCE THE MECHANIC HAD ALSO JUST CHANGED THE OIL WHEN HE HAD IT. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC. HE FELT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE, BUT HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY IT. HE AGAIN SUGGESTED WE TAKE BACK TO THE DEALER SINCE IT ONLY HAD 60000 MILES ON IT AND BELIEVED IT SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF A PROBLEM. WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER TODAY. THEY INFORMED US THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE.*AK