NHTSA Complaint #10064085 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2000 DODGE INTREPID IN FEBRUARY 2003 WITH 37,000 MILES ON IT. I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THE STEERING HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN IT AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK IT IN TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP TO CHECK WHY IT IS DOING THIS. THEY CHECKED IT AND TOLD ME THAT IT JUST NEEDED TO HAVE AN ALIGNMENT DONE. SO I WENT AHEAD AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE. THE MORE I DROVE THE CAR THE WORSE THE STEERING BECAME. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T CONTROL THE CAR. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN ASAP AND NOT TO DRIVE IT ANYWHERE ELSE. I HAD A FRIEND FOLLOW ME TO THE DEALERSHIP (THANK GOODNESS IT IS NOT FAR FROM MY HOUSE) WHERE THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT AND GIVE ME A CALL BACK. THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST AN ESTIMATE OF $1300. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND I WOULD ALREADY HAVE TO PAY OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE IT FIXED. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I COMPLAINED TO THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP. AND THEY PAID FOR HALF OF THE COST BECAUSE I TOLD THEM THAT I KNEW THAT THIS CAR HAS HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE RACK AND PINION. WELL, IT'S NOW MARCH 2004 AND MY ENGINE AS WELL AS MY TIMING CHAIN HAS WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THERE IS A BUILD-UP OF SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND IT IS GOING TO COST ME OVER $7700 DOLARS TO FIX. I AM NOW FINDING OUT THAT THIS IS ALSO A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES (2.7 LITER). I AM FINDING THAT THIS ENGINE IS IN SUCH DEMAND THAT IT IS EVEN ON BACK-ORDER AT MOST SHOPS. I WOULD LIKE THESES CARS TO BE RECALLED BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH. IF THE WHOLE CAR CAN'T BE RECALLED, I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO BE DONE THAT CAN HELP US CONSUMERS GET THROUGH THESE PROBLEMS. MY CAR IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY I CAN COME UP WITH $7700 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. I HAVE ALSO MISSED WORK BECAUSE I HAVE NO WAY OF GETTING THERE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER!*AK