NHTSA Complaint #10068360 — 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING

ON OR ABOUT MARCH 30, 2004 MY CAR DEVELOPED A TICKING NOISE. I DISCOVERED THE NOISE WHEN ORDERING FOOD AT A DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW. THE NOISE WAS ONLY EVIDENT WHEN I HAD MY WINDOW DOWN. MY CAR ALSO HAD NO HEAT BY THIS TIME. OVER THE LAST TWO WINTERS I WOULD NOT HAVE HEAT WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLE, BUT THIS YEAR IT HAD GRADUALLY DETERIORATED TO NO HEAT WHEN IDLE OR UPON ACCELARATION. ACCORDING TO THE OWER'S MANUAL NO ANTIFREEZE WOULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS LOW ON OIL AND HAD NO ANTIFREEZE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TO CHECK THE ANTIFREEZE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED YOU NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL TO ADD ANTIFREEZE, BUT THE MANUAL FAIL TO TELL YOU WHAT THAT SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS. THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND THE ANTIFREEZE WAS FILLED. THE TICKING NOISE PERSISTED AND THEN THE RED OIL LAMP CAME ON ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING THIS SERVICE PERFORMED. I MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE TICKING NOISE. AFTER CHECKING MY CAR OVER I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING THAT IT APPEARED I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE, THE ANITFREEZE THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN TWO WEEKS PRIOR WAS COMPLETELY GONE. MY CAR HAD NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKAGE. WHERE DID THE ANTIFREEZE GO? WHY IS MY LOW OIL LIGHT COMING ON AS WELL? IT APPEARS THAT THE 2.7L ENGINE FAILS REGARDLESS OF MAINTENANCE DUE TO DESIGN OF THE ENGINE (LIMITING PASSAGE OF OIL) AND THIS FAILURE IS ALSO LINKED TO THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKAGE OVER TIME, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT AND BUILD UP SLUDGE. THE DEALER THEN TELLS YOU THAT ENGINE PROBLEM IS DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD-UP OR RATHER POOR MAINTENANCE ON YOUR PART AND VOIDS THE WARRANTY OR REFUSES ANY ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR EXPENSE. MY ENGINE FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 52,000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM IS COSTING CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.*AK