NHTSA Complaint #10070201 — 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE

THE HEAD GASKET WAS REALLY THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE THE BIGGEST BEEF ABOUT. I HAVE HAD AN OIL LEAK SINCE AT LEAST AUGUST 2002 AND THE MECHANIC THAT I'VE BEEN TAKING MY CAR TO HAS REPLACED THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH TWICE AND MOST RECENTLY THE CAM SHAFT SWITCH. AT THE LAST REPAIR, HE INDICATED THAT I HAD A TORN HEAD GASKET, A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL OF CAR. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT SOME MONETARY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS REPAIR. CHRYSLER CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER AND THEN DID NOTHING FOR TWO DAYS UNTIL I CALLED BACK AND FOUND OUT THAT THE DECISION RESTED IN THE REGIONAL MANAGER'S HANDS WHO WAS OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION FOR 4 MORE DAYS. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AGAIN AND ESCALLATED THE DECISION THROUGH A FEW LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT AND FOUND THAT MY REQUEST HAD BEEN DENIED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR AND ITS MILEAGE. THIS IRRITATES ME FOR SEVERAL REASONS. HEAD GASKETS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MUCH LONGER LIFE SPAN THAT 72K MILES. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED DEFECT WITH THE CAR I HAVE AND I FEEL THAT A RECALL IS IN ORDER. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET, MANY BREEZE/NEON OWNERS HAVE HAD SUCCESS CONVINCING CHRYSLER TO PAY FOR SOME OF THE REPAIR. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY ON THURSDAY THAT CHRYSLER MADE THEIR DECISION. IN THE MEANTIME, THE MECHANIC DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE HE WAS WAITING ON THE RESPONSE FROM CHRYSLER. HENCE, I WAS OUT OF THE USE OF MY CAR AN ADDITIONAL TWO DAYS. ADDITIONALLY, I'VE ALREADY INCURRED ABOUT $400 IN EXPENSES MOST LIKELY RELATED TO THIS HEAD GASKET FROM PREVIOUS REPAIRS TO MY OIL LEAK PROBLEM. IT'S A SHAME ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS PRETTY PLEASED WITH THE CAR UP UNTIL I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM.