NHTSA Complaint #10070409 — 1998 DODGE NEON

I OWN A 1998 DODGE NEON WITH 89,700 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT TO VALLEY SMOG AND REPAIR IN VAN NUYS, CA. I TOOK IT THERE TO GET MY 90,000 MILE WORK DONE ON IT. AS THEY WERE PULLING IT INTO THE GARAGE THEY NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL OIL LEAK. WHEN THEY PUT THE CAR ON THE RACK, THEY SAW OIL ALL OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I WAS CALLED AND TOLD THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS DRIVING ON IT ANY MORE WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO EXPIRE. I TOLD THEM TO PROCEED WITH THE WORK, WHICH ENDED UP COSTING ME JUST OVER $1100. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND DISCOVERED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. WITH FURTHER RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT CHRYSLER HAD SECRETLY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART TO 5 YEARS/100,000 MILES AND WOULD REIMBURSE THE OWNER OF THE CAR IF ANY WORK WAS DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF MY CAR AND THE FACT THAT THE WORK WAS DONE AT A NON DODGE GARAGE, I WOULD NOT BE REIMBURED MY $1100. AS I ALREADY EXPLAINED, MY CAR WAS NOT 5 YEARS OLD YET AND HAD NOT REACHED 100,000 MILES. THE MAN THAT I SPOKE WITH, A GUY NAMED MIKE, MADE IT SEEM LIKE I SHOULD HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR, LEAKING OIL, TO DODGE TO PAY DOUBLE THE MONEY AND STILL NOT HAVE ANY RECOURSE FOR THE SITUATION. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME IN FINDING OUT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SECRET WARRANTY AND ALSO I'D LIKE SOME HELP IN GETTING MY MONEY BACK. THANK YOU.