NHTSA Complaint #10070747 — 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

ON AUGUST 8, 2003, MY SON PURCHASED A 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE, 97037 MILES, FROM [XXX]-OWNER, SOUTH BAY AUTO-[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE CAR FOR $8,849.21. ON AUGUST 11, 2003, THE ENGINE BLOW BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CAR, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AND IT WAS IN GOOD MECHANICAL CONDITION. JUST THIS WEEK THE WARRANTY INVESTIGATOR SAID THAT THE OIL LEAK WAS THERE BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, AND THAT THEY WILL NOT BE REPLACING THE ENGINE, AND THAT THE CAR IS THE DEALERS PROBLEMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO DO THE MORAL THING AND GIVE US BACK OUR HARD EARNED MONEY, NOR DOES HE WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS SAME DEALER, LOAN US AN UNSAFE CAR THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS BEEN DECLARED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS A SALVAGED. THE CAR IS A 1991 HONDA, VIN #[XXX]. LAST SATURDAY, ON THE WAY HOME FROM SAN JOSE, CA, TO VALLEJO, CA, THE BRAKES WERE STARTING TO GIVE OUT ON THE CAR. THIS WEEK, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND RAN INTO A WALL TO STOP IT. THANK GOD, I WAS NOT HURT. I THEN CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPEN, AND THE ONLY THING HE TOLD ME THAT I WILL PAY FOR ANY DAMAGES DONE TO THE CAR. HE HAD THE CAR TOWED AND STATED THAT HE WOULD CHARGE ME FOR THE TOW AND THE REPAIRS. NOW HE WANTS ME TO COMPENSATE HIM FOR PUTTING MY LIFE, AND THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY AT RISK WHILE DRIVING HIS UNSAFE, SALVAGED CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR