NHTSA Complaint #10090832 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

MY CAR NEVER GAVE ME ANY SIGNS OF BURNING OIL, NOR DID I HAVE ANY HEATER ISSUES OR SMELLS. OWEVER, ON 05/21/02 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO SPITZER MOTOR CITY IN CLEVELAND FOR SERVICE BECAUSE I WAS SEEING THE ENGINE LIGHT. THEY DETERMINED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE MY PCV VALVE AND GAS CAP ($24.02 FOR PARTS AND $149.00 FOR LABOR). LATER, DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2002 I BEGAN SEEING MY ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IF THE GAS CAP IS NOT ON TIGHTLY IT CAN ALSO CAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON, AND TO MAKE SURE IT IS ALWAYS ON TIGHT. AFTER THAT, THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON FROM TIME TO TIME, TIL THE DAY THE ENIGNE FAILED ON AUGUST 18, 2003 WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING IT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO DODGE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SHOT DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD-UP. ( LAST OIL CHANGE, MAY 2003 ). ACCORDING TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER SERVICE CONTRACT HELP DESK, IF AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS OVER $5,000, AN INSPECTOR MUST BE SENT TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE APPROVING THE COVERAGE OF ANY SERVICE REPAIRS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REQUEST TO PICK UP THE TAB WAS DENIED, WITH STILL ONE MORE MONTH OF WARRANTY COVERAGE LEFT AND 63,000 PLUS MILES LATER. THE ONLY THING THAT I RECEIVED FROM THIS WAS A REFERENCE NUMBER FROM THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER ON SEPT 16TH, 2003, AND OVER $12,000 LEFT IN INSTALMENTS. THATS ALL ! *AK