NHTSA Complaint #10104899 — 1998 DODGE DODGE

IN OCTOBER OF 2003 MY 2.7 LITER ENGINE WENT WITH ONLY 73,000 MILES. I CHANGED THE OIL IN THIS VEHICLE FAITHFULLY EVERY 3,000 MILES. I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW. WHEN IT HAPPENED I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO HIT A CURB SO HARD THAT MY TIRE BLEW. I AM THANKFUL THAT IT WAS A CURB THAT I HIT. THIS OCCURRED NOT FAR FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE CHILDREN ALWAYS WERE . I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT MY VEHICLE, HE TOLD ME THAT THESE WERE THE WORST ENGINES EVER MADE, HE ALSO ADVISED ME NOT TO REPLACE THIS ENGINE NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH EXPENSE, BUT ALSO IT WAS LIKELY THAT I WOULD BE REPLACING IT AGAIN WITHIN A YEAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR AS LONG AS THEY HAD. I CALLED SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS, AUTO PART STORES, AND EVEN DODGE DEALERSHIPS INQUIRING ABOUT PRICES FOR REPAIR. EVERYONE WAS WELL AWARE OF THESE ENGINES CALLING THEM DEFECTIVE, EVEN MECHANICS AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. THERE ALSO HAS BEEN SEVERAL CASES OF THE NEWS MEDIA DOING STORIES ON THIS SITUATION. AUTO MAGAZINES(MOTOR MAGAZINE MOSTLY) WRITE STORIES ABOUT THESE DEFECTIVE ENGINES. THE STORIES WRITTEN INCLUDE THAT SEVERAL ENGINE SPECIALIST HAVE ASSESSED THE PROBLEM AND ALL HAVE CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION THAT THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE AND IT IS 100% CHRYSLERS FAULT. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DAIMLER CHRYSLER HASN'T BEEN FORCED TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE AS CONSUMERS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH DO TO CHRYSLERS NEGLECT. IN MY OPINION NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCED TO WAIT ANY LONGER.THE NHTSA IS SUPPOSE TO BE PROTECTING US FROM CORPORATIONS WHO OPERATE LIKE DAIMLER CHRYSLER. *JB