NHTSA Complaint #10107765 — 2002 DODGE NEON

I WORK IN THE MIAMI AREA AND WAS GOING HOME AFTER EATING ; IT HAD BEEN RAINING THAT DAY AND THERE WAS SOME SMALL PUDDLES ON THE ROADWAYS. I WENT THROUGH A SMALL PUDDLE; THEN THROUGH A RED LIGHT ;WHEN MY CAR QUIT IN THE INTERSECTION WITH NO WARNING AND WOULD NOT START. SO I HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND GET A TAXI HOME UNTIL MORNING WHEN I COULD TRY TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. MY CAR IS A 2002 DODGE NEON WHICH I PURCHASED ON JAN 17,2004 AT CAPITAL CHEVROLET IN MONTGOMERY ALABAMA. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE NEXT MORNING I COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MAROONE DODGE DEALER IN MIAMI FL. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CAR HAD SLUNG A ROD WHICH THE WARRANTY REFUSED TO COVER THEIR STATED REASON WAS THAT THE CAR TOOK ON WATER THROUGH THE AIR INTAKE WHICH SEIZED THE MOTOR AND CAUSED THE ROD TO BREAK. AFTER CHECKING WITH OTHER MECHANICS I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THEIR REASON IS NOT POSSIBLE AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CASES LIKE THIS REPORTED. YOUR HELP WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED THANK YOU. *JB