NHTSA Complaint #10110198 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, MY ENGINE QUIT WHILE I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AT ABOUT 65 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE EXIT AND ROLL TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO OAKLAND DODGE IN MADISON HEIGHTS, MI. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE THOUGHT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THAT IF IT DID IT MAY HAVE DAMAGED SOME OF THE VALVES AND IF THAT WERE THE CASE IT MIGHT COST A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. I TOLD HIM TO LOOK INTO IT. FIVE MINUTES LATER HE CALLED BACK AND SAID AFTER SPEAKING TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HIS SUPERVISOR, THAT THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD, BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH "THESE INTREPIDS". AFTER SPEAKING TO THE SUPERVISOR, I ASKED HIM TO GO INTO DETAIL AND EXPLAIN HOW HE WOULD KNOW THIS WITHOUT TAKING THE ENGINE APART. HE EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE AND HE COULD GUARANTEE ME THE ENGINE IS WORTHLESS AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $6,000. TO REPLACE IT WHICH IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THIS CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY SMOOTH UNTIL THE TIME THAT IT DIED. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE CAR IS NOW WORTHLESS. THIS CAR IS A 2000 DODGE INTREPID, 2.7 LITER ENGINE. *JB