NHTSA Complaint #10118299 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

OUR 2001 DODGE INTREPID WITH A V6 2.7 LTR ENGINE BEGIN TO MAKE EXTREMELY LOUD NOISES, COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WE MANAGED TO DRIVE IT AT LOW SPEED FOR ABOUT 5 MILES, SINCE IT SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER, TO OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP. *JB WE WERE TOLD THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND NEEDED REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $6000 PLUS PA TAXES. WE HAVE NOT YET MADE A DECISION AS TO WHAT TO DO. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER THROUGH ITS 800 CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO HELP IN ANY WAY, CITING LACK OF SERVICE RECORDS BEFORE OUR PURCHASE OF THE CAR AS A USED VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 16, 2004. WE INDICATED THAT LACK OF SERVICE RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE THE CAR WAS NOT SERVICED SINCE NOT ALL OWNERS USE THE DODGE AND CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS FOR SERVICE. WE CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE AND HAD THE SAME RESPONSE TWICE. WE ARE NOW FACED WITH DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH THE CAR. WE HAD SINCE LEARNED THAT ENGINE FAILURE IS A PROBLEM IN THESE CARS AND THAT CHRYSLER HAS BASICALLY TOLD ITS CUSTOMERS TO GO "POUND SAND". WE ALSO ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF A 1997 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND THOUGHT THAT OUR GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH IT AND SERVICE RECORD WITH THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT MIGHT HELP IN GETTING CHRYSLER TO HELP US. THE INTREPID HAD BEEN TOWED TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP ONLY FIVE DAYS EARLIER ON APRIL 14, 2005. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALER REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS WITH NO INDICATION TO US THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE CAR. PRIOR TO THIS, SINCE THE INTREPID'S PURCHASE IN OCTOBER 2004, WE HAD TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT. BOTH TIMES, THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WITH NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANY OTHER OR POSSIBLE FURTHER PROBLEM. WE ONLY PUT 3110 MILES ON THE CAR. WE ARE ANGRY AND FEEL HELPLESS AS WE SEARCH THE INTERNET AND SEE WHERE CHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR FIX THIS PROBLEM IN ITS VEHICLES.