NHTSA Complaint #10119548 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

ON DEC.26 2004, AS WE WERE LEAVING OUR HOUSE THE CAR STARTING MAKING A TICKING SOUND, WE PULLED BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND CHECKED THE OIL, TRANSMISSION FLUID AND HOSES. NO LIGHTS WERE ON TO INDICATE A PROMBLEM BUT WE PARKED THE CAR SINCE IT WAS A NOISE WE HAD NEVER HEARD.THE NEXT MORNING, MONDAY, WE CALLED OUR MECHANICS AND HAD THE CAR TOWED IN, THE MECHANIC ASKED ABOUT THE OIL CHANGES AND I TOLD HIM TO CHECK THE DATE ON THE WINDOW I KNEW IT WAS RECENT. HE STATED HE WAS SHOCKED DUE TO THE SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. I INFROMED HIM I HAVE REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND HAVE THE RECEIPTS. HE SUGGESTED TO CLEAN ADN REPLACE THE OIL PAN AND FILTER TOTALING $800.00, HE DID THE WORK. THURSDAY DEC 30 I GOT THE CAR BACK BUT DID NOT DRIVE IT DUE TO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. MONDAY MORNING ON A 2 LANE ROAD 37 MILES FROM HOME THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE THE ALL THE SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED TO RAPIDLY DECREASE SPEED AND THEN SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO BARELY GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD BEFORE BEING HIT BY AN ONCOMING 18 WHEELER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK IN AND WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO THE OIL SLUDGE I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE PROMBLEM IS THEY REFUSED TO "GET INVOLVED" DUE TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS REGARDING THE 2.7 ENGINES. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND WAS TOLD "I SYMPATHIZE AND HAVE HEARD OF THIS BEFORE BUT THE BEST I CAN DO IS $7800-8200.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE BUT CAN NOT WARRANTY SLUDGE BUILD UP. I ONLY OWED $6000ON THE CAR. AFTER CONTACTING 2 MORE DEALERS AND BEING TOLD THEY COULD NOT WARRANTY IT AGAINST THE SAME THING HAPPENING AGAIN THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK. THIS ENGINE IS A SLUDGE ENGINE AND ALMOST COST ME MYLIFE AS WELL AS MY 2 KIDS THAT WERE IN THE CAR! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!