NHTSA Complaint #10127311 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

I HAVE 68,000 MILES ON MY 1999 DODGE INTREPID 2.7 LITER ENGINE AND AFTER ONE MONTH SINCE THE LAST SERVICE AND AFTER BEING SERVICED RELIGIOUSLY EVERY 3,000 MILES I AM NOW BEING GIVEN AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 TO $7,000. I DON'T EVEN THINK THE BLUE BOOK ON THE CAR IS EVEN THAT HIGH NOW. BASICALLY, THE MECHANIC SAID THE COOLANT AND OIL IN THE CAR WERE COMPLETELY GONE AND WITH IT NOW HAVING THE KNOCKING NOISE NEEDS AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WENT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP LOCALLY AND THEY ADMITTED IT WAS NOT THE BEST OF THEIR ENGINES, BUT NEVERTHELESS THEY INDICATED SINCE IT IS PAST THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF 36,000 THERE WASN'T MUCH THEY COULD DO. THEY TRIED TO SUGGEST THAT THE SERVICING I RECEIVED MAY HAVE BEEN FAULTY AND I POINTED OUT THAT WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO THINK THAT, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SERVICED ONE MONTH PRIOR AND TO HAVE ALL COOLANT AND 5 QUARTS OF OIL DISAPPEAR WITHOUT ANY OF THE OBVIOUS SIGNS COULD NOT WARRANT THAT SUGGESTION. I EXPLAINED THAT REGARDLESS OF THE SERVICING THAT IN ONE MONTH THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOME INDICATION, SUCH AS OIL SERVICE LIGHT INDICATOR, ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT, SMELLS, OIL LEAKS ON DRIVEWAY, BLUE SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE, ETC. TO AT LEAST INDICATE A PROBLEM THAT MAY NEED CORRECTION, BUT THERE WAS NEVER AN INDICATION. I EXPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP, IF I WEREN'T SERVICING MY CAR THAT I COULD SORT OF SIDE WITH THEM, BUT THE POINT IS I DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO PROLONG THE USEFUL LIFE OF THIS CAR AND AT NO FAULT OF MINE THE ENGINE HAS FAILED MUCH SOONER THAN IT SHOULD AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING.