NHTSA Complaint #10130104 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

I OWN A 2000 DODGE INTREPID ES WITH THE 2.7 LITER ENGINE. THE VIN ON THE VEHICLE IS: [XXX]. I SAY THAT I OWN IT, BUT THERE ARE STILL 13 PAYMENTS REMAINING ON IT. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM WELLS FARGO FINANCE COMPANY IN EARLY 2001 FOR MY WIFE. AT THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 12,000 TO 15,000 MILES ON IT. MY WIFE PASSED AWAY IN MAY OF 2002 AND SINCE THEN THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN ON A DAILY BASIS. HENCE, THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 37,000 - 39,000 MILES ON IT. WHILE RUNNING AN ERRAND WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER ON JULY 8, 2005, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND I HAD TO MANIPULATE THE GAS PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE THE FEW MILES TO HOME. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER THAT. I CALLED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A NEARBY MECHANIC AND HE MENTIONED THAT THEY FOUND ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN INCH OF SLUDGE AFTER REMOVING THE VALVE COVER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DONE IS AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. HE ENSURED ME THAT TRYING TO CLEAN THE SLUDGE MAY CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE. I STARTED INVESTIGATING THIS VIA THE INTERNET AND FOUND YOUR WEB SITE. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND OPENED A CASE NUMBER WITH THEM. CASE # [XXX]. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR ON HOLD, A PERSON CAME BACK TO ME AND STATED THAT THE CAR CAME TO THE U.S. FROM CANADA VIA A LEASING COMPANY AND THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT TRANSFER, THEREFORE THERE WAS NOTHING HE OR CHRYSLER COULD DO. HE ALSO STATED THAT BECAUSE IT CAME FROM A LEASING COMPANY, THERE WAS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE RECORDS COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. SO, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I STILL AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON A 2000 DODGE INTREPID, THAT I CAN'T DRIVE, THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE FIXED, AND THAT NO ONE WILL ASSIST. CAN YOU PROVIDE THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE "ZONE REP" FOR MY AREA (SEE BELOW).UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)