NHTSA Complaint #10139269 — 2002 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

I PURCHASED A 2002 USED CONCORDE WITH AROUND 40,000 MILES. FOUR MONTHS, TWO OIL CHANGES, AND 12,000 MILES LATER THE ENGINE SEIZED / TIMING CHAIN BROKE. MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN WERE UNINJURED. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS IS AT $5,692. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER PROTECTION SERVICE CONTRACT PROVIDER ARE INSISTING THIS IS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. AFTER LOOKING AT IT HE SAID IT WAS NOT DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE ON MY PART, ALTHOUGH I COULD HAVE CHANGED THE OIL MORE FREQUENTLY. HE SAID SLUDGE BUILD UP IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT CHANGE IT EVERY 3,000 MILES, I DID CHANGE IT WITHIN THE 7,500 MILES SUGGESTED IN MY OWNERS MANUAL. *NM