NHTSA Complaint #10139644 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I WAS AROUND 700 MILES FROM HOME FOR MY SON'S WEDDING IN MAY AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO KNOCK, MY HUSBAND WHO IS A CERTIFIED AUTO MECHANIC BY THE STATE OF OHIO FOR OVER 25 YEARS LOOKED IT OVER AND FOUND NOTHING. THE NEXT DAY WE WERE DRIVING BACK HOME AND THE KNOCKING STOPPED . THE CAR DROVE FINE AFTER THAT AND DID NOT MAKE THE NOISE AGAIN. WE ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES AND WE HAVE ALWAYS USED SYNTHETIC OIL IN THE CAR. 1 MONTH LATER ON MY WAY TO WORK I WAS DRIVING ON STATE ROUTE 571 WHEN THE CAR STARTED JERKING AND STOPPING THEN STARTING AGAIN I ALMOST GOT REARENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. I CALLED MY HUSBAND TO TELL HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED I WAS VERY SHOOK UP SCARED OUT OF MY MIND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE RAN OVER BY A SEMI. HE TOLD ME TO DRIVE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL I COULD TURN OFF ON A SIDE ROAD SO I DID. I WAS ABLE TO NURSE IT HOME AND TAKE ANOTHER CAR TO WORK THAT DAY. WE TOOK IT DOWN TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER IN TOWN AND THEY TOLD US THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE OIL AND TOLD US IT WOULD BE 7200 DOLLARS TO FIX THE CAR I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY LAYING AROUND SO THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE I TRY TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO FIX IT. *JB