NHTSA Complaint #10140949 — 2002 DODGE DAKOTA

I WAS DRIVING TO PA FROM FL IN MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB WITH A V-8 4.7L ENGINE (MSRP $27,000)WHEN I HEARD A TICKING NOISE WHILE IN SC. ALL FLUID LEVELS WERE FINE, SO I CONTINUED ON MY JOURNEY ON TUES. OCT. 11, 2005 I FOUND OUT THE DIAGNOSIS WHICH WAS THAT 3 RODS INSIDE THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND A NEW ENGINE WAS REQUIRED TO FIX IT. I WAS SHOCKED AND ASSUMED THAT CHRYSLER WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY SINCE I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH CHRYSLER. THE CHRYSLER ADJUSTOR FINALLY ARRIVED TO CHECK OUT MY TRUCK ON FRI. OCT. 14 AND THAT IS WHEN I HEARD THE HORRENDOUS NEWS THAT CHRYSLER WAS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR END OF THE CONTRACT AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF MAINTENANCE ON MY TRUCK. AFTER I FOUND THAT OUT I IMMEDIATELY HAD ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS FAXED TO ME FROM FL WHICH PROVED THAT I FAITHFULLY CHANGED MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES OR LESS. I ASSUMED THAT THIS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THEM TO FIX MY ENGINE. I DECIDED TO LEAVE SC DUE TO COSTLY HOTEL EXPENSES AND HAD MY SISTER COME FROM VA TO PICK MY DAUGHTER AND I UP WHERE WE AT LEAST HAD A FREE PLACE TO STAY TEMPORARILY TILL MY TRUCK WAS FIXED. I FOUND OUT THE TERRIBLE NEWS ON MON. OCT. 24TH THAT MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS MEANT NOTHING TO THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION. I RECEIVED THE RESPONSE "LACK OF MAINTENANCE" AS BEING THE REASON WHY THEY WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS SHOCKED THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PAID ALMOST 1800.00 FOR TO COVER THIS TYPE OF SITUATION WOULD NOT COVER THIS REPAIR. MY TRUCK HAD 41,369 MILES ON IT WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE ESTIMATE I RECEIVED FOR REPAIRING THE ENGINE WAS $7,301.00. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED WHY MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE NOT HONORED AND WAS TOLD "THIS IS THE FINAL DECISION MAM". I ASKED FOR FAXES TO BE SENT TO ME REGARDING THE ADJUSTORS REPORT & A LETTER FROM CHRYSLER SAYING THAT RESPONSIBILITY WAS NOT BEING TAKEN BY THEM FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT SEND THAT TO ME. *JB