NHTSA Complaint #10141095 — 1999 DODGE DODGE

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR JOLTED, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR CAME TO A HALT. THERE WAS NEVER ANY WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. ONCE TOWED, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED A NEW ONE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS HAPPENED IN FLORIDA, SO THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED BACK TO OUR HOME IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO THE TUNE OF $1000.00. WE THEN HAD THE MECHANIC THAT WORKS ON THE CAR SEARCH FOR A SALVAGED ENGINE. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK, HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE ONE AND PUT THAT IN THE CAR. THAT COST WAS ALMOST $3000.00. WE THEN STARTED EXPERIENCING ALL TYPES OF PROBLEMS...THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T WORK, THE ALTERNATOR WENT, THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO BE DRAINED. AFTER ALL THIS WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED, WE ARE OUT ALMOST $5500.00. THIS HAS INVOLVED A LOT OF TIME AND INCONVENIENCE TO OUR FAMILY SINCE THIS CAR IS THE PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR SON AT COLLEGE. HE HAS HAD TO TAKE ONE OF OUR CARS TO SCHOOL WHILE WE HAVE SPENT 3 MONTHS TRYING TO CORRECT ALL OF THESE ITEMS DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. IN TALKING WITH THE CHRYSLER HEADQUARTERS, THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE ENGINE FAILURE SITUATION AND APPARENT "SLUG" IN THE LINES, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT HEARD IT ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RECALL OR RE-IMBURSE THOSE OF US THAT HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS TO CORRECT THEIR PROBLEM. OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THIS CAR HAS ALL THESE NEW PARTS AND SHOULD LAST OUR SON THROUGH THE NEXT 4 YEARS OF COLLEGE, HOWEVER, WHAT'S NOT TO SAY THIS COULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN WITH THE SALVAGED ENGINE? WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY AND ALL ASSISTANCE.*JB