NHTSA Complaint #10144039 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM WORK IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, ONCE I GOT IT HOME INTO THE DRIVE IT STOPPED RUNNING. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT LUCKY FOR ME I DON'T LIVE MORE THAN 5 MILES FROM WHERE I WORK. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE THEY SAID THAT THE IS SLUDGE BUILD UP AND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN WHICH HAD BLOWN UP THE ENGINE. THEY MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THESE CARS AND I PAID HIM $2,000 DOWN TO START WORKING ON THE CAR. MY FIEND SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT THE CHRYSLER COMPANY AND I OPENED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE THE WORK DONE BY ONE OF THEIR CERTIFIED MECHANICS, I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD ALREADY STARTED THE WORK AT ANOTHER COMPANY. THEY REFUSE TO HELP WITH ANY OF THE COSTS UNLESS I HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO ONE OF THEIR COMPANIES WHERE I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE ORIGINAL MECHANIC OVER A $1,000 TO REPLACE THE OLD ENGINE AND CANCEL THE ORDER OF THE NEW ONE. I HAD CALLED THE DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO ALL OF THIS AND BECAUSE THE CAR'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED THEY OFFERED NO HELP. *JB