NHTSA Complaint #10146650 — 2000 JEEP LAREDO

MY 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE LAREDO BEGAN EXPERIENCING A COOLANT LEAK AND ABNORMALLY HIGH COOLANT USE, USE THAT I NOTICED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE USED IN AUGUST 2005. IN DECEMBER WHILE GETTING THE OIL CHANGED MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF ANTIFREEZE IN MY OIL. MY MECHANIC SUSPECTED THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET OR PERHAPS EVEN A CRACKED HEAD. WHEN THE HEAD WAS REMOVED HE DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE HEAD HAD BEEN MACHINED INCORRECTLY. ALL OF THE HOLES THAT SURROUND THE PISTON CHAMBER AND ALLOW ANTIFREEZE TO FLOW THROUGH HAD BEEN MACHINED APPROXIMATELY 1/2-3/4 OF AN INCH OFF CENTER WHICH WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE FOR A GASKET TO PROPERTY SEAL. MY MECHANIC CONTACTED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS TO THE ENGINE AND THERE WAS NOT. A REPRESENTATIVE THAT HE HAD CONTACT WITH INDICATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 32 OF THESE HEAD ARE REPLACED EACH WEEK, HE DID NOT INDICATE WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS FROM THE SAME ENGINE OR FROM DIFFERENT ENGINES MANUFACTURED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER. THE COST TO REPLACE THE HEAD WITH A REMANUFACTURED HEAD WAS APPROXIMATELY $1400. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *NM