NHTSA Complaint #10146680 — 1999 DODGE RAM VAN

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROPPED TO 0 PSIG. IT HAD BEEN APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION TO CHECK THE OIL, I DISCOVERED MY OIL WAS ABOUT 3 QUARTS LOW. I PURCHASED 3 QTS OF OIL AND INSTALLED IT IN THE ENGINE AND CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS THE REST OF THE WAY HOME (GAUGE DROPPING TO 0 PSI, BUT NO REAL NOTICEABLE CLACKING OF LIFTERS). I EXPERIENCED THIS SORT OF PROBLEM IN 2002 WHEN MY 1999 DODGE RAM VAN (318 CI) WENT ON A TRIP TO NY AND USED ABOUT 12 QUARTS OF OIL WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAD TO FIGHT LIKE CRAZY WITH CHRYSLER TO COVER IT (I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED). I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT WITH THE VAN WHICH IS NOW ALMOST SEVEN YEARS OLD WITH 55,000 MILES. NOT A VERY DEPENDABLE MACHINE AND PROMISE TO NEVER OWN ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT AS LONG AS I LIVE. *NM