NHTSA Complaint #10150041 — 2002 DODGE INTREPID

MY USED 2002 DODGE INTREPID WITH A CHRYSLER 2.7 ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING LIKE CRAZY AFTER STOPPING ON ME SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST EXPENSIVE "REPAIR" TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WAS REPLACEMENT OF A FUEL PUMP AND A "FUEL PUMP CONT MODULE CARTER ELECTRIC FUEL ASS" WHICH HAD CRACKED (345.00 FOR THE PART, $600.00 FOR THE "REPAIR"). TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE WAS KNOCKING EVEN MORE LOUDLY AND I WAS INFORMED BY PEP BOYS THAT THE ENGINE WAS SHOT--LOCKED UP--AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO A DODGE DEALER. $172.00 LATER, THE DODGE DEALER HAD TOWED MY CAR AND TOLD ME THE SAME THING. THE WARRANTY COMPANY DEMANDED OIL CHANGE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS WHICH WE COULD NOT PRODUCE AS WE HAVE FRIENDS WHO CHANGE THE OIL FOR US. WE WERE TOLD BY SEVERAL ENGINE REPAIR COMPANIES WE CONTACTED (TRYING TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE OPTION) THAT THE 2.7 ENGINE HAD A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW OIL TO PASS THROUGH AND BE BURNED PROPERLY, CAUSING SLUDGE TO BUILD UP AND DESTROY THE ENGINE. OF COURSE DODGE AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY "BLAMED" IT ON OUR "POOR MAINTENANCE"--WE STILL OWE 9,000 ON THE CAR!!!--THE CURRIE MOTORS DODGE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $750.00 TO "TEAR DOWN" THE ENGINE, THEN SAID THEY COULD PUT IN A REFURBISHED ENGINE FOR $5300.00!! NO APOLOGIES FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE ENGINE. NO CONSIDERATION WHATEVER. THEY SEEMED GLEEFUL THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE SO MUCH MONEY FROM OUR DISTRESS! EACH ENGINE REPLACEMENT COMPANY WE CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE COST OF REPLACING AN ENGINE ASKED, BEFORE WE EVEN TOLD THEM, "IS IT A CHRYSLER 2.7?" THE DODGE CHRYSLER COMPANY SHOULD RECALL ALL AUTOS WITH 2.7 ENGINES AND REPLACE THE ENGINES FOR FREE WITH AN IMPROVED 2.7 MODEL. I KNOW AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE THAT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER OR ANY OTHER MODEL MARKETED BY THESE DEALERSHIPS. I REGRET THAT I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT DODGE INFERIORITY BEFORE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I DIDN'T DO MY "HOMEWORK," I GUESS. *JB