NHTSA Complaint #10153209 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

IN MAY 2005, MY 2001 INTREPID WITH THE 2.7L ENGINE LEFT US STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD DUE TO OVERHEATING. THE HEATER ALSO WOULD BLOW HOT AIR ONLY HALF THE TIME. I WAS UNAWARE OF THE 2.7L ENGINE PROBLEM. THE CAR ALSO HAD AN OIL LEAK. TOWED THE CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER DEALER. THIS DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK ON THE CAR AND FOUND QUITE A FEW THINGS WRONG. CONTACTED THE 'EXTENDED' WARRANTY COMPANY AND THEY ADVISED I NEEDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO 'THEIR' AUTHORIZED DEALER. HAD THE CAR TOWED THERE ALSO. THE 'WARRANTY' DEALER ALSO RAN A DIAGNOSTICS ON THE CAR AND ONLY FOUND ABOUT HALF OF THE THINGS WRONG WITH THE CAR. AFTER FIGHTING WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 10 DAYS WITHOUT A VEHICLE, THEY AGREED TO AUTHORIZE THE WORK. THE DEALER FIXED THE HEATING PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. THEY ALSO FIXED THE OIL LEAK AND REPLACED A COUPLE OF GASKETS. THE DEALER CALLED US AND INFORMED US THAT THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE BUILDUP AND THAT A DE-SLUDGING WAS RECOMMENDED. THIS OF COURSE NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. WE DECIDED TO DO THE DE-SLUDGING AT A $300 COST. WE RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK ON JUNE 14TH. WELL, ON APROX. MARCH 2ND, 2006 I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM NIGHT SCHOOL ON INTERSTATE 10 WHEN MY ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. I WAS DOING 60 MPH. I STOPPED AND CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS NORMAL. SO I WENT ON HOME. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT EVEN START SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SAME DEALER AS BEFORE. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTICS CHECK AND SAID I NEED A NEW ENGINE. APROX COST $6400. I OWE 7K ON THIS CAR STILL. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THIS WORK SINCE THEY CLAIM THAT THE DE-SLUDGING VOIDED THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED IT AND THE WARRANTY HAD SAID THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR IT BUT NOTHING EVER CAME UP ABOUT VOIDING THE WARRANTY. I'M STUCK WITHOUT A VEHICLE AGAIN, IN A RENTAL CAR OF MY OWN EXPENSE AND NO $$ TO FIX IT AT THIS TIME!!! *JB