NHTSA Complaint #10161376 — 1999 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

I BOUGHT A 1999 CONCORDE WITH A 2.7L ENGINE AT THE END OF MARCH OF 06. ON APRIL 3, 2006 I GOT AN OIL CHANGE AND OTHER MAINTENANCE, AND THE CAR WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 127K MILES. ALL SEEMED WELL WITH THE CAR. ON 7/2/06, THE DAY BEFORE MY SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE, MY WIFE TOOK MY CAR TO WORK INSTEAD OF HER OWN, AS SHE WAS GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE AFTERWARDS. AT ABOUT 7:07 AM, I GET A CALL FROM MY FRANTIC WIFE, AND SHE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT SHE WAS ON I-96 JUST BEFORE THE EXIT TO I-275 IN MICHIGAN GOING ABOUT 70 MPH AND THE CAR LOST POWER AND DIED WITHOUT WARNING. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS "ARE YOU OK?" I IMMEDIATELY GOT UP AND WENT TO WHERE SHE WAS. THE CAR WOULD NOT EVEN TURN OVER. I SIMPLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. HOWEVER, I WAS INFURIATED WHEN THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT THE 2.7L ENGINES IN THE 1998-2001 HAD A DESIGN FLAW, WHEREIN AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF SLUDGE BUILD UP OCCURS, PREVENTING THE OIL FROM CIRCULATING THROUGH THE ENGINE, WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THERE WAS VERY LITTLE OIL ON MY DIPSTICK. THE MECHANIC COULDN'T GIVE ME A PRICE ON THE COST OF FIXING THE PROBLEM, MAINLY BECAUSE OUT OF ALL OF THE CASES THAT HE'S SEEN WITH THIS SAME ENGINE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FIXES. I CANNOT BEGIN TO EXPLAIN HOW INCONVENIENT THIS IS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. BOTH MY WIFE AND I ARE STUDENTS WHO WORK. FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN READING, THE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE CAN COST UP TO $9,000 DOLLARS. AT THIS POINT, THAT'S MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH NOW, AND WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THIS TYPE OF EXPENSE. *JB