NHTSA Complaint #10164874 — 2004 CHRYSLER SEBRING

I WANT TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. ON THE WAY TO TOWN, MY CAR STALLED AT A STOP LIGHT. STARTED IT, STALLED AGAIN, RESTARTED AND NOW I CAN HEAR A LOUD KNOCKING(THE ROD) I EASED IT IN TO THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE, WHERE THE KNOCKING PERSISTED. I THEN WENT TOWARDS HOME, GOT ON TO MY ROAD AND CALLED MY FATHER IN LAW AND WE DECIDED TO PUSH IT IN TO THE DRIVEWAY. I CALLED THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS (2) AND THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS WAS, "AS LONG AS WE DON'T FIND ANY SLUDGE, THIS WILL BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY." IN RESEARCHING THE ENGINE ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE SOMETHING LIKE 1500 OR MORE COMPLAINTS REGARDING CHRYSLER NOT FIXING THIS CAR, ON CARS THAT ARE UNDER THEIR WARRANTY. THEY ARE DENYING UNDER THE "GUISE" THAT THE OWNERS ARE NOT MAINTAINING THEIR VEHICLES. THIS IS PURE HOGWASH, BECAUSE THIS ISSUE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE MODELS BACK TO 1999. IT IS EMBARRASSING THAT A CAR MANUFACTURER IS SO CHEAP THAT THEY CAN NOT ADMIT THEIR MISTAKE, COVER IT UNDER THE WARRANTY AND JUST BE DONE WITH IT. I HAD MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR, I AM GLAD THAT I DID NOT HAVE A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE AND END UP IN THE DITCH OR REAR ENDED LIKE MANY OTHERS I HAVE READ ABOUT. WHEN IT STALLED, LUCKILY THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME REALIZED THAT I WAS HAVING AN ISSUE AND GOT OVER TO THE OTHER LANE QUICK ENOUGH, THEY ONLY HONKED THEIR HORN AT ME, AS TO WHICH MY DAUGHTER WANTED TO KNOW WHY. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER MAJOR CAR MANUFACTURERS, AUDI, TOYOTA, THAT HAVE HAD SIMILAR SLUDGE ISSUES AND THEY HAVE STEPPED UP AND STARTED ENGINE REPLACEMENT, AND/OR REPAIR PROGRAMS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR MISTAKES. EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO HEAR ABOUT THIS, TO AVOID BUYING THIS TERRIBLE ENGINE AND THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL OF US DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH A 2.7L ENGINE AND FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES, PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TERRIBLE INJUSTICE. *JB