NHTSA Complaint #10165093 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS RETURNING HOME FROM TAKING ME TO WORK. IN THE CAR WITH HER WAS MY FIVE YEAR OLD SON AND TWO YEAR OLD NIECE. WHILE TRAVELING ALONG A RURAL HIGHWAY 12 IN THE NORTHWEST OF IDAHO WITH A POSTED SPEED OF 55 MPH. SHE FELT THE CAR SURGE OR SPUTTER. SHE BECAME WORRIED AND WITHOUT FURTHER WARNING THE CAR LOST POWER RESULTING IN THE LOSE OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. SHE MANAGED TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND PULLED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER WHERE SHE TRIED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES TO START THE CAR WITH OUT SUCCESS. FINALLY, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO START, AND CONTINUED HER TRIP, NOT 1 MILE DOWN THE ROAD THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. LUCKILY SHE WAS IN FRONT OF A HOUSE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY THIS TIME. THE PROPERTY OWNER WAS NICE ENOUGH TO LET HER USE THE PHONE WERE SHE CALLED ME TO RETRIEVE THE CAR AND GET HER BACK HOME. THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT RUN. THIS INCIDENT UPSETS ME GREATLY BECAUSE THE SAFETY OF MY WIFE SON NIECE AND UNBORN CHILD WAS PUT AT RISK AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS CAR WHICH SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF LIFE LEFT. THE CAR IS A 1999 INTREPID WITH 72000 MILES PROBLEMS LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN THIS EARLY. *JB