NHTSA Complaint #10168433 — 2002 DODGE INTREPID

IT ALL STARTED WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS JUST A BROKEN WATER CONNECTOR ON THE TOP OF THE CHRYSLER 2.7 LITER ENGINE IN OUR 2002 DODGE INTREPID. I REPLACED THE PART MYSELF AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS JUST A SIMPLE ISSUE. BUT THE VERY NEXT DAY MY WIFE WENT TO WORK AND GOT STRANDED WHEN THE CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN BUT THERE WAS LEAK THIS TIME JUST AN EXTREMELY HOT ENGINE. AFTER THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN AND I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT THE ENGINE HAD CRATERED AND THAT IT WAS ALL DUE TO AN INTERNAL OIL PROBLEM FROM THE BEGINNING. AS I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE IT HAS BECOME VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALER THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL I TOLD THEM ABOUT IT. AFTER TEARING THE ENGINE DOWN THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE SAME AS THEM OTHERS DESCRIBED IN THE WEBSITES, OIL SLUDGE CAUSING THE INTERNAL LUBRICATION TO FAIL. THE DEALER GAVE US $800.00 TRADE IN FOR A CAR WORTH $4000.00 WHICH WE HAD WORK VERY HAD TO PAY OFF EARLY. THE ONLY OTHER RECOURSE WAS TO HAVE A USED OR REBUILD INSTALLED AT A COST OF $5500 TO $8500.00 WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. SO NOW WE HAVE A NEW USED CAR AND A MONTHLY PAYMENT AGAIN FOR SOMETHING THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS IS A PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. *NM