NHTSA Complaint #10168759 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

RETURNING FROM VACATION, THE 2001 DODGE INTREPID I WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILDREN, WHICH HAS A 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINE JUST QUIT AFTER A SLIGHT SCREECHING NOISE. WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME. LOST BRAKES AND STEERING. THANK THE LORD THAT NO ONE WAS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND US. AFTER GETTING THE CAR ONTO THE SHOULDER AND AFTER THE CAR STOPPED SMOKING, I OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS OIL EITHER FROM THE HEAD GASKET OR THE TIMING COVER SPRAYED OIL OVER THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PULLED THE DIP STICK AND THE OIL WAS MILKY. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED. REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND WHERE THE OIL CAME FROM. THEN AFTER TWO WEEKS THEY FOUND THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND DRIVEN OUT OF SHOP. TWO DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON AFTER ENGINE GOT TO OPERATING TEMP. TOOK CAR BACK TO FIX OVERHEATING PROBLEM AND IT WAS A VALVE UNDER THE INTAKE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE OIL LIGHT STILL COMES ON. I WAS THEN TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE, SLUDGE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND WHEN IT QUIT ON THE HIGHWAY IT CAUSED THE CRANK SHAFT AND BEARINGS TO GO BAD. NEW ENGINE COST $5500.00 FROM DODGE. ALREADY PUT $2800.00. CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND IT OVERHEATED AGAIN TRYING TO GET HOME. *JB