NHTSA Complaint #10171638 — 1998 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

ON THE MORNING OF 10/20/2006, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN OUR 1998 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. HE WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND LOSING POWER, THE OIL LIGHT ALSO CAME ON WHEN HE STOPPED. HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO WORK AND PARK THE CAR. ONLY TO BE TOLD BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT WE HAVE "ENGINE FAILURE" AND NEED A NEW ENGINE. MORE THAN LIKELY DUE TO "OIL SLUDGE"...WHATEVER THAT IS. WE HAVE HAD THE OIL CHANGED IN THIS CAR EVERY 3,000 MILES WITH SYNTHETIC OIL SINCE PURCHASING IT FROM MY PARENTS IN 2001. MY PARENTS HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND ALSO HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US THIS "OIL SLUDGE" AND ENGINE FAILURE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS THAT HAVE THE 2.7L ENGINE. WE CAN NOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE LET ALONE A REBUILT ENGINE. MY HUSBAND HAS NO TRANSPORTATION TO WORK NOW, AS WE HAVE 5 CHILDREN 3 OF THEM UNDER 3, AND I CAN'T BE WITHOUT A VEHICLE DUE TO OUR MIDDLE DAUGHTER'S HEALTH PROBLEMS AND 3 WEEKLY DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS. MY HUSBAND'S JOB IS IN THE CITY WHICH IS A 30 - 45 MINUTE COMMUTE. NOW MY HUSBAND IS HAVING TO TAKE A BUS TO WORK AND HAS TO ADD 2 ADDITIONAL HOURS ON TO HIS COMMUTE TIME. LESS TIME WITH FAMILY AND A CAR WITH 72,000 MILES THAT WE CAN'T DRIVE!!! CHRYSLER'S OWN MECHANICS ADMIT THE DEFECT WITH THE 2.7L ENGINES, WHY WON'T THE COMPANY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I'LL TELL YOU WHY......HAVING TO STAND UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE ENGINE WOULD TOTALLY BANKRUPT THEM. NOT TO MENTION TARNISH THE "MERCEDES-BENZ" AFFILIATION. SINCE HEARING THIS I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER WON'T DO A [XXX] THING ABOUT IT!!! MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN LOYAL CHRYSLER OWNERS SINCE THEIR FIRST NEW CAR 40 YEARS AGO......I DOUBT THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR