NHTSA Complaint #10173761 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2006 I WAS DRIVING ALONG A SECONDARY HIGHWAY WHEN MY 1999 DODGE INTREPID STARTED TO BUCK ON ME. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE WAS SKIPPING AND UNBEKNOWNST TO ME SMOKE CAME OUT OF MY EXHAUST WHEN IT BUCKED . I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL COMPUTER TUNE AND LUBE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW MOTOR IN THE CAR TO THE TUNE OF 6500 DOLLARS. I BECAME ANGRY AND LIMPED MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME THAT SINCE I HAD A WARRANTY I COULD GET THE ENGINE FIXED THE ENGINE IS A 2.7 LITRE. I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO PROCEEDED TO BREAK DOWN THE ENGINE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED THE WARRANTY COMPANY AND I SHOULD FORWARD ALL MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS TO THE COMPANY. NOW EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY MY CAR BROKE DOWN AND EVENTUALLY THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN THEY WERE DONE THE CHECKED OUT MY FLUIDS OIL AND OTHER ITEMS AND THAT SETTLED THAT. I ONLY PUT 5000 MILES ON THE CAR BETWEEN THEN AND NOW AND FROM WHAT THE DESCRIBED YOU WOULD THINK I RAN THE CAR INTO THE GROUND. I TAKE PRIDE IN MY CARS AND HAVE KEPT A CONSISTENT RECORD OF RUNNING THEM FOR TEN YEARS. THE WARRANTY COMPANY IS SENDING OUT AN INSPECTOR BUT THEY ARE GOING TO AVOID PAYING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR LAST YEAR AND ALREADY IT'S IN WORSE SHAPE THAN ANY OF MY PREVIOUS CARS @ TEN YEARS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ME AS TO A POSSIBLE RECOURSE TO THIS DILEMMA. *NM