NHTSA Complaint #10189373 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK & MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GREAT CARE OF THIS CAR! I WAS CONCERNED, BUT I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY SO THERE WASN'T A PLACE TO PULL OVER! I WAS ONLY ABOUT 20 MIN TO TOWN & THOUGHT I COULD GET THERE TO CHECK THIS OUT. I WAS ON A STRETCH OF THE HIGHWAY THAT THE ONLY EXIT IS ANOTHER MAJOR HIGHWAY. ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR WENT FROM 65 MPH TO 0 MPH. I WAS DRIVING DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH CARS SPEEDING BY ME! THE CARS BEHIND ALMOST RAN INTO ME! I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR PULLED OVER ON THE NARROW SHOULDER. I WAS TERRIFIED TO GET OUT OF MY CAR DUE TO ALL THE SPEEDING TRAFFIC AND ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS SUCH A NARROW SPACE BETWEEN THE CAR AND THE MEDIAN. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK SO I COULD GET IT TO OUR MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC SHOP SAID THAT THE ENGINE WAS DEAD/ LOCKED UP. IT ONLY HAD 81K MILES ON IT! I HAVE DONE AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF RESEARCH OF THE 2.7L ENGINE THAT CHRYSLER PUT IN MY 1999 DODGE INTREPID. THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE! IT IS THE POOR CONSTRUCTION OF THIS ENGINE THAT IS CAUSING IT TO SLUDGE UP CAUSING IT TO LOCK UP ALL THE SUDDEN, LEAVING YOU WITH A CAR YOU CAN'T DRIVE! I HAVE HAD AN OIL ANALYSIS DONE ON MY OIL, SEVERAL THINGS THAT WERE FOUND CONCERNED THEM, BUT THE ONE THING THAT IS PROMINENT IS THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE/ WATER IN THE OIL. IT IS ALARMING THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CONSUMERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM, AND THERE'S NO RECALL ON THIS ENGINE! DUE TO THE MOISTURE CAUSING IT TO "SLUDGE UP & DIE" I THINK IF ONE OF THE CARS BEHIND ME WOULD HAVE HIT MY CAR (LIKE THEY ALMOST DID) THEN I COULD'VE BEEN PUSHED IN TO TRAFFIC AND SERIOUSLY HURT. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANOTHER PERSON. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE & SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER SOON! I AM NOT ABLE TO AFFORD ANOTHER ENGINE & INSTALLATION AT THIS TIME (PRICED AT ABOUT $6K+). I OWN A CAR THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE. IT'S CHRYSLER'S FAULT PUTTING THIS ENGINE IN, NOT MINE. *TR