NHTSA Complaint #10202391 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

INTREPID SE 2.7L, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 98,000 MILES BOUGHT A BEAUTIFUL 1999 DODGE INTREPID FROM A VERY REPUTABLE DEALER. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS, LIKE "SENSORS" NEEDING TO BE REPLACED BUT I THOUGHT, EH, AT $5,000 I STOLE THIS CAR. AFTER ONLY 2 MONTHS OF DRIVING THE ENGINE SEIZED UP WHILE I WAS IN TRAFFIC! I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A CAR BEHIND ME AS I CROSSED AN INTERSECTION. I HAD DRIVEN THIS CAR ONLY ABOUT 3000 MILES WHEN IT LOCKED UP ON ME. DURING THAT TIME I HAD CHANGED THE OIL ONCE JUST LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO. I DID NOT DRIVE THIS CAR HARD, I AM A VERY SAFE DRIVER. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED AT MY EXPENSE TO A MECHANIC, AFTER RUNNING A TYPICAL SPARK, FUEL AND COMPRESSION TEST, I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT HE HAD TO TEAR THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DOWN TO FIND THE PROBLEM. AFTER TWO DAYS THE MECHANIC CALLED AND SAID THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN, A PISTON WAS SEIZED AND THE EXHAUST VALVES WERE BURNT. SO I PAID $5000 TO RYAN'S ENGINE EXCHANGE IN COLORADO SPRINGS TO GET A REBUILT ENGINE, ALL AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I BOUGHT THE NEW ENGINE IN MARCH OF 2003, IT IS NOW SEPTEMBER 2007 AND MY CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING AGAIN! I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAYS THAT THE CYLINDER HAS LOST COMPRESSION AND THAT IT IS LEAKING AIR FROM A LEAK TEST INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. BOTTOM LINE, I NEED A NEW ENGINE AGAIN! THIS ON A ENGINE THAT ONLY HAS 54000 MILES ON IT AND WHICH THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED AND MAINTENANCE PERFORMED RELIGIOUSLY BY THE DEALER. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF ONE WITH ONE ON THE WAY AND HAVE NO CAR TO DRIVE TO WORK AND MAY LOSE MY JOB! *JB