NHTSA Complaint #10227271 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

I PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN DECEMBER 2007, IT HAD 147,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE I PURCHASED IT I HAVE HAD THE OIL CHANGED TWICE. ON THE MORNING OF MAY 7, 2008, I CHECKED THE OIL PRIOR TO A LONG TRIP AND FOUND IT TO BE 1 QUART LOW. I ADDED ADDITIONAL OIL TO BRING THE LEVEL TO FULL. ABOUT 5 MILES INTO THE TRIP, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MILES AN HOUR, I BEGAN HEARING A VERY LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AS I BEGAN CHANGING LANES, I FOUND THAT ONCE I SLOWED DOWN SLIGHTLY, I WAS UNABLE TO PICK UP SPEED AGAIN, AND I WAS SLOWLY LOOSING SPEED. AS I ENTERED THE OFF RAMP THE OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER. AT THE END OF THE OFF RAMP, MY CAR DIED AT THE STOP SIGN, AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN, LEAVING ME IN A VERY UNSAFE PLACE. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ATTEMPTED TO PUSH IT INTO A PARKING LOT FROM THE DRIVERS DOOR IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL OR APPLY THE BRAKES IF NEEDED. I WAS UNABLE TO PUSH FROM THAT POSITION, SO I WAS FORCED TO TAKE THE RISK OF PUSHING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. BY SHEER LUCK THE CAR ROLLED BETWEEN A STREET SIGN AND A PARKED VEHICLE, AND CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT HIT A BUSH JUST BEFORE ROLLING INTO THE DITCH. I WAS INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE ROD KNOCK WAS CAUSED BY A SEVERE BUILDUP OF OIL SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. I WAS OFFERED 2 OPTIONS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE; 1) HAVE A REMANUFACTURED 2.7 L ENGINE INSTALLED THAT HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM, OR 2) HAVE A 3.2 OR 3.5 L ENGINE FROM ANOTHER INTREPID OR CONCORD INSTALLED, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE NO MODIFICATIONS SINCE THE TRANSMISSION AND EXHAUST SYSTEMS FOR ALL THREE OF THE ENGINES WERE IDENTICAL. TO MY SURPRISE, THE ESTIMATE FOR INSTALLING THE LARGER ENGINE WAS LESS THAN INSTALLING THE SAME SIZE ENGINE, EVEN CONSIDERING THE PERIPHERAL PARTS SUCH AS AIR CONDITIONING, POWER STEERING, ETC. THAT WOULD NEED TO COME ALONG WITH THE LARGER ENGINE! ALL TOLD, I WILL HAVE SPEND $3000 TO PURCHASE THE CAR AND NEARLY THE SAME AMOUNT TO REPAIR IT. *TR