NHTSA Complaint #10227909 — 2000 DODGE INTREPID

INITIALLY MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID BEGAN MAKING A CLANKING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30MPH. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED REGULAR OIL CHANGES OF 3000 MILES OR LESS, BUT WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL, IT WAS ABOUT A QUART LOW (WHICH IT HAD NOT EVER BEEN LOW BEFORE.) WHEN I OPENED THE CRANKCASE TO ADD OIL, THE CAP WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE ENGINE FLUSHED WITH OIL, REPLACED THE OIL AND FILTER, AND ALSO HAD LUCAS ADDED TO THE ENGINE. THE NOISE CONTINUED. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALL PARTS WERE ORDERED DIRECTLY FROM CHRYSLER. LESS THAN 125 MILES LATER, THE NOISE BEGAN AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC. HE CONTACTED CHRYSLER, THEN, PER CHRYSLER, ADDED TWO SEPARATE ADDITIVES TO THE CRANKCASE. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE TENSIONER WORK PROPERLY. HOWEVER, THE NOISE CONTINUED TO GET WORSE IN THE FEW DAYS THAT FOLLOWED. (I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE IF THESE ADDITIVES WOULD WORK.) THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE. AFTER NOTIFYING CHRYSLER, I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTICS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE ROD BEARINGS WERE BAD AND THE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT WILL BE $5400 FOR A NEW ENGINE. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT $1300 ON THE ENGINE PLUS THE COST OF TWO TOWS. I STILL OWE ON THIS CAR AND CANNOT USE IT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 39K MILES ON THIS ORIGINAL ENGINE. I WILL NEVER DRIVE, RENT, OR OWN ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER VEHICLE AGAIN BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES AND HAVE NO INTEGRITY TO MAKE IT RIGHT. *TR