NHTSA Complaint #10244978 — 2003 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE

HAVE A 2003 CHRYSLER SEBRING WITH A 2.7 LITER ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A CHRYSLER REPAIR SHOP WHEN IT WOULDN'T START, THEY SAID IT NEEDED A NEW BATTERY (THE BATTERY IN IT WAS A FEW MONTHS OLD) AND A NEW STARTER. I BORROWED THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THEM TO FIX IT. THEN AFTER DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 15 MILES WHEN I GOT IT BACK, AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS THE CAR ENGINE BLOWS. THE CHRYSLER SHOP ACCUSES ME FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF NEVER CHANGING THE OIL. I PROVED IT WAS CHANGED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEY SAY IMPROPER MAINTENANCE CAUSED "ENGINE SLUDGE" WHICH THE CAUSED ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CAR ALWAYS RAN QUITE AND COOL, BUT WHEN IT FAILED AND I GOT IT TO START AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS, IT MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS ALL THE WAY UP (WHICH NEVER HAPPENS) AND THE ENGINE WAS BOILING HOT. THEY NOW SAY THEY NEED AN INSPECTOR FROM MY WARRANTY PEOPLE TO COME INSPECT AND "DIAGNOSE" THE ENGINE. THEY SAY THAT COST IS NOT COVERED TO BREAK DOWN AND OPEN THE ENGINE FOR INSPECTION AND IT COSTS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEN IF THEY DO NOT COVER IT, I'LL NEED TO PAY AGAIN TO PUT THE BROKEN ENGINE BACK TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND ADDITIONALLY AND ABOVE THAT COST, THE COST TO REPAIR THE ENGINE THEY SAY IS $10, 000. CHRYSLER PRETENDS THERE HAS BEEN NO KNOWN ISSUES WITH THIS ENGINE BUT A GOOGLE SEARCH OF "CHRYSLER 2.7 ENGINE DEFECTIVE" PROVES OTHERWISE. MILLIONS OF THEIR CARS HAVE THESE ENGINES AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS ABOUT CHRYSLERS DENIAL OF THIS PROBLEM AND SYSTEMATIC COVER UP. MY FIANCEE AND I JUST EVACUATED NEW ORLEANS DUE T HURRICANES GUSTAV. SHE IS DISABLED AND WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF BEING HOMELESS, THAT CAR WAS THE ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR US AND FOR ME TO ATTEMPT TO EARN A LIVING. *TR