NHTSA Complaint #10250121 — 2001 DODGE INTREPID

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, SPEED APPROX. 65 M.P.H. ON INTERSTATE. ENGINE MADE A SHARP "BANG", NO WARNING LIGHTS, BELLS, NOTHING TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. APPEARED TO LOSE POWER, BUT NEVER STALLED OUT. MANAGED TO "LIMP" HOME (LESS THAN 2 MILES). PARKED VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, ON ITS OWN. RAISED THE HOOD, FOUND NOTHING TO BE UNUSUAL. TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT RESTART, ONLY A LOUD CLUNKING AS THE ENGINE TURNED OVER. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD "JUMPED" AND THAT ALL OF THE VALVES WERE BENT. WAS GIVEN A "VERBAL" ESTIMATE OF $7000.00-$7500.00 TO REPAIR/REPLACE ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS. I DECLINED. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. ALL REQUIRED FLUID CHANGE INTERVALS HAD BEEN PERFORMED AND DOCUMENTED. AT NO TIME WAS I EVER INFORMED THAT THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE HAD ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH IT. I STILL HAVE THIS VEHICLE, SITTING IN STORAGE. IT HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED SINCE BEING BROUGHT BACK HOME FROM THE REPAIR FACILITY. I HAVE, AND STILL MAINTAIN THAT THIS ENGINE FAILURE WAS NOT SOMETHING I COULD HAVE FORESEEN AND OR BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR. NOW I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CHRYSLER, HAS BEEN AWARE OF AND HAS DENIED ANY LIABILITIES. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT OFFERED THE COSTLY REPAIR, THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR MY CAR. NOW I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, THAT CHRYSLER HAS BEEN MAKING "SELECTIVE REPARATIONS". *TR