NHTSA Complaint #10257511 — 2006 DODGE CARAVAN

MY BOYFRIEND NOTICED AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE VAN. WE TOOK IT INTO A REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE IT FIXED. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL. TEN DAYS AFTER IT WAS FIXED, THE VAN STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP. THEY FIXED THE LEAK AGAIN AND TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. THE VAN STARED LEAKING DURING THE TEST DRIVE SO THEY RAN A BUNCH OF TESTS. THEY DECIDED THE PROBLEM WAS THE OIL PUMP. WHEN THEY TOOK THE OIL PAN OFF TO FIX THE PUMP, THEY FOUND THE THRUST BEARING IN THE OIL PAN. I DECIDED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP. THAT SHOP TOLD ME THAT I'D HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE. I THINK THAT THE BEARING WAS FAULTY AND THAT IT DEFIANTLY SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE OUT CONSIDERING THE VAN ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. THE SECOND REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T FIX JUST THE THRUST BEARING BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS TOAST. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VAN. WHEN I BOUGHT THE VAN IT HAD 18,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT EXPIRED IN NOVEMBER 2008. THE SECOND REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THERE ARE NO USED ENGINES OR REFURBISHED ENGINES AVAILABLE. I PAY $305 A MONTH IN PAYMENTS AND CAN'T AFFORD A REPAIR BILL THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR