NHTSA Complaint #10325183 — 2007 DODGE CARAVAN

I AM CURRENTLY THE OWNER OF A 2007 DODGE CARAVAN. ON MARCH 8,2010, I NOTICED OIL GUSHING FROM THE BOTTOM, RIGHT HAND CORNER OF MY 2007 DODGE CARAVAN. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE NEAREST GARAGE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. AT THIS POINT I ONLY HAD 30,941 MILES ON THE VEHICLE THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN TOLD ME I HAD A BLOWN CAM SEAL. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER TO SEE IF I WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. CHRYSLER INFORMED ME THAT MY WARRANTY WAS THREE YEARS OR 36,000 MILES AND THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. THE GARAGE REPLACED THE CAMSEAL, THE HEAD GASKET, THE TIMING BELT, AND THE OIL PAN SEAL. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER I HAD ANOTHER OIL LEAK IN THE SAME AREA. I DROVE IT BACK TO THE SAME GARAGE THAT I TOOK IT TO LAST TIME. THIS TIME THEY LOOKED FOR THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF MY PROBLEM. THEY TOOK OUT THE OIL PAN AND THE OIL PUMP AND TOOK A LOOK AT THE CRANKSHAFT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS BADLY DUG INTO AND IT APPEARED TO BE DEFECTIVE STRAIGHT FROM THE FACTORY. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE THRUST BEARING ON THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS, THEY INFORMED ME, WAS CAUSING THE CRANKSHAFT TO WOBBLE OR "WALK" THEREBY BUSTING THE SEAL ON THE OIL PUMP. THE GARAGE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE ON MY MINI-VAN IS ALSO THE SAME ONE THAT DODGE PUT INTO THE NEON AND THE NEONS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PARTICULAR ENGINE IN QUESTION IS A 2.4L DOHC. THE GARAGE ORDERED AN AFTER MARKET CRANKSHAFT KIT AND REPLACED MY CRANKSHAFT. AS A RESULT OF BOTH VISITS TO THE GARAGE, I HAVE HAD TO SPEND A TOTAL OF $1,691.77 TO HAVE MY VEHICLE FIXED. *TR