NHTSA Complaint #10329526 — 2007 DODGE CHARGER

UPON ARRIVING FOR MY SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE AND TIRE EXCHANGE FROM SNOWS TO SUMMER, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY TIE ROD ENDS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS THEY WERE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON. SO I INSTRUCTED THEM TO GO AHEAD AND FIX IT AS I NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE WHEN YOU TRANSPORT YOUR CHILD ON A REGULAR BASIS (AS WELL AS MYSELF). I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THAT TIME THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR I WOULD HAVE GONE TO A DAIMLERCHRYSLER/DODGE DEALER TO GET IT FIXED. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR WITH 33,000 MILES TO NEED TWO NEW TIE RODS. THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY REPAIR AS I HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AT ALL. LEAVING WITHOUT GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED WAS NOT AN OPTION AS I AM NOT WILLING TO PUT MINE OR MY DAUGHTER'S SAFETY IN JEOPARDY AS SHE WAS WITH ME AT THE TIME OF THE APPOINTMENT. I AM AWARE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR THAT CAN BE CAUSED WHEN A TIE ROD (OR BOTH) FAILS AND DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT GOING AHEAD WITH THE REPAIRS. UPON SPEAKING WITH A REPRESENTATIVE AFTER THE FACT TO GET A REIMBURSEMENT (FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE BACK OF THE OWNERS MANUAL REGARDING EMERGENCY REPAIRS NOT DONE AT A DEALER), DAIMLERCHRYSLER STATED THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE PARTS. THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AS I DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER OPTION. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING, WHICH WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN FULLY COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BY GOING TO A DAIMLERCHRYSLER DEALER, ESPECIALLY BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. HAD THE TIE RODS INDEED BROKEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, NOT ONLY WOULD IT HAVE INCURRED ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF DAMAGE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR MYSELF AND MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. RESEARCH OVER THE INTERNET HAS SINCE INDICATED THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH DAIMLERCHRYSLER VEHICLES AND THIS IS NOT A REPAIR I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. *TR