NHTSA Complaint #10451485 — 2000 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW FROM THE DODGE/CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. I WAS DRIVING WHEN I HEARD A TICKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I USED MY CELLPHONE TO CALL MY MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY MY TIMING CHAIN BUT THAT IF IT'S JUST TICKING IT'S NOT IMMINENT DANGER OF BREAKING. I ARRIVED TO WORK AND UPON LEAVING WORK, I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. IT MADE A GRINDING SOUND, I SAW SMOKE COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK COMPANY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND WOULD COST $6000.00 TO REPLACE IT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME ( 2 TOWING FEES AT THIS POINT AT $90.00 EACH). I CALLED A MECHANIC THAT SPECIALIZES IN INTREPID/CONCORDE REPAIRS AND HE ADVISED THAT I SHOULD TOW THE CAR TO HIM AS IT MIGHT NOT BE COMPLETELY BLOWN. ANOTHER TOWING FEE ($90.00) AND ANOTHER MECHANICS OPINION, YES THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN AND THIS MECHANIC STATED THE REASON FOR FAILURE WAS OIL SLUDGE. I ASKED WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING AND HE STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO, IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT IN THAT PARTICULAR ENGINE AND THAT IF I WERE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, IT WAS HIS ADVICE TO NOT PUT A 2.7L ENGINE BACK IN, BUT RATHER A 3.2 OR 3.5L ENGINE IN AS THEY DID NOT HAVE THE DEFECT OF THE 2.7L. I NOW HAVE A PAPER WEIGHT IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR AND NOW HAVE A CAR PAYMENT TO A CAR THAT I DON'T EVEN REALLY LIKE MUCH. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY I WAS SOLD A VEHICLE WITH A KNOWN ENGINE DEFECT AND WHY CHRYSLER WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR