NHTSA Complaint #10474015 — 1999 DODGE INTREPID

PURCHASED VEHICLE 01/30/12,TEST DROVE,CHECKED FLUIDS,MADE SURE EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. SELLER SAID HE JUST HAD OIL CHANGE AND SMOG 1 MONTH PRIOR, HE PROVIDED ME DOCUMENTS CONFIRMING. HAD NO ISSUES WITH VEHICLE, UNTIL ABOUT 03/20/12,THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, WHICH WAS ODD. I CHECKED THE OIL,FOUND IT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY, PUT 2 QUARTS IN IMMEDIATELY,LIGHT WENT OFF. I STARTED CHECKING DRIVEWAY DAILY FOR SIGNS OF OIL LEAKING EVEN THOUGH THE CAR DROVE FINE.03/28/12, CAR STALLED,WENT COMPLETELY DEAD, AS I EXITED FREEWAY, LEAVING MYSELF AND MY 3YR. OLD STUCK IN LANE ON OFF RAMP FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES.A PASSERBY ATTEMPTED TO JUMP IT,THAT DIDN'T WORK,CAR HAD NO POWER AT ALL,WE PUSHED IT TO A SAFER SPOT. I WALKED 2 BLOCKS HOME. CAME BACK NEXT DAY,JUMPED IT,IT STARTED BUT NOW THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT WAS BACK ON. I CHECKED THE OIL IT READ FULL,I DROVE CAR HOME IT STALLED 3 TIMES IN THE 2 BLOCKS HOME. KNOCKING SOUND CONTINUED I PARKED THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC THE OIL LIGHT WAS STILL ON THE ENGINE WAS STILL KNOCKING. HE CHECKED OIL AGAIN AND CONFIRMED THE CAR DID HAVE OIL,AND DETECTED NO SIGNS OF LEAKING. HE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON ENGINE, IT DETECTED NO ISSUES,HE RAN IT AGAIN,AND THE RESULTS WHERE THE SAME. HE DROVE THE CAR,ME IN THE PASSENGERS SEAT SO HE COULD GET A HEAR THE KNOCKING SOUND WHEN CAR WAS MOVING.BACKED OUT OF LOT DRIVING ABOUT 10 TO 12 MPH, WE GOT MAYBE HALF A BLOCK AND THE CAR WENT DEAD. HE WAS ABLE TO GUIDE CAR TO SIDE OF ROAD,WHEN HE PRESSED THE BRAKE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THERE WAS A BARELY AUDIBLE BURSTING SOUND.WE GOT OUT AND FOUND A THICK BLACK MUDDY TYPE SUBSTANCE GUSHING OUT OF THE BOTTOM FROM THE FRONT END, LEAVING A PUDDLE THE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF CAR. HE IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED IT AS OIL SLUDGE, AND SAID MY ENGINE HAD BLOWN. WE DISCUSSED MY OPTIONS AND ULTIMATELY I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED HOME IT HASN'T STARTED. *TR