NHTSA Complaint #10479294 — 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

I BOUGHT A 2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN XLT ON FEBRUARY 3 OF 2012 FROM A LOCAL DEALER IN MILWAUKEE, WI. ON THAT TIME THE MILEAGE OF THE CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 60000 MILES. TWO MONTHS AFTER I HAVE THE CAR WE SAW THE OIL CHANGE LIGHT COMING OUT ON THE SCREEN WHICH WAS UNUSUAL FOR US WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE LIGHT. TWO MONTHS AFTER I SAW THE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE SCREEN, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY KEEP THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS WHILE THEY MADE A REPAIR THAT COST ME $850.0, I MADE THIS PAYMENT BECAUSE I TRUST THEM WHEN THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE ONLY REPAIR. WEEKS AFTER I WAS ON THE HIGH WAY WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY AND I SAY SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND WE PERCEIVED A STRONG BURN SMELL, THE MILEAGE ON THAT TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000, WE JUST MADE IT TO ARRIVE TO THE DEALER SERVICE AND THEY FOUND A VERY LOW COOLANT LEVEL WHICH MEANS THAT THE OVERHEATING WAS RELATED TO THE COOLANT LINE. NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE, THE CAR WAS THERE FOR 7 DAYS AFTER I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDS AN ENGINE CHANGE WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT ALL I RECEIVED FROM THEM WERE 8 OIL CHANGES. I RECEIVED AND OFFER TO HAVE ANOTHER CAR BUT THE TRADE VALUE FOR MY CAR IS VERY LOW COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL PRICE I PAID AND THE NEW MONTHLY PAYMENT IS OUT OF MY POSSIBILITIES. I'M DRIVING THIS CAR TAKING THE RISK FOR MY FAMILY WITH THE WINTER COMING. AFTER READING THE COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA I WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT I'M NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF A 2008 GRAND CARAVAN WITH A POTENTIAL PROBLEM OF OVERHEATING AND FIRE ON MY CAR. I NEED ASSISTANCE WITH THIS CASE. THANKS. *TR