NHTSA Complaint #10513376 — 2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN IDENTIFIED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE (AKA SUB-FRAME) WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY TWO OTHER AUTO TECHNICIANS AND BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE IS CORRODED AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD TO BOTH ITS PASSENGERS AND OTHER VEHICLES OPERATING IN THE VICINITY. THE VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE ZERO RESALE VALUE UNLESS THIS IS REPAIRED. PARTS FOR THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND REPAIR IS SCHEDULE TO OCCUR WITHIN 10 DAYS. ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIR IS $4,000. A REVIEW OF THE NHTSA DATABASE FOR THIS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE INDICATES 6 COMPLAINTS OF AN IDENTICAL NATURE FILED WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. SIMILAR SEARCHES OF OTHER WEBSITES CONFIRM THAT THIS IS AN EVOLVING PROBLEM. PACIFICA MODELS YEARS 2004 AND 2005 HAVE WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUES RELATIVE TO CORRODED ENGINE CRADLES AND BOTH MODEL YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED AS A RESULT. IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT THE FREQUENCY OF REPORTED CORRODED ENGINE CRADLES WILL INCREASE AS THESE VEHICLES AGE. A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR INJURY MAY BE THE OUTCOME IN SITUATIONS WHERE THIS PROBLEM REMAINS UNCHECKED. THIS ISSUE WARRANTS ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION AS IT IS BECOMING APPARENT THAT THE PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED IN THE 2004 AND 2005 MODELS YEARS IS ALSO SURFACING IN THE 2006 MODEL YEAR. *TR