NHTSA Complaint #10523292 — 2008 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 3, 2013 I BEGAN TO HEAR A SLIGHT RATTLE WHILE DRIVING. THE NOISE COULD ONLY BE HEARD WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING. I DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROX. 25 MINUTES AND THE NOISE MAINTAINED FOR MOST OF THE RIDE. THE NEXT MORNING THE NOISE WAS MUCH LOUDER AND COULD BE HEARD EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE SAT IDLE. I CHECKED MY OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID AS WELL AS MY COOLANT AND ALL LEVELS WERE AT NORMAL. THIS WAS THE 4TH OF JULY AND I COULD NOT FIND A MECHANIC OPEN. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO WORK FOR APPROX. 25 MINUTES THEN BACK HOME AGAIN. THE NOISE DID NOT WORSEN OR IMPROVE. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL ONCE I RETURNED HOME LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS LOW. I ADDED 2 QUARTS AND DID NOT DRIVE UNTIL THIS MORNING. THE NOISE REMAINED SO I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO HAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACING. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE ROD BEARING IS CAUSING THE RATTLE/KNOCKING SOUND AND THAT EVENTUALLY THE LOOSE BEARING WILL WEAR INTO THE CRANK SHAFT AND MY ENGINE WILL NOT WORK ANYMORE. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE ONLY OPTION IS ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 68,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN CARED FOR. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF ISSUES SUCH AS THESE AND HAS IN PREVIOUS CASES ASSISTED WITH THE COST OF REPAIR. I WILL BE CONTACTING CHRYSLER FOLLOWING THIS COMPLAINT. *TR