NHTSA Complaint #10541984 — 2006 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

FAILED CRANK SEAL. CAR WENT IN FOR ROUTINE INSPECTION AT DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT NEEDED A NEW MOTOR MOUNT. WHEN THEY RETURNED THE CAR, THEY MENTIONED IT HAD A LEAK AT THE CRANK SEAL. WE TOOK THE CAR HOME AND IT WAS HEAVILY LEAKING OIL, SO WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER LOCAL GARAGE. THEY "REPAIRED" THE SEAL, ALONG WITH THINGS LIKE A NEW TIMING BELT, ETC "WHILE WE ARE IN THERE" AND RETURNED THE CAR AT A COST OF $1700. DROVE IT FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS WHILE DRIVING THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MILES FROM HOME. WHEN WE GOT THE CAR HOME THERE WAS NEARLY NO OIL LEFT IN THE CAR, THE CRANK SEAL HAD BLOWN/ BURNED OUT AGAIN. TOWED TO GARAGE. TOLD BY GARAGE AND ALSO DEALERSHIP THAT IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, THE CRANK BEARING WAS WORN AND WOULD "WALK OUT" AND THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN. WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. (AT 39K MILES???) MY BROTHER REMOVED THE ENGINE HIMSELF, TOOK IT TO A MACHINE SHOP WHO REMOVED THE CRANK AND USED SOME SORT OF KIT TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. THE COST WAS $600 PARTS, $600 LABOR. THE CAR RECENTLY WAS PUT BACK IN SERVICE BUT IS NOT TRUSTED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS LIT UP. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN HARD IN ITS LIFE (DRIVEN MY BY 70 YR OLD MOTHER) AND HAD REGULAR SERVICE. *JB