NHTSA Complaint #10564817 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

OUR 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA TOURING MODEL DID NOT PASS A STATE VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION BECAUSE OF EXTENSIVE CORROSION HOLES AND FRAME RUST. THE ENGINE CRADLE SUPPORT HAS RUST HOLES AND IS SEVERELY WEAKENED, AND THE AREAS BELOW THE ROCKER PANELS UNDERNEATH THE CAR HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW BY MY FATHER, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED AND WELL MAINTAINED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 77,100 MILES ON IT, AND YET NOW IS CONSIDERED STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. RESEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT CHRYSLER KNEW OF THE UNUSUAL CORROSION PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE RUST PROBLEM BY QUIETLY ISSUING AN EXTRAORDINARY "EXTENDED 10 YEAR / 150,000 MILE WARRANTY" FOR PACIFICA MODEL YEARS 2004-2005. THEY SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED THIS WARRANTY TO LIMIT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE FRONT ENGINE CRADLE ONLY (REFERENCE: X26, WARRANTY BULLETIN DATED MARCH 16, 2012), AND FURTHER REDUCED THEIR EXPOSURE BY ONLY PROVIDING THIS WARRANTY COVERAGE TO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 23, 2004, TO MARCH 31, 2004 - AN IMPLAUSIBLY SHORT TIME FRAME GIVEN THEIR ACKNOWLEDGED CORROSION PROBLEM. THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE, SINCE THE MANUFACTURE DATE FOR THIS CAR WAS JUNE, 2005. IT IS INEXCUSABLE THAT A WELL-MAINTAINED 2005 VEHICLE WITH ONLY 77,000 MILES COULD BE RENDERED STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE DUE TO CORROSION. IT IS ABSURD TO SUGGEST THAT THEIR CORROSION PROBLEM ONLY AFFECTED ONE PART MANUFACTURED ONLY WITHIN A 36 DAY WINDOW. HAVING SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS AND INSURANCE ADJUSTERS, EXTENSIVE UNDERBODY PANEL RUST AND FRAME CORROSION ARE EXTREMELY COMMON WITH THIS MODEL YEAR. STRUCTURAL CORROSION IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS CAR. IT'S A HUGE FINANCIAL LOSS FOR US. IT ALSO A DANGEROUS SAFETY "TIME BOMB". THEY KNOW IT IS. CHRYSLER SHOULD ASSIST IN FIXING THESE VEHICLES QUICKLY, OR BE FORCED TO RECALL THEM. *TR