NHTSA Complaint #10578110 — 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

IN JANUARY, THE SUSPENSION ON OUR 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA (PURCHASED 08/2003), SEEMED TO HAVE ISSUES. A WEB SEARCH TO INVESTIGATE, LED ME TO A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ISSUE THAT EFFECTS '04 AND '05 PACIFICAS. I HAD OUR MECHANIC INSPECT THE FRAME AND SURE ENOUGH, WE WERE ONE OF THE MANY AFFECTED. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US THE CAR WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE, AND THAT THE COMPROMISED FRAME CAUSED THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL TO SHIFT INWARDS. WE WERE QUOTED BETWEEN 4,000 AND 5,000 DOLLARS FOR OUR REPAIRS. THE CAR NOW SITS IN THE GARAGE AS WE HOPE FOR A RESOLUTION. AFTER IN DEPTH RESEARCH, I UNCOVERED THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE ISSUE, TWO NBC NEWS SEGMENTS, AND A PETITION. I ALSO DISCOVER THAT A FEW YEARS BACK, CHRYSLER EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF 2004. HOWEVER, SINCE OUR VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THIS PROVISION, WE WERE NEVER INFORMED THAT WE MAY HAVE BEEN EFFECTED. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND OPENED A CASE. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO WRITE AN EMAIL TO THE CASE MANAGER THAT CONTAINED ALL OF THE INFORMATION WHICH I UNCOVERED ONLINE (AS IF THEY DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THE ISSUE EXISTED). THIS PROVED TO BE A WASTE OF TIME, AS WE WERE DECLINED ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OUR VEHICLE DID NOT FALL WITHIN THE EXTEND WARRANTY. WE HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNERS OF OUR VEHICLE, WHICH HAS 68,000 MILES, HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT, AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN ONLY BY MY 85 YEAR OLD GRANDPARENTS. APPARENTLY, CHRYSLER HAS MADE A BUSINESS DECISION NOT TO ADDRESS THIS WIDE SPREAD ISSUE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OWNERS DRIVING UNSAFE VEHICLES, MANY OF WHICH ARE COMPLETELY UNAWARE THAT THIS ISSUE EXISTS. US, AS WELL AS ALL OTHER PARTIES EFFECTED ARE DUE APPROPRIATE RECOURSE, BUT I FEAR THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CUT TIES WITH OUR VEHICLE BEFORE THERE IS A RESOLUTION. *TR