NHTSA Complaint #10592357 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

WHILE STARTING TO ACCELERATE GOING ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED. THERE WAS POWER FROM THE BATTERY BUT THE CAR JUST STALLED. IT WAS HORRIBLE WINTER WEATHER WITH EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES SO THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPUTABLE NEARBY AUTO REPAIR. IT TOOK TWO DAYS BUT THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A BOLT ON THE WATER PUMP THAT HAD SHEARED OFF FLYING INTO THE ENGINE WHICH IN TURN DESTROYED THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE. I CALLED CHRYSLER IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND OUT IF THIS HAD BEEN ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE 2005 PACIFICA MODEL BUT THEIR RESPONSE WAS ASKING ME IF WE HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REBUILT WHICH WAS OUR ONLY COST SAVING OPTION BUT THE MECHANIC THAT WORKED ON THE CAR STATED HE HAD NEVER IN ALL OF HIS YEARS IN THE BUSINESS SEEN A BOLT SHEAR OFF OF A WATER PUMP INSIDE THE ENGINE AND IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. CHRYSLER TOLD ME TO TAKE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED BUT WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER BACK WITH THE FINDINGS FROM THE DEALER, ALL THEY SAID WAS THAT THEY WOULD MAKE NOTE OF THE PROBLEM AND PRESENT IT TO A COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW. WHILE THIS VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WE HAD TO HAVE THE BACK END SEAL REPLACED 3 OR 4 TIMES WHICH KEPT BREAKING UNTIL CHRYSLER FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE BACK END WITHOUT EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT KEPT HAPPENING. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL WHICH I BELIEVE COULD CASE INJURY IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. WE WERE OUT OF STATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND OUR SON WAS RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO OUR HOME ( AN APPROX. 10 MILE TRIP FROM WEST BEND WI. TO JACKSON WI) AFTER HAVING NEW TIRES PUT ON IT AT OUR REQUEST. *JS