NHTSA Complaint #10680065 — 2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

SATURDAY I CHANGED THE OIL AND FILTER ON MY 2006 PACIFICA. I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN I SAW THAT THE CRADLE PART OF THE FRAME, THE CRADLE THAT HOLDS THE POWER TRAIN, WAS RUSTED. THIS WAS NOT SURFACE RUST BUT SERIOUS "METAL MISSING" RUST. THE CAR IS ONLY 9 YEARS OLD, HAS JUST OVER 72000 MILES, HAS BEEN IN A GARAGE EVERY NIGHT AND HAS HAD ALL PERIODIC OIL, FILTERS, COOLANT, ETC. DONE ON A PRESCRIBED BASIS. I HAVE KEPT THIS VEHICLE IN "MINT" CONDITION SINCE ONE OF MY KIDS WANTS THE CAR. I CALLED WALSER CHRYSLER, A LOCAL DEALERSHIP I HAVE BOUGHT ALL MY MINI VANS, 300S AND MY PACIFICA FROM. THEY GAVE ME AN 800 NUMBER. I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER WHICH WAS A CHRYSLER OFFICE NUMBER. THEY PRETENDED THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY OFFERED BY CHRYSLER. THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE AND ALL THE PACIFICA FROM 2004 TO 2007 WERE MERCEDES BENZ FRAMES. ONE WOULD CERTAINLY ASSUME THAT A MB FRAME, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN A CHRYSLER PRODUCT, SHOULD NOT RUST THROUGH IN NINE YEARS. IT IS ALMOST INCONCEIVABLE! IF YOU GOOGLE THIS CRADLE/FRAME PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET YOU WILL BE FLOODED WITH EXAMPLES OF WHAT I FOUND ON MY PACIFICA. YET CHRYSLER'S WARRANTY DEPARTMENT HAS "NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM". SOME WRITERS CLAIM CHRYSLER HAS APPROVED REPAIRS ON THEIR VEHICLES. IN FACT THERE IS A PAGE LONG FORM, NOT ON CHRYSLER'S LETTERHEAD, THAT STATES CHRYSLER HAS ADMITTED TO THE DEFECTIVE FAULTS, WILL REPAIR OR REIMBURSE AS NECESSARY AND COVERS ALL PACIFICAS FROM 2004 TO 2007. ONE OF THE WRITERS SAID THE QUOTE FOR FIXING HIS CRADLE/FRAME WAS JUST UNDER $4,000. I THINK WHERE THERE IS THIS DEFECT ON SO VERY MANY VEHICLES IT IS TIME FOR CHRYSLER TO STEP UP. ADD THAT IF THE CRADLE FINALLY BREAKS THE ENTIRE POWER TRAIN WILL FALL OUT. THE POWER TRAIN SITS OVER THE FRONT AXLES SO THAT WOULD CAUSE A HORRID PROBLEM! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! ANY DEATH WILL BE ON CHRYSLER!!! *TR