NHTSA Complaint #10690118 — 2007 CHRYSLER 300 AWD

WENT TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, COULD NOT. TURNS OUT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK LEVER SPRING HOOK FAILED. I FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL (K39) FOR THIS PART, BUT IT WAS VIN SPECIFIC. SAW NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE AS WELL AS REPAIR INSTRUCTION. CALLED DEALER WHO STATED HE HASN'T HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM, BUT AS A COINCIDENCE ANOTHER 300 WAS BEING WORKED ON TODAY FOR THE VERY SAME REASON. DEALER ALSO STATED MY VIN DID NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALL CATEGORY. DEALER WANTED OVER $400.00 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SHIFTER HOUSING INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE BROKEN PART ITSELF AND SAID THE JOB WOULD TAKE ABOUT 3 HRS TO PERFORM. I WENT TO A CAR PARTS STORE AND BOUGHT A BILLETED ALUMINUM REPLACEMENT PART FOR THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE. INSTALLED IT MYSELF AND SAVED $360.00 AND A TOW, PLUS DOWN TIME. FIX WAS DONE IN AN HOUR. HOW CHRYSLER CAN INSTALL A CHEAP .29 CENT PLASTIC PART THAT TAKES THE MOST BEATING AND IS SO CRUCIAL TO THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND EXPECT IT TO WORK IS BEYOND ME. THIS AFFECTS A LOT OF VEHICLES, NOT JUST MINE. GOOD THING THE CAR WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN IT FAILED. I WAS LUCKY. MANY OTHERS ARE NOT. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A $30,000 CAR. *TR