NHTSA Complaint #10785487 — 2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2006 PACIFICA (85000 MILES)...ON OCTOBER 16, 2015, I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED FOR A ROUTINE SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE AND MULTI-POINT INSPECTION (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MESSAGE TRIGGERED THE VISIT.) IN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING ME THE KEYS AND DIRECTING ME TO THE CASHIER, THE SERVICE ADVISOR MENTIONED THAT A PART KNOWN AS A "FRONT CROSS MEMBER" WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST/CORROSION SPOTTED ON THE INSPECTION WITH ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR AT $1862 FOR THE PART AND $644 FOR THE LABOR (ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR AT 5.6 HOURS). THE SERVICE ADVISOR MADE MENTION THAT FAILURE TO DO THE REPAIR COULD RESULT IN THE ENGINE FALLING OUT. UPON RETURNING HOME, I GOOGLED "PACIFICA FRAME RUST" AND DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. I LEARNED THERE IS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT IN OHIO INVOLVING THIS ISSUE WITH MOTIONS AND RULINGS RELATIVELY FRESH WITH A JUDGE NAMED "DONALD C. NUGENT" HEARING THE CASE WITH THE FIRST NAME OF PLAINTIFF NAMED BEING "HOLLAND ET AL" AND THE DEFENDANT IN THE SUIT BEING NAMED "FCA" AS IN FIAT CHRYSLER. FROM INFORMATION I HAVE GATHERED ONLINE, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE-CRADLE ROT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR THE CHRYSLER PACIFICA. CHRYSLER ADMITS THEY DIDN'T APPLY ENOUGH COATING TO THE ENGINE'S SUB-FRAME DURING ASSEMBLY, BUT THUS FAR HAS ONLY OFFERED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY ONLY A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE VEHICLES (APPROX 7000 IN A NOVEMBER 9, 2010 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN). LATER, ON MARCH 16, 2012, FIATCHRYSLER ISSUED A NEW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SUPERCEDING THE PREVIOUS TSB STATING THE ENGINE CRADLE DEFECT AND EXTENDED WARRANTY APPLIED ONLY TO 2004-05 PACIFICAS IN CANADA AND SALT BELT STATES MANUFACTURED IN A SIX WEEK WINDOW IN 2004. THIS MEANS APPROX 300000 PACIFICAS ARE DANGEROUS AND IN NEED OF REPAIR MINE INCLUDED.