NHTSA Complaint #11023803 — 2008 CHRYSLER 300C

MY 2008 CHRYSLER 300C SRT DESIGN WITH THE 5.7 HEMI DROPPED A VALVE SEAT AND BROKE THE #6 PISTON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I KNOW THIS PROBLEM USUALLY HAPPENS ON SHORT DRIVING DISTANCES BUT HERE IS THAT ONE OCCURRENCE WHERE IT HAPPENED WHEN ENGINE WAS AT FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. IT STARTING MISS FIRING WHILE DRIVING AND BY THE TIME WE COULD GET TO THE SHOULDER TO STOP IT WAS BLOWING SMOKE LIKE CRAZY. THE CAR HAD 127,000 MILES ON IT BUT TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THIS IT WASN'T FROM LACK MAINTENANCE. I LOVE CARS AND TAKE EXTREMELY WELL CARE OF MINE. WHEN I PULLED THE VALVE COVER TO REMOVE THE HEAD IT WAS SO CLEAN IN THE VALVE TRAIN THAT EVEN MY FRIEND WHO IS TRIPLE MASTER ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC SAID, " [XXX] THAT'S ONE OF CLEANEST ENGINES HE HAD EVER SEEN. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT MANY DODGE AND CHRYSLER VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE HAD THE VERY SAME ISSUE, MAYBE JUST ANOTHER CYLINDER WHERE VALVE SEATS HAVE JUST DROPPED. TO MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S THE CHOICE IN MATERIAL THEY USED IN THE SEAT ITSELF AND THEN PRESSING IT INTO AN ALUMINUM HEAD IS WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES. DIFFERENT METALS HAVE DIFFERENT REACTIONS TO HEAT WHERE ONE METAL SUCH AS ALUMINUM WILL HEAT FASTER THAN THEN THE METAL USED IN THE VALVE SEAT. CAUSING VALVE SEATS TO COME LOOSE AND DROP INTO THE CYLINDER CHAMBER CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN ENGINES. HOW CAN THIS NOT BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHEN IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR AND NOW I'M LOOKING AT $5000.00 TO GET A REMANUFACTURED LONG BLOCK AND THEN PAYING TO HAVE IT INSTALLED. I FEEL THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR VEHICLES THAT HAVE DROPPED VALVE SEATS. THERE'S NO WARNING AS TO WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN BUT REST ASSURED IF YOU OWN A 2003 TO 2008 5.7 HEMI CHANCES ARE IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU TOO. I WANT WHAT'S FAIR AND THAT'S TO BE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF A NEW ENGINE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B