NHTSA Complaint #11311972 — 2007 CHRYSLER 300C

PURCHASED THIS CAR FEW MONTHS AGO. MONDAY FEB. 24TH, 2020 I WAS SITTING INSIDE MY CAR WHEN SUDDENLY I NOTICE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY GRAB MY WALLET AND PHONE EXITED THE CAR AND CALLED 911. THE FIREMEN CAME (FIRE WAS OUT BY THAT TIME) . I HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP (4460 MCHENRY AVE, MODESTO CA 95356 CENTRAL VALLEY CHRYSLER, NISSAN) THEY HAD CAR FOR COUPLE OF DAYS AND TODAY CALLED ME IN TO TELL ME THAT A ROD SHOT THROUGH THE OIL PAN (I ASSUME IT OCCURRED AFTER FIRE STARTED BECAUSE I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING PRIOR TO FIRE AND WAS NOT DRIVING CAR WHEN FIRE STARTED). THEY TOLE ME THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE BUT THEY NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH ON CAR AND GO INTO ENGINE (WHICH I GUESS IS A BIG TASK). THEY TELL ME THAT IF THEY DETERMINE THAT THEY MUST REPLACE ENGINE AT THEIR COST (UPON BUYING CAR DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I COULD ONLY GET FINANCED FOR CAR IF I PURCHASED A 24 MONTH WARRANTY WHICH I DID). THEY THEN ADVISE ME THAT THIS JOB OF JUST LOOKING INTO ENGINE IS $4,200.00 AND THAT I MUST PAY THEM THIS AMOUNT PRIOR TO THEM DOING THEIR EXPLORATORY WORK ON ENGINE. THEY TELL ME THAT IF I DID NOTHING TO CAUSE FIRE (THAT IS CRAZY TO THINK I SOMEHOW IN VERY SHORT TIME AS OWNER CAUSED CAR TO JUST CATCH FIRE OUT OF THE BLUE WHILE SITTING IN IT PARKED) THAT THEY WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ONE. I FEEL AS THOUGH A USED ENGINE MAY FORCE ME TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN AND I WAS FORTUNATE AS IF FIRE WERE TO TRAVEL THROUGH GAS LINE I WOULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE THEY WANT TO FORCE ME TO PAY THIS MONEY UP FRONT AND THEN TRY AND TELL ME IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING, NULLIFYING MY WARRANTY JUST SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO HONOR THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.