NHTSA Complaint #701058 — 1996 DODGE STRATUS

I WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE. I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD AN OIL LEAK. I THAN WENT TO MY LOCAL GARAGE TO MAKE AN APPOINTTMENT. I THAN DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS LEAKING DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I CALLED PETER KOTCH (WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) AND WAS INFORMED THAT I DID NOT PURCHASE ADDITIONAL COVERAGE AND THEY COULD NOT HELP. I THAN CALLED THE CHRYSLER CORP 800 NUMBER. I TALKED WITH A REPRESENATIVE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HE STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP. BUT, HE DID INFORM ME OF SEVERAL SAFTY RECALLS FOR THE CAR. I HAVE SINCE WENT SEARCHING INTO THE WEB SIGHTS FOR RECALLS. THERE WAS A RECALL 1/97 FOR A TIMING BELT PROBLEM. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS I HAVE NOW. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS ONE WAS TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. I JUST DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A CAR OF ONLY 2 YEARS AND 66093 MILES SHOULD NEED THIS TYPE OF EXPENSE. ALL THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED IS COSTING ME 937.00 ESTIMATE.