NHTSA Complaint #709912 — 1997 DODGE INTREPID

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE IT SERVICED AND HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LOOKED AT FOR THE SECOND TIME. I PICKED UP THE CAR AND THE SERVICE TECH TOLD ME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON BECAUSE OF A LOOSE SPARK PLUG WIRE ON CYLINDER 2, AGAIN. THAT WAS THE REASON THEY GAVE ME THE FIRST TIME ALSO. THE OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED AND THE FLUID LEVELS CHECKED AT THIS TIME. I DROVE THE CAR APPROX. 30 MILES OVER THE WEEK-END. SUNDAY 7/18/99, WHILE SETTING IN A MCDONALDS DRIVE THRU LINE I NOTICED MY CAR, I THOUGHT IT WAS SMOKING, IT WAS PROBABLY STEAMING. I PULLED OVER TO A PARKING PLACE AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. I LEFT IT SET FOR 3-4 HOURS. THIS WAS THE FIRST INDICATION OF OVERHEATING THAT I HAD EVER HAD. THE TEMP. INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL THE CAR POURING STEAM FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DROVE IT HOME AND IT WAS GETTING HOT IN THAT SHORT DISTANCE. TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP ON MONDAY 7/19/99 AND IT REMAINS TODAY 8/12/99. THE HEADS ON THIS VEHICLE WERE WARPED. TRIED MILLING THEM TO 8 THIS IS THE MAX RECOMMENDED BY THE COMPANY, IT DID NOT WORK. TRIED TO GET USED HEADS, FOUND 2 DIFFERENT SETS, AND BOTH PAIRS WERE WARPED AND THE SERVICE TECH WOULD NOT INSTALL THEM. ORDER REFURBISHED HEADS AND THOSE ARE BEING INSTALLED TODAY. I HAD THIS CAR SERVICED REGULARLY AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FLUID LEAKING. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF OVERHEAD CAM AND THE ALUMINUM HEADS. I ALSO NOTICED ON NHTSA CONSUMER SITE THERE WERE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT WATER PUMPS GOING OUT ON THIS YEAR OF INTREPID. MY VEHICLE HAD A WATER PUMP REPLACED IN OCT OF 1998, AND IT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. IT IS NOT EVEN 12 MONTHS OLD YET. I AM SURE THERE IS A CONNECTION TO THIS INCIDENT, AND SINCE THE WATER PUMP IS UNDER WARRANTY I FEEL THE EXTREME DAMAGE IS CAUSE BY THE MAKE UP OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF. I ALSO FEEL MISLEAD BY THE RAVE REVIEWS THIS VEHICLE IS RECEIVING IN THE MEDIA. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.