NHTSA Complaint #719537 — 1997 DODGE STRATUS

WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON A BUSY STREET AND WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT HAD BEEN PUT IN NEUTRAL. I LIMPED IT OVER TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE AND THEY PUT A MACHINE ON IT. THE THIRD GEAR IS OUT SO WE HAD TO HAVE IT REBUILT. THE COST TO DO THIS IS $1650.00. IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 9,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. WE PREVIOUSLY HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS CAR BECAUSE WE WERE STRANDED AT NIGHT WITH 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY DUE TO THE TIMING BELT BEING SHREDDED AT 23,000 MILES. WE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND RENT A VEHICLE TO GET HOME (70 MILES AWAY). AFTER THAT, WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE MANIFOLD. WE HAD A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND I HAD TO REPEATEDLY GO BACK AND ARGUE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. I FINALLY GOT IT REPLACED AFTER 3 VISITS AND A WEEK LONG STAY, IT WAS FIXED. NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE TROUBLES, WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT. *AK