NHTSA Complaint #723700 — 1994 DODGE INTREPID

IN JANUARY, MY 6-YEAR-OLD INTREPID (WITH ONLY 26,000 MILES) BEGAN LURCHING WHEN I BRAKED. THE DEALER INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES, BUT THEN SAID IT WAS WORN SEALS AND GASKETS IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THE WORK WOULD COST $1400. WHEN I COMPLAINED, THE WORK WAS DONE FOR $700 BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILEAGE. I THEN RECEIVED THE TRANSMISSION RECALL NOTICE, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS FOR DIFFERENT WORK. WHEN I HAD THE CAR IN TODAY AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING - THAT PARTS WERE CRACKED AND WORN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WOULD COST $600. I HAD A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING FROM NOV. 1999 THAT DESCRIBED STEERING PROBLEMS IN MY MODEL CAR AND THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION. WHEN I READ IT TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR, HE SAID THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. I ASKED WHY I HAD TO PAY FOR A REPAIR WHEN CHRYSLER KNEW THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND HE SAID I HAD TO BE CHARGED UNTIL THERE ACTUALLY WAS A RECALL NOTICE. I DO NOT BLAME THE DEALER, BUT THIS IS GROSSLY UNFAIR AND IRRESPONSIBLE ON THE PART OF CHRYSLER. I NOW WILL HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $1200 ON SAFETY REPAIRS ON A CAR THAT HAS BEEN DRIVEN VERY FEW MILES. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST CHRYSLER. PLEASE DO THE STEERING RECALL SOON SO I CAN GET MY MONEY BACK. THANKS. *AK