NHTSA Complaint #728643 — 1996 DODGE STRATUS

I BOUGHT A 1996 DODGE STRATUS IN FEBRUARY 1997. IT HAD 16,000MILES ON IT AND IS CONSIDERED USED. DUE TO NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH MY CREDIT UNION TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM ONGOING REPAIRS. SINCE THAT WARRANTY HAS TAKEN EFFECT, THEY HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $3,500.00 ON REPAIRING MY VEHICLE. A MAJORITY OF THIS REPAIR WAS A CONTINOUS OIL LEAK. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO KERNERSVILLE DODGE AT LEAST 6 TIMES SINCE MAY, 1999 TO HAVE THIS OIL LEAK REPAIRED, WITH NO LUCK. THEY HAVE REPORTEDLY REPLACED THE GASKETS TWICE, THE CYLINDER HEAD ONCE(WHICH THEY TOLD ME WAS FAULTY FROM THE BEGINNING), AND THE SEALS TWICE TO STOP THIS LEAK. UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THESE REPAIRS WERE PAID FOR BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, I STILL HAD EXPENSE OF MY OWN, NOT TO MENTION THE INCONVENIENCE OF THEM KEEPING MY CAR FOR A WEEK AT A TIME ONLY TO NOT REPAIR MY CAR. I FEEL THEY HAVE NOT MADE ADEQUATE EFFORT AND HAVE A BEGUN A LETTER TO THE CHRYSLER COMPANY. HOWEVER, I DO NOT EXPECT MUCH SUCCESS OR COOPERATION FROM THEM. MY CAR IS NOW AT A PRIVATE SHOP WHO HAVE TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKETS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THEY WERE PATCHING THE LEAK INSTEAD OF REPAIRING HOWEVER I WAS BEING CHARGED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF PARTS. WHY DOES IT COST $3500.00 TO PATCH A LEAK? I HOPE THAT BY WRITING TO YOU, I WILL GET SOME SOLUTION TO THIS VERY FRUSTRATING AND ONGOING DILEMNA. I HAVE ALL PAPERWORK FROM REPAIRS DONE ON MY CAR IF COPIES ARE NEEDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.