NHTSA Complaint #755853 — 1998 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND THE VAN CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. WITH THE THOUGHT OF ENGINE TROUBLE FURTHEST FROM OUR MINDS WITH ONLY 48000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CAMSHAFT WAS BROKE AND NO EXPLANATION GIVEN, WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER IT WAS RARE BUT THAT ONE OF THEIR TECHNICIANS HAD SEEN THIS IN ABOUT 2-3 OTHER VANS LIKE OURS. THE DEALER REFUSED TO PAY ANYTHING AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER WAS NOTIFIED AND ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD NOT ADMIT TO FACTORY DEFECT THEY DID RELUCTANTLY PAY HALF OF THE MORE THAN 3000.00 IN DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A NONE DODGE DEALER FIRST WHO COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW BAD THE ENGINE LOOKED FOR 48000 MILES. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 2001 FROM THE DEALER AND THE ENGINES APPEARANCE WAS GOOD WE OWNED IT LESS THAN 4 MONTHS WHEN MALFUNCTION OCCURED. CHRYSLER WAS CONTACTED DIRECTLY BY US AND TOLD US THIS WAS RARE, HOWEVER FOR ONE TECHNICIAN TO SEE 2-3 VANS BESIDES OURS IN ONE STATE DOES NOT SEEM THAT RARE TO US. *AK