NHTSA Complaint #769227 — 1999 DODGE STRATUS

CAR WAS SERVICED ON 09/07/02. ON 10/14/02, LOOKED UP TO SEE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE "H" RUNNING HOT. NO WARNING, NO DASHBOARD LIGHT WARNING. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, CAR COOLED OFF DROVE HOME. POPPED HOOD, COOLANT IN RESERVOIR AND CHECKED OIL, OIL IN ENGINE. NEXT DAY, 10/15/02, STARTED CAR, STARTED FINE. NOTICED THE TEMP GAUGE WAS NOT MOVING OFF THE "C" FOR COLD, NO HEAT COMING FROM THE HEATER STARTED OFF TO WORK. WAS DOING ABOUT 68, WHEN CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO DECELERATE AND IMMEDIATELY THE LITTLE "RED GENIE LOOKING OIL LAMP LIGHT" WENT ON. IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AS CAR WAS OBVIOUSLY LOOSING POWER. CALLED FOR TOW TRUCK. CAR WAS TOWED NOT TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF ON-GOING SERVICE PROBLEMS, BUT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. I AUTHORIZED THEM TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THEY DID A COMPRESSION TEST AND TOLD ME "BLOWN HEAD GASKET." BUT THEY COULD NOT TELL IF ANY MORE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE WITHOUT TEARING DOWN THE ENGINE. CAR WAS TOWED TWO DAYS LATER TO SELLING DEALERSHIP. ENGINE WAS TORN DOWN. THEIR RESPONSE, "ENGINE OVERHEATED" DOING SEVERE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. NO MENTION OF A HEAD GASKET BEING THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE OVERHEATING. DEALER OFFERS TO DO NOTHING. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER 3, 2002 AND I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN ANY OPINIONS OR PRICES TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE. DAIMLER CHRYSLER WAS NOTIFIED. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT MANAGER WHO SAY "THEY WILL DO NOTHING TO ASSIST; WON'T EVEN COME LOOK AT THE CAR. I NOW HAVE A 3-1/2 YEAR OLD CAR THAT IS UNDRIVEABLE. THIS IS A CAR THAT HAS HAD ITS SHARE OF ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. IN RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, THE NHTSA, THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY AND JUST UNDER DODGE DEFECTS, I NOTE THAT THE STRATUS, CIRRUS AND NEONS HAVE A LONG, LONG HISTORY OF HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. DT