2000 Dodge Intrepid

THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK MECHANISM HAS FAILED ON THRE OF THE FOUR DOORS OF MY 2000 DODGE INTREPID. THE LAST TIME THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE THE CLAMP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD DOES NOT CLEAR THE OPENING IN THE WHEEL WELL LINER AND LOOKS LIKE IT COULD HANG UP ON THE METAL EDGE. ON MY CAR IT ABRADED THE INSULATION OFF THE BATERRY CABLES THAT RUN RIGHT THROUGH THIS AREA. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT COULD START A FIRE OF SHORT OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DEALER SAID THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT 2.7 LITER ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED THE SMOKE UNDER THE ENGINE. CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF MOTOR OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO INSISTED AFTER AN INSPECTION THAT VEHICLE WAS FINE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD SERIOUS ENGINE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSED TO ASSIST STATING THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS THE MANUFACTURER'S FAULT. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. THIS VEHICLE HAD ONLY 53,000 MILES, AND BECAME TOTALLY USELESS. *AK

DEAR SIR: MY DODGE INTREPID ENGINE SEIZED UP ON ME WHILE DRIVING ON 5/27/04 IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD AND SOMEONE ALMOST HIT ME AS MY CAR STOPPED SUDENNLY, PLUS CARS STARTED TO PASS ME ON A ONE LANE ROAD WHICH WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED A BLOWN ENGINE WITH SLUDGE BUT IT HAD A FULL OIL PAN. HE SAID THE CAR HAD FULL OIL BUT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING OIL SO IT BLEW SO IT IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. IT IS A DANGEROUS PRODUCT AS WELL. I BOUGHT THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO THINKING IT HAD A LIFE OF ABOUT 10 MORE YEARS AND IT WAS IN GREAT CONDITION. I MAINTAINED THE CAR AS RECOMMENDED PER THE OWNERS MANUAL AND HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES OR 3 MONTHS. I TOOK CARE OF THIS CAR BUT DODGE DID NOT TAKE CARE OF ME BY SELLING A CAR WITH A DEFECTIVE ENGINE. I WILL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO PUNISH DODGE FOR WHAT THEY DID TO ME AND TO RECOUP MY LOSSES. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD OFFER ME. THANKS, KEITH BARNES. *AK

ENGINE DIED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILDUP. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD GONE TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS CRACKING. THE OIL LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE CONSUMER PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER FOR THE REPAIR OF THE SENSOR, THE OIL LIGHT HAD COME BACK ON. AFTER ABOUT TWO MILES OF DRIVING, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO SLUDGE. *SC *JB

I OWN A 200 DODGE INTREPID THAT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE MARCH 28, 2004. THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE (CYLINDER HEAD, TENSIONER TO THE TIMING CHAIN) THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY. I AGREED TO THE 1500 REPAIR. AFTER THE REPAIR THEN THEY SAY THE OIL PUMP IS BROKE AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY PAYS FOR THAT. AFTER THAT IS REPLACED THEY CALL AND STATE THAT THE VALVES ARE BENT. AFTER SIX WEEKS, THE SERVICE MANAGER STATES THAT HE TOLD THE WARRANTY COMPANY THAT HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT UNTIL THEN AND I LET THE SERVICE MANAGER KNOW THAT AT THIS POINT I FEEL THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THAT I WOULD HAVE REMOVED MY CAR FROM THE SHOP. WELL MY CAR IS STILL AT EWALD AUTOMOTIVE THIS DAY I BROUGHT A REPLACEMENT CAR AT AN AUCTION ON MAY 8, 2004. MY SON HAS TALKED WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER WHO STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH NICE, HE HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO REMEDY THIS DILEMMA. I HAVE SINCE DONE RESEARCH ON THE NET AND HAVE FOUND A LOT OF THE SAME STORY WITH THE CAR. I DID EMAIL CHRYSLER ON THE ONSET OF THIS PROBLEM ASKING WHY NO WARNING. THE RESPONSE FROM THEM WAS THAT THE CAR WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO GIVE ME A WARNING. *JB