2001 Dodge Intrepid

I OWN A 2001 DODGE INTREPID THAT I AM STILL PAYING ON. THE ENGINE FAILED AT 69,000 MILES. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I GOT REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES. IT WOULDN'T START ONE DAY, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILDUP. THE TIMING CHAIN ALSO FAILED. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN THAT CANNOT AFFORD $6,500 FOR AN ENGINE. I AM STUCK PAYING PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR. *NM

ON 11/29/05 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON I-10 THROUGH THE DESERTED AND HURRICANE KATRINA STORM RAVAGED SECTION OF NEW ORLEANS EAST WHEN MY 2001 INTREPID SEIZED UP AND WOULD NOT RUN. I BARELY MANAGED TO SAFELY GET THE CAR OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND ONTO THE NOW DESOLATE MORRISON ROAD EXIT. AS A WOMAN ALONE I WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENED TO HAVE MY CAR ABRUPTLY SEIZE UP ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS TERRIFIED THAT IT WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO A SAFE PLACE OFF OF THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT GETTING HIT. ONCE I ROLLED TO A STOP, HOWEVER, I DISCOVERED THAT I WAS IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE AREA AS THE AREA HAD BEEN FLOODED AND LOOTED AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA, THERE WERE NO BUSINESSES OPEN TO HELP ME DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE STORM DAMAGE IN THE AREA, AAA TOLD ME IT COULD BE HOURS BEFORE THEY COULD GET TO ME, AND IT WAS GOING TO BE DARK WITHIN AN HOUR. IT WAS SO DANGEROUS THAT THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THEN THE STATE POLICE WOULD NOT LEAVE UNTIL AAA ARRIVED. ONCE AT THE GARAGE, WE WERE GIVEN THE CHRYSLER SONG AND DANCE THAT THE CAR ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE OF SLUDGE AND THAT IT HAD TO BE OUR FAULT. THEY OFFERED TO HAPPILY REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR A SUM OF $7,000. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT CHRYSLER HAS HAD ON THE 2001 INTREPID ENGINE AND THE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS ENGINE. DUE TO THE EMINENT DANGER THAT CHRYSLER PLACED ME IN - CONTINUING TO ALLOW ME AS A REGISTERED 2001 INTREPID OWNER TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WHICH THEY KNEW WAS GOING TO FAIL OR HAD A HIGH CHANGE OF FAILING - PERHAPS SOME OF THE TOP BRASS AT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE DESERTED IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM RAVAGED AREA WITH ONLY LOOTERS FOR COMPANY SO THAT THEY CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND THE EXTREME DANGER THEY HAVE PLACED CONSUMERS IN SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES! *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM WORK IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, ONCE I GOT IT HOME INTO THE DRIVE IT STOPPED RUNNING. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT LUCKY FOR ME I DON'T LIVE MORE THAN 5 MILES FROM WHERE I WORK. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE THEY SAID THAT THE IS SLUDGE BUILD UP AND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN WHICH HAD BLOWN UP THE ENGINE. THEY MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THESE CARS AND I PAID HIM $2,000 DOWN TO START WORKING ON THE CAR. MY FIEND SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT THE CHRYSLER COMPANY AND I OPENED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE THE WORK DONE BY ONE OF THEIR CERTIFIED MECHANICS, I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD ALREADY STARTED THE WORK AT ANOTHER COMPANY. THEY REFUSE TO HELP WITH ANY OF THE COSTS UNLESS I HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO ONE OF THEIR COMPANIES WHERE I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE ORIGINAL MECHANIC OVER A $1,000 TO REPLACE THE OLD ENGINE AND CANCEL THE ORDER OF THE NEW ONE. I HAD CALLED THE DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO ALL OF THIS AND BECAUSE THE CAR'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED THEY OFFERED NO HELP. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES VEHICLE DIED WHILE PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIRMAN INFORMED HER THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP. SHE CONTACTED MANUFACTURER,THAT AND THEY REQUESTED SHE BRING VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE BUILD UP, AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. HE CHOSE NOT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK THE AIR CONDITION AND HEAT DID NOT WORK AND THE TIMING BELT WAS LOOSE. UPDATED 12/27/05. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY CLAIMED IT HAPPENED DUE TO THE CONTACT'S ERROR ON OIL CHANGES. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AS WELL. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS CONCERNING THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE CONTACT PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION FOR OIL CHANGES. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANT. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WILL NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE EXPENSE. *AK

DT: THE CONTACTS STATED SMOKE EMANATED FROM THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO STATED S THERE WAS OIL SLUG BUILT UP IN THE MOTOR. THE DEALER INSISTED THAT THE CONTACT DID NOT CHANGE THE OIL OFTEN ENOUGH. THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. THE DEALER OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY. *AK