NHTSA Safety Complaint: 1998 Dodge Stratus

anonymous to NHTSA
December 11, 2002


All Products Associated with this Complaint: 1998 Dodge Stratus
Date Complaint Filed: 12/11/2002
Date of Incident: 12/11/2002
Component(s): UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NHTSA ID Number: 10000001
Crash: No
Fire: No
Number of Injuries: 0
Number of Deaths: 0
Manufacturer: Chrysler Group LLC
Vehicle Identification No. (VIN): 1B3EJ46X4WN...

SUMMARY: I HAVE A 1998 DODGE STRATUS WITH A 2.4L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE WITH 86,000+ MILES THAT HAS RECENTLY DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK. I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND THE ASSOCIATED TSB(09-05-98). WHEN I NOTICED THE LEAK, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER IN TOWN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REGIONAL OFFICE DENIED MY REQUEST FOR PAYMENT OF THE REPAIR. I DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE, BUT GOT AN ESTIMATE FOR $800. NEXT, I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE IN DETROIT, MI.(1-800-992-1997). I WAS TOLD POLITELY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HELP ME BUT THAT MY CAR WAS TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ASKED WHY SOME PEOPLE RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WHILE OTHERS DID NOT, AND WAS TOLD THAT "THIS OFFICE WOULD NOT HAVE AUTHORIZED THOSE PAYMENTS". I ASKED FOR A NUMBER OR ADDRESS TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO THIS DECISION AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD ALREADY MADE THE FINAL DECISION, THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO APPEAL TO, AND THE DECISION WOULD NOT BE OVERTURNED.