Complaint Review: DaimlerChrysler - Foster Motors - Berlin City - Auburn Hills Michigan

Below is the letter that I'm sending to Prof. Schrempp. I am so angry! I am sickened by the fact that there are 1000's of stories just like mine and that DaimlerChrysler just doesn't give a d**n. They have your money so what do they care. I've had enough and I will not stop fighting until I get some positive end result.

Prof. Jurgen E. Schrempp

Chairman of the Board

Daimler Chrysler Corporation

1000 Chrysler Drive

Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2766

Re: 2001 Dodge Stratus SE- 2.7 L V6 VIN# **************

Dear Prof. Schrempp,

I am writing to notify you of the problems I have experienced with my 2001 Dodge Stratus and that I expect you to BUY BACK the vehicle and refund all costs/damagas I have incurred. The issues with my vehicle substantially impairs the use and value of my vehicle. Not to mention it's a safety issue as the 2nd time the engine failed I was in the middle of busy intersection and could have been seriously injured or killed. I am not comfortable taking this car on long trips, as I am afraid that the engine will fail on the interstate or strand me. Below are the stated facts regarding this vehicle.

4/14/01- I leased a 2001 Dodge Stratus SE from Berlin City Dealerships, Inc. in Gorham, NH.

4/30/01- 1,091 check engine light comes on - take to Foster Motors in Middlebury, VT for service, they say nothing wrong, touchy gas cap.

5/22/01- 2,135 miles Engine Light back on- take to Foster Motors for service- catalytic converter failure- replaced.

8/27/02- 20,708 miles- No air/heat- loud noise coming from vents when turning on air or heat- serviced at Foster Motors- Resistor replaced.

10/15/02- 22,816 Engine failure while driving down road- have car towed to Foster Motors. Service Manager calls and says they found sludge when they pulled oil pan cap. Nothing else checked on car (ie: head gaskets). Claims owner neglect- states that car looks like the oil was never changed. We disagree. Meeting w/ District Manager. She never touches the engine and lets Service Manager do all the talking.

Given an oil sample and we have an independent company (NOCO) analyze the oil. Test comes back stating SEVERE LEVELS OF WATER w/ antifreeze contamination.

Page 2. cont.

Reported to Chrysler- still no warranty- decision stands. We have the car towed to *** Dodge. They install a used 2001 Dodge Stratus engine (we later learn that *** tells DaimlerChrysler that it is a NON Chrysler engine). Cost- $4563.48

12/14/02- Pick up car from **** (at this point I don't want to use this dealerships name) - drive 5 miles from dealership and engine fails in the middle of traffic. Car towed back to ****. Given a rental car free of charge.

12/16/04- Call from **** Dodge- they need to replace the block and want us to pay another $1200 for labor. Agree to pay $25 p/day rental fee on rental car. We talk to Atty. James Dumont who in turn talks to their attorney. It is agreed based on Vermont Law that we will not be responsible for repair or replacement of this engine. Call from **** Dodge to return rental car immediately. **** Dodge attempts to have an APB put out for a stolen rental car.

12/ /04- We return rental car and pay for 2 days rental on car ($52).

1/7/04- We pick up our car from **** Dodge.

2/6/03 VT Lemon Law Arbitration. We lose 3-2.

Grinding noise heard from under hood- we have **** Dodge Service-we weren't given a receipt- no charge. Engine not bolted down tight enough.

1/18/04- Heater quit- called **** Dodge- they said most likely a computer/sensor problem and okay to drive until they could see us on 2/5/04.

2/5/04- Appointment at **** Dodge. Service manager states that the car is very low on coolant (we had filled it 3 weeks prior- when checking fluids). Service Manager adds 3 containers of coolant. Tells us if we were thinking about trading, now would be a good time as a head gasket may be getting ready to go if it's using up that much coolant.

At no time were we verbally told or did we have written notice that the engine put into our car was a NON Chrysler engine. We were led to believe the opposite.

Unfortunately your product has not performed well and your customer service has left much to be desired. I have made a report to the Better Business Bureau and I was quite concerned that a company as big as Daimler Chrysler opted NOT to participate in the program. I have written to you before and of course I have not received a response. I was willing to let it go until the Service Manager at **** Dodge told us about how now would be a good time to trade. Funny how when we went to talk to a salesman at **** Dodge he wouldn't even consider helping us get into a different car with a different size motor (this was of last resort, because I will never own a Daimler Chrysler vehicle again. Which includes the Mitsubishi and Hyundai line as well.)

To top things off, the Service Manager at Foster Motors (5 star dealership) in Middlebury, Vermont recently had a prospective buyer in the dealership. This buyer asked the Service Mgr if there were any good used cars on the lot. The Service Mgr. told him that they had quite a few Dodge Stratus'. This buyer told him he was not interested in a Stratus as he had a couple of friends who had a lot of problems with their Stratus. The Service Mgr asked who-and the buyer replied that he would rather not mention names. Mr. LaFave took it upon himself to ask the buyer if it was our names that was having the problems. The buyer didn't reply but the Service Mgr stated that yes he knew that we had some problems with the Stratus but that our FIRST mistake was buying it in New Hampshire and not from them.

So, I can only assume that we were being punished that first time our engine died and The Service Mgr. claimed owner neglect because we didn't buy our car at THEIR dealership? One more reason why we will NEVER purchase another DaimlerChrysler vehicle. One thing I would like to mention- somehow when we went for arbitration- they had a Mopar oil filter with them- as I have stated before our oil was changed at a Speedi-Lube and they use AFTER MARKET FILTERS. I would love an explanation for this! Oh, I forgot they accused Speedi-Lube of never changing the filter. I believe that would be slander towards Speedi-Lube.

I have read thousands of stories on the internet and they are all JUST like mine- engine fails, dealer refuses warranty because of owner neglect and car owner is either forced into paying for a new engine, a 2nd hand engine, letting the car sit in their driveway or letting the car get repossessed. I am currently getting in touch with everyone with an e-mail address so that I can get a signed statement from them.

As you can see from the list below I am quite determined to see this through until the end. I do not want to hear back from customer service saying I'm sorry there is nothing we can do for you, I don't want to hear from some low man on the totem poleI want to hear from someone that is in charge. It is time that you step up to the plate and take responsibility. Call me, let's talk and see if we can work something out. I am tired of being ignored, insulted and humiliated by your company. I am prepared to seek legal action, for which I will hold the Daimler Chrysler Corp. 100% responsible for any and all fees.

I look forward to hearing from you within ten (10) business days.

Sincerely,

cc: Atty. General William Sorrell- VT

Atty. General Jennifer Granholm- MI

Lt. Gov. Brian Dubee- VT

Sen. Patrick Leahy- VT

Sen. James Jeffords- VT

Sen. Debbie Stabenow- MI

Carl Levin- MI

Congressman Bernie Sanders- VT

Congressman John Dingall- 15th District of MI/ Ranking Member of Energy & Commerce

The Center for Auto Safety- Attn: Clarence Ditlow, Director

Consumers for Auto Safety & Reliability Attn: Rosemary Shahan, Director

Federal Trade Commission Attn: Dept. of Enforcement

Heather

New Haven, Vermont
U.S.A.

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