2000 Dodge engine failure: At 55,000 miles my 2000 Dodge Intrepid threw a lower rod as I was exiting the expressway after driving approx 10-12 miles. The car is in excellent shape and has an oil change evey 3,000 miles. I had just had an oil change approx 1,000 miles before this happened. I called daimerchrysler and asked them if there was anything that they could assist with etc? they asked if the dealer had torn down the engine. I told them that I had a private diagnosis and the dealer had a tech listen to it and said they were sure a rod had gone bad. They saad to have the dealer tear it down... they then tried to blame me for not getting the oil changed on a regular basis. I again told them that it had been changed every 3,000 miles and that I own two other cars (95 sillouttte & 97 cutlass) that have 130,000+ miles on them. I took the car to the dealer and paid them $250 for a teardown. The dealer (genesee valley Dodge in flint, mi) called me and terry schefke (service manager) called to say that it had indeed thrown a rod and that I would need a new short block at a cost of $4.250.00. I again contacted Dodge by phone and email. They said that it was my problem because it was out of warranty (3/36). I asked them if an engine failure was normal at 55K? the dealer had his district manager look at the car and I was denied any assistance or compensation. I feel that the engine failure was not at all my fault, I never did get a check engine light or any other warning unti I exited the expressway (I do not speed and have never had a speeding ticket in 25 years of driving) to make matter worse I have to have the dealer reapir the engine because my lease is up omn 3/3/03. I have been online researching the 2.7 DOHC engine and located you from www.intrepidclan-510.org. there seems to be an abundace of simular complte engine failures on varoius web sites. Basically I am looking for anyone who could possibly help?

- Flushing, MI, USA