NHTSA Complaint #10028866 — 1998 DODGE DURANGO

RETURNING HOME FROM A BUSINESS TRIP, THE DURANGO STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, THEN QUIT WITHIN SECONDS OF THE ORIGINAL NOISE, WITH A LOUD CLUNK. THE "CHECK ENGINE GUAGES" LIGHT DID NOT COME ON PRIOR TO THE LOUD NOISE. I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND FORTUNATELY THE ENGINE QUIT NEXT TO A VEHICLE TURNOUT. IF THE ENGINE FAILURE HAD OCCURED A FEW SECONDS EARLIER, OR A FEW SECONDS LATER, MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS DANGER, AND I WOULD HAVE ENDANGERED THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AT RISK OF HITTING MY STALLED VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC FOUND A USED ENGINE AND INSTALLED IT. NEW INSTALLED ENGINE RAN QUITE WELL FOR ABOUT 300 MILES. THIS TIME, THE FAILURE WAS FORWARNED BY A "CHECK ENGINE GUAGES" LIGHT AND BELL. CHECKING THE GUAGES, I FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY - OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP WERE OK. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE SECOND BELL AS WELL. THE THIRD BELL, AND I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF DUE TO THE OIL PRESSURE GUAGE FALLING TO ZERO. TOWING THE DURANGO TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, HE ADVISED THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE THE OIL PUMP, BUT ADVISED ME THAT METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL PUMP SCREEN, AND THAT FURTHER DAMAGE WAS PROBBABLE. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE PUMP CHANGED, AND DRIVE IT TO HIS SHOP FOR INSPECTION - A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES. THE DURANGO MADE IT 15 MILES BEFORE QUITTING. THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THIS ENGINE CREATES A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE. IF THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT THINK A RECALL NECESSARY, THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE A RECALL. THIS ENGINE WILL CREATE SERIOUS HARM TO SOMEONE. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME....