NHTSA Complaint #10033331 — 2003 DODGE DURANGO

I PURCHASED A NEW DODGE DURANGO ON JUY 11, 2003 AND IT NOW HAS A LITTLE OVER 800 MILES ON IT. I HAD DRIVEN IT WITH NO PROBLEM UNTIL LAST THURSDAY, AUGUST 14. I PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE AND IT NEVER STARTED FOR ME AGAIN. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT ON FRIDAY, THE GAS GAUGE WAS REGISTERING EMPTY ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A HALF OF A TANK OF GAS IN IT. I TRIED TO START IT SAT, SUN AND MON. IT MADE A NOICE BUT WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT EARLY MON MORNING. THEY ALSO COULD NOT START IT. MULTIPLE TESTS HAVE BEEN DONE ON THIS CAR FOR THE LAST 5 DAYS AND THE DEALER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO START IT BUT THEY CAN NOT DIAGNOIS OR FIX THE PROBLEM AS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG. THE CAR WOULD NOT START FOR THE DEALER 3 TIMES WHILE IN THEIR POSSESSION. TODAY, FRIDAY, AUG 22, THE DEALER HAD THE CAR RUNNING AND WANTED TO RELEASE IT BACK TO ME WITH NO REPAIRS. I REFUSED TO TAKE IT BACK AS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND AM AFRAID THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON IT STARTING EVERYDAY AS THEY DON'T KNOW WHY IT DIDN'T START FOR ALL THE OTHER DAYS. THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR TO SEE IF IT STARTS ON MON, AUG 25TH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CATEGORY THIS FALLS INTO BUT TO ME IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMPUTERS IN THE CAR ARE READING THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF GAS AND MAYBE IT WILL HAPPEN ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I MAY BE IN AN UNSAFE AREA OR OUT AT NIGHT ALONE AND THIS CAR WILL NOT START. I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE OUT OF STATE BECAUSE I'LL BE AFRAID THAT I'LL BE STRANDED. I WOULD NEVER BELIEVE THAT I WOULD PURCHASE A CAR AT THIS PRICE AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE IN IT OR HAVE THE ABILTY TO GO WHERE I CHOOSE AND WHEN I CHOOSE. ALL I WANTED WAS TO GET THE CAR FIXED BUT NO ONE CAN DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR HOW TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *AK