NHTSA Complaint #10045364 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED OUR 99 DODGE DURANGO IN SEPTEMBER 2002, USED FROM A HONDA DEALERSHIP. A FEW DAYS AFTER WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT, THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE BEGAN TO DROP TO "0" RAPIDLY, THEN BACK UP TO "40", THEN IT STARTED STALLING AND HESITATING AFTER RESTART. WE CALLED THE DEALER, THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN, SO WE WINGED IT 20 MILES TO THE SHOP, WHERE THEY HAD IT IN SERVICE FOR A FEW DAYS. THEY SAID IT WAS THE OIL SENDING UNIT AND OIL PUMP, SO THEY REPLACED IT AT NO CHARGE TO US BECAUSE IT WAS WITHIN THE 30 DAYS. SO A FEW WEEKS LATER THE TRUCK DID THE SAME THING, SO WE TOOK IT BACK, THE DEALER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE NEAREST CHRYSLER DEALER. THIS IS WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE AT 65,500 MILES, WHICH THE HONDA DEALER PAID FOR. I HAD THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 1 MONTH, AND HAD TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR, WELL THAT WAS 10/28/02 THAT THEY INSTALLED THE MOTOR, AND NOW MY TRUCK IS BACK IN THE SHOP 10/25/03 FOR ANOTHER MOTOR. THIS IS BECAUSE THE DODGE DEALER SAYS SLUDGE CAUSED MALFUNCTION IN THE ENGINES ABILITY TO SUCK OIL INTO THE SCREEN. OF COURSE THEY BLAMED ME, SAYING THAT I DID NOT CHANGE THE OIL ENOUGH, I PROVIDED THEM WITH SOME OF MY RECEIPTS, AND MY LOG OF OIL CHANGES I DID MYSELF EVERY 3 TO 5,000 MILES. THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THE COST AND SAID I HAVE TO GET AN ATTORNEY. I TOLD THEM I WAS AWARE THAT DURANGOS WITH 5.2 AND 5.9 LITER ENGINES HAVE OIL PUMP AND SCREEN PROBLEMS, AGAIN THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND TURNED ME AWAY. NOW THEY ARE THREATENING TO CHARGE OTHER CHARGES LIKE STORAGE OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL MY ATTORNEY DECIDES WHAT TO DO. *LA