NHTSA Complaint #10049142 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE FIRST AT 39933 MILES WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE OIL PUMP AND ADVISED US OF SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THE SAME PROBLEM AT 63025 MILES ALONG WITH A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL. THE DEALERSHIP AT WHICH WE PURCHASED THE TRUCK REPLACED THE OIL PUMP AGAIN, ADVISED OF SLUDGE BUILD UP AND OVERHAULED THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ALSO CHECKED ON THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE BUT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT COVER IT, SO THEY SIMPLY REPLACED THE OIL PUMP. SAME PROBLEM FOR THE 3RD TIME AT 73825 MILES, LESS THAN 12 MONTHS AND 12000 MILES LATER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP ADMITS THAT REPLACING THE OIL PUMP WILL NOT HELP. THEY NEED TO CLEAN THE SLUDGE OUT FOR IT TO RUN BETTER BUT EVEN THIS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. UNLESS THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS TAKEN APART AND SOAKED CLEAN OR CHRYSLER SUPPLIES A NEW ENGINE, WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. REGULAR OIL CHANGES WERE COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE. AFTER THE FIRST OIL PUMP THE DEALER ADVISED THAT I USING SYNTHETIC OIL, WHICH WAS DONE. AFTER THE 2ND OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED THE DEALER SAID THAT THE SYNTHETIC OIL WOULD NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. *NLM