NHTSA Complaint #10082960 — 2001 DODGE DURANGO

(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING ON A 20 MILE DIRT MOUNTAIN ROAD WITH VERY LITTLE GRADE AT A SLOW SPEED OF 10 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. AC WAS NOT ON!. 2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES, OVERHEATING FOR UNKNOWN REASON. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT STAY COOL AND ENDED UP USING OUR 4 GALLONS DRINKING WATER TO KEEP IT COOL. CONSEQUENCE, THE HEADS ON THE TRUCK WARPED DUE TO FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. *AK (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) A DEALER SERVICE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY. EXHAUST GASES WERE DETECTED IN THE COOLANT WATER. THIS WAS DUE TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AFTER THE HEADS WERE REMOVED AND SENT TO A HEAD SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND REMOVAL OF COMPONENTS IT WAS DISCOVERED THE HEADS WERE WARPED. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED A DODGE DEALER AND HE WAS ADVISED THE HEAD PART NUMBERS WERE CHANGED DUE TO A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CURRENT HEADS. NEW HEADS ARE ON ORDER AT THIS TIME AND OTHER COMPONENTS WILL BE INSPECTED OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS. THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE OF THIS FAILURE IS COSTING ME APPROXIMATELY $5000.00 OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS OF NOT HAVING A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER DRIVEN TO EXCUSIVE HEATING. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY RUNNING .25% HOTTER THAN NORMAL WITH LOSS OF POWER AND WATER OVER FLOWING FROM OVER FLOW BOTTLE. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE WAS ONLY SHOWING JUST BELOW SCALE AND NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE IS JUST BELOW OF THE GAGE. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED APPROXIMATELY 32 TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET HELP ON THE OTHER END OF THE DIRT ROAD. OUT SIDE TEMP IN THE CANYON WAS NO MORE THAN 85 DEGREES.