NHTSA Complaint #10142803 — 2001 DODGE DODGE TRUCK

IN AUG OF 2004 I PURCHASED A 2001 DODGE DURANGO SLT FROM PIEDMONT CHRYSLER DODGE HERE IN ANDERSON SC. THIS VEHICLE NOW HAS 45000 MILES ON IT. AFTER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, I TOOK IT TO A AAMCO, AS THIS WAS THE CLOSEST TO WHERE I WAS LOCATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR. THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON IT AND TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT AS THEY THOUGHT THE 3RD GEAR WAS OUT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2005 AND MADE AN APED TO BRING THE CAR TO THEM ON MONDAY 14TH. THE SERVICE MANAGER JIM CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD LOOKED AND DROVE MY VEHICLE AND I DID HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION (IT IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ) AND THEY WERE GOING TO ASK DAIMLERCHRYSLER TO ASSIST WITH THE COSTS DUE TO THE LOW MILES ON THE VEHICLE BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE IT THEY HAD TO "DROP THE PAN" WHICH WOULD COST ME $85. THIS MORNING, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15TH JIM CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THEY DROPPED THE PAN AND HAD FOUND THAT BOLTS IN THE TRANSMISSION HAD COME LOOSE AND HAD ACTUALLY FELL INTO THE CLUTCHES. THIS IS A $2800 REPAIR! I THEN ASK THEM IF THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT THIS COULD HAVE DUE TO MY FAULT? HE SAID ABSOLUTELY NOT THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE. HE ADVISED ME TO CALL DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND ASK THEM FOR ASSISTANCE WHICH I DID. I EVEN CONFERENCED HIM IN SO HE COULD TELL THEM THE "TECHNICAL" ISSUES INVOLVED. BOB CLARK WAS THE REP WE TALKED TO AND HE WAS VERY RUDE EVEN TO THE POINT TO TELL ME THAT DUE TO THE MILEAGE BEING OVER 36000 MILES AND THAT I WAS THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE THAT I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED SERVICE AGREEMENT! I THEN ASK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WITH HIGHER AUTHORITY AS JIM AND I WERE SHOCKED TO HIS RUDENESS AND INABILITY TO HELP US. I THEN ASKED FOR HIS CORPORATE OFFICE WHICH HE REFUSED TO GIVE ME. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER, IN FACT WHILE DOING THIS RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY PERSON HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEM. *NM