NHTSA Complaint #10173757 — 2006 DODGE MAGNUM

I PURCHASED A 2006 MAGNUM FROM LITHIA OF FAIRFIELD IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 2006. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS (MAY-OCT) WITH THE ONLY DISTRACTION BEING ONE OF THE REAR WINDOWS OPERATED FINE FROM BOTH POWER SWITCHES FOR 90% OF THE TIME. I TOOK IT IN DURING ROUTINE WARRANTY SERVICE AND EXPLAINED TO ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS BUT BECAUSE THE POWER WINDOW SWITCHES WERE OPERABLE THAT DAY I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO (THAT DIDN'T SIT TO WELL WITH ME, BUT I SHRUGGED IT OFF AND SAID OK). IN OCTOBER, A FEW OTHER INCIDENTS HAPPENED LIKE THE BLUE TOOTH QUIT COMMUNICATING WITH THE SYSTEM. I FIGURED TO WAIT UNTIL MY NEXT ROUTINE SERVICE MAINTENANCE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT IN A FEW WEEKS. AROUND THE SAME TIME FRAME I NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY INTO REVERSE AND THAT WHILE SUSTAINING A STEADY HIGHWAY CRUISING SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WASN'T FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS IF I GRADUALLY INCREASED THE RPMS. I MADE NOTE AND ASKED TO HAVE THIS INVESTIGATE AT THE SAME TIME I WAS TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. UNFORTUNATELY (OR FORTUNATE, DEPENDING ON POINT OF VIEW OF SURVIVING A HIGHWAY ACCIDENT), THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE ON THE WAY TO WORK DRIVING ON A VERY, VERY BUSY AND DANGEROUS STRETCH OF ROAD WHERE THE AVERAGE SPEED IS ABOUT 75 MPH. THE FORTUNATE PART OF THIS BEING I WAS ABLE TO LIMP ALONG FOR ABOUT ONE HALF MILE ON NEWLY COMPLETED SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO AN EXIT. I LITERALLY SHUDDER, WHICH SENDS CHILLS DOWN MY SPINE, TO THINK "WHAT IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE?". *NM