NHTSA Complaint #10177960 — 1998 DODGE DURANGO

I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 98 DODGE DURANGO. VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR ENTIRE TIME WE OWNED IT. MAINTENANCE WAS DONE PROPERLY, AS MY HUSBAND IS A GENERATOR MECHANIC IN THE MILITARY AND KEEPS A VERY RIGID MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR ALL OF OUR CARS. MID MAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST OIL PRESSURE, AFTER AND OIL CHANGE VEHICLE WAS FINE FOR MONTHS. THEN MID AUGUST IT STARTS AGAIN, AGAIN OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT LEAST EVERY 6000 MILES BY CHRYSLER'S INSTRUCTIONS. BEFORE WE CAN EVEN GET OFF OF THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND NOW WILL RUN BUT LOSSES OIL PRESSURE BEFORE WE GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND KNOCKING STARTS SOON AFTER. COMPRESSION IS LOST IN TWO HEAD GASKETS DUE TO THIS AND THE MECHANIC SAYS THE SLUDGE IS THE PROBLEM, THOUGH THE MECHANIC CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW OFTEN THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED. HE CAN ONLY EXPLAIN THAT AN OIL CHANGE DOES NOT DRAIN THE BUILD UP THAT IS ALREADY INSIDE OF THE ENGINE AND THAT IT HAS JUST BEEN DEVELOPING OVER TIME BUT IS VERY ABNORMAL. CHRYSLER/DODGE SHOULD TAKE ACTION, I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM ONLINE AND AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD VEHICLE. *JB