NHTSA Complaint #10182167 — 2006 DODGE DURANGO

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT PANEL'S SEAT MOTOR CAP WAS SUPER GLUED ON AFTER PRONGS HAD BROKEN BY EITHER SELLING DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. THIS WAS FOUND TO HAVE HAPPENED WHEN VEHICLE WAS 8 MONTHS OLD AND THE CAP FELL OFF. AT 10 MONTHS OLD, THE SAME SEAT PANEL BUSTED WITH NORMAL ENTRY OF THE VEHICLE. I WEIGH 115 LBS. AT MY WEIGHT, THIS PIECE SHOULD NOT BREAK FROM NORMAL ENTRY. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF IT WAS A LARGER PERSON? WOULD THE WHOLE SEAT COME APART? THE LEATHER FORMS A U-SHAPE WHICH IS A NICE CUSHION WHEN SITTING IN THE SEAT, BUT WHEN ENTERING THE SEAT, THE DURANGO IS HIGH OFF THE GROUND AND THE SEAT/STEERING WHEEL DESIGN IS DESIGNED SO ONE HAS TO "SLIDE" INTO THE SEAT. WHEN YOU "SLIDE" INTO THE SEAT, THE SEAT PUSHES DOWN ON THE EDGES WHICH IN TURN PUSHES DOWN ON THE THIN, CHEAP PLASTIC AND THE PLASTIC CRACKS. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WILL FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY THIS ONCE UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STATED THEY FIX APPROXIMATELY 20 VEHICLES A MONTH THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY HAVE CONTACTED DODGE ABOUT REPLACING THE PLASTIC PIECE WITH MORE DURABLE MATERIAL TO NO AVAIL. IF THIS PLASTIC PIECE CONTINUES TO BREAK (AND IT WILL AS THEY ARE REPLACING WITH SAME QUALITY OF PLASTIC), THE MECHANISMS OF THE SEAT WILL BE OPEN TO THE TOUCH WHICH IS A DANGER TO THE SMALL HANDS OF CHILDREN WHO MAY REACH IN THE VEHICLE. THESE DURANGO'S HAVE ELECTRONIC BUTTONS ON THE SIDE OF THIS PANEL WHICH IF MOVED COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE AND DISFIGURE A CHILD'S HANDS OR FEET IF CAUGHT WHERE THE SEAT PANEL SHOULD BE. I DON'T WANT IT TO BE MY CHILD'S FEET. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A FAULTY PART EVER 10 MONTHS THAT I OWN THE VEHICLE DUE TO A CHEAP, FAULTY PART. FOR A $39,000 VEHICLE, I EXPECT BETTER QUALITY. I WONDER HOW SAFE I AM IN THE DURANGO IF I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE SEAT CAN'T HOLD UP AFTER ONLY 10 MONTHS OF NORMAL USE. MY HUSBAND'S SUPERVISOR'S 05 DURANGO HAD THE SAME PLASTIC SEAT PANEL BUST DURING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ALSO AT LESS THAN 6 MONTHS! *NM