NHTSA Complaint #10214317 — 2008 DODGE AVENGER

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2008 AVENGER WITH THE 2.4L VVT 4CYLINDER AND TRADED IN MY 2001 DAKOTA WITH A 4.7L V8 MAGNUM FOR IT. I REGRET IT. I WOULD HAVE DON'T BETTER OFF BUYING A FORD. YES, THIS CAR GETS GOOD HIGHWAY GAS MILEAGE BUT IT HAS CAUSED NOTHING BUT HEADACHES BEYOND THAT POINT. IF I DRIVE AROUND TOWN IT SUCKS THE GAS LIKE NO TOMORROW. THE RPM'S ARE WAY TO HIGH. THE CAR SHIFTS AROUND 3,000 OR HIGHER RPM'S WHETHER IT IS WARM OR COLD. WHEN THE SHIFTS, IT IS NOT SMOOTH. THERE HARD SHIFTS. MY FIANCE'S 1999 DURANGO WITH 135,000 MILES ON IT SHIFTS BETTER THAN THIS CAR DOES. RANDOMLY THE CAR WILL DIE WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP FOR A STOP LIGHT/SIGN. THERE WAS ONE OCCASION WHERE I WAS DRIVING DOWN ONE OF THE BUSIEST ROADS IN OUR TOWN AND IT DIED WHILE I WAS DOING ABOUT 40MPH. BEFORE IT DIES, IT SHAKES REAL BAD FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS THEN I LOSE EVERYTHING. THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE WILL NOT MOVE. IT IS LIKE IT IS FROZEN IN PLACE. THE HANDLE WILL NOT PULL OUT AT ALL. IT WILL OPEN JUST FINE FROM THE INSIDE BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING FROM STANDING OUTSIDE THE CAR. MY DOORS SQUEAK WHEN I OPEN AND CLOSE THEM. WHENEVER I TURN THE WHEEL THE CAR GROANS AT ME. I'VE TAKEN IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER ABOUT 3 TIMES. WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE SHIFTING, RPM'S, AND RANDOMLY DYING THEY JUST SAID THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO ACT UP. FINALLY, TWO OTHER NEW AVENGERS CAME INTO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. NOW THEY TELL ME THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT. MY 2001 DAKOTA WITH 142,000 MILES NEVER GAVE ME THIS MUCH TROUBLE THE ENTIRE TIME I OWNED IT. I HAD IT A LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS AND PUT AROUND 50,000 MILES ON IT AND ONLY CHANGED THE OIL AND DID A TUNE UP. *TR