NHTSA Complaint #10220187 — 2005 DODGE DURANGO

I WAS CONTACTED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER, STATING MY 2005 DODGE DURANGO WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL, AND TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH OUR DEALER. I SCHEDULED THE APPOINT FOR THE RECALL AND FOR ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE. I INVESTIGATED THE RECALLS, AND FOUND 2: A POTENTIAL INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILURE, AND A PROBLEM WITH FUEL SPILLING OUT OF THE INLET DURING REFUELING. I SCHEDULED THE APPOINTMENT, AND OFF THE DURANGO ON 2-26-08. THE NEXT DAY, MIKE (FROM OUR DEALER) CALLED AND SAID THAT THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED. HE STATED THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER SOMETIMES MADE MISTAKES LIKE THIS WITH RECALLS. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE ONLY RECALL THE DURANGO WAS ELIGIBLE FOR WAS FOR THE ISSUE WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND THE THE RECALL FOR THE ISSUE WITH THE INLET VALVE DID NOT APPLY TO VEHICLES MADE AFTER 10-12-2004 - OURS WAS MADE 10-15-05. I EXPLAINED TO MIKE THAT THE DURANGO HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE RECALL. JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, MY WIFE WAS DOUSED WITH GAS AS SHE FILLED THE DURANGO - GAS ESCAPES FREQUENTLY WHEN FILLING UP. MIKE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO, EXCEPT PERFORM THE REPAIR - THE EXACT SAME THING THE RECALL WAS FOR, BUT AT MY EXPENSE, AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLER CHYRYSLER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ME. I CONTACTED DAIMLERCHRYSLER TWICE AFTER I FOUND DOCUMENTATION ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, FROM DAIMLERCHRYSLER TO NHTSA, STATING THAT ALL DURANGOS FROM VIN 5F500001 TO 5F535219 WOULD BE RECALLED. THE VIN ON MY DURANGO IS 5F529730 - WELL WITHIN THE RECALL RANGE. THE LETTER I FOUND ON NHTSA'S WEBSITE (DATED 3-18-2005) FROM STEPHAN J SPETH (DIRECTOR, VEHICLE COMPLIANCE) TO MS. KATHLEEN C. DEMETER (ACTING ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR, SAFETY ASSURANCE) AT NHTSA, INDICATING A "DATE RANGE" FOR AFFECTED VEHICLES. DAIMLER CHRYLSER ASSIGNED A REFERENCE NUMBER (17265274), BUT STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PERFORM THE RECALL. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V-034. *TR