NHTSA Complaint #10255124 — 2005 DODGE DURANGO

ON DEC 19 2008 AS I WAS DRIVING HOME DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WHEN MY DRIVER SIDE WIND SHIELD WIPER SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND GOT TANGLED UP WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER THAT CONTINUED TO WORK NORMALLY. THIS HAPPENED MINUTES BEFORE I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE FREEWAY SO LUCKILY I WAS IN A PLACE WHERE I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER. I TRIED TO WAIT OUT THE STORM BUT IT WAS GETTING REALLY BAD SO I HAD TO DRIVE AT 20-30 MPH WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. I FIRST THOUGHT THAT THE BOLT HOLDING THE WIPER ARM WAS STRIPPED BUT AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TO GET INSPECTED, TO MY SURPRISE I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE LINKAGE FOR THE WIPER SYSTEM. THE LINKAGE JUST BROKE OUT OF NOWHERE. OUR VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 1/2 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING HAPPENING ON NEW OR OLD VEHICLES OF ANY MAKE. THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THE LINKAGE BROKE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE PART WAS MADE. THE AMOUNT IT COST TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE CAME OUT TO $607.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT REPLACED TODAY. IT ALSO TOOK 7-10 DAYS TO ORDER AND SHIP THE PART TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE SAME MODEL PART SO THIS PROBLEM MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN WHICH IS NOT COMFORTING AT ALL. I ASKED TO TAKE THE BROKEN PART BACK TO SHOW PROOF OR A DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA THAT BROKE. SO IF NEEDED I CAN SEND THAT IN. *TR