NHTSA Complaint #10256379 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. WHEN THE CONTACT FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE OIL LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, INDICATING THAT AN OIL CHANGE WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE ALSO SHUT OFF AT LEAST FIVE TIMES ON THE FREEWAY. IT WOULD USUALLY IMMEDIATELY RESTART, BUT THEN KICK BACK AFTER IT WOULD START. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT RECALLS AND OTHER COMPLAINTS AND WAS INFORMED THAT NONE WERE AVAILABLE. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V528000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. SHE CONSTANTLY CHANGED THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE AND WOULD GO THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE OIL INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AND SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A CHEMICAL SMELL AND USED AN EXTINGUISHER TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, BUT IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PLACED INTO REVERSE, WHICH CAUSED MORE SMOKE EMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEW DEALER AND THE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED WITH A DEFECTIVE PART. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED HEADLIGHT, DOME LIGHT, VANITY LIGHT, AND WINDOW ISSUES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHARGED HER FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED THAT THE CLUSTER WAS DEFECTIVE. AFTER THEY REPAIRED THE CLUSTER AGAIN, THE ISSUE SEEMED TO WORSEN AND THE HORN BEGAN HONKING INTERMITTENTLY. SHE SPOKE WITH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5.