NHTSA Complaint #10296371 — 2000 DODGE DURANGO

I'VE HELD CONFIDENCE IN MY 2000 DODGE DURANGO SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2003. IN THE SUMMER OF 2009, I WAS DRIVING DOWN A LOCAL ROAD WHEN SUDDENLY THE GAUGES ON THE DASH BOARD WERE NOT REGISTERING, THE ODOMETER READ BUS AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. SINCE THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING, I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED ON THE CAUTION BLINKERS. THERE WERE MANY CARS BLOWING THEIR HORNS, WAITING BEHIND ME ON THIS ONE LANE ROAD. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE ENGINE STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A ONE TIME ONLY OCCURRENCE. I HAD NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. A FEW DAYS LATER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND THE TRUCK SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AGAIN. OMG, I WAS NERVOUS, SCARED AND REALLY BELIEVED THAT I WAS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE SOMEONE WOULD RAM THEIR VEHICLE INTO MINE. WHAT DRIVER WOULD SUSPECT THAT MY TRUCK SUDDENLY DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT? I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW I WAS GOING TO GET THIS VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT ENDANGERING MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHER DRIVERS. LUCKILY I DID IT. MY HUSBAND TINKERED WITH THE COMPUTER AND NOTICED THAT WHEN HE REPOSITION THE COMPUTER THE ENGINE WOULD START AGAIN. BUT I REFUSE TO DRIVE IT UNTIL WE PURCHASE ANOTHER COMPUTER. THE CAR REPAIRMAN SAID, EVEN IF WE PURCHASED ANOTHER COMPUTER HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN. THE COMPUTER IS OVERHEATING DUE TO THE LOCATION THAT THE MANUFACTURERS HAVE CHOSEN. I WILL GET SOMEONE TO DESIGN SOME SORT OF HEAT SHIELD OR SOMETHING TO PREVENT THE COMPUTER FROM OVERHEATING. TO REPLACE MY CURRENT COMPUTER WILL COST $1100. I THINK THE CAR COMPANY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FLAW AND RECALL THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT WANT SOMEONE TO GET KILLED DUE TO THEIR GROSS NEGLIGENCE. I AM NOT THE ONLY DODGE DURANGO OWNER WHO IS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND GET SOMETHING DONE. PREVENTING JUST ONE DEATH IS ENOUGH. *TR