NHTSA Complaint #10325237 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

2004 DODGE DURANGO 4X4 W/5.7 HEMI ENGINE. CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE: ALL SERVICE PERFORMED AS PER MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS AT AN AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALER. TURNED THE IGNITION TO START THE TRUCK AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. AFTERWARD, THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND THE VEHICLE MADE A TICKING SOUND. HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER THINKING IT MAY BE A FAILED BATTERY. AFTER REPLACING THE BATTERY (THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ALSO SUSPECTED A BATTERY) THE CAR FAILED TO HOLD A CHARGE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION ON THE RACK THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED A SIGNIFICANT HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK AND A SIGNIFICANT CRACK IN THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGINE INTERFACE. THE MECHANIC DEDUCED THAT AS AN ENGINE COMPONENT BLEW, THE FORCE OF WHICH SHORTED THE BATTERY, THE STARTER AND CRACKED THE TRANSMISSION INTERFACE. AFTER REMOVING THE BATTERY, THE TERMINAL TO THE NEGATIVE GROUND WAS DISLODGED, THE BATTERY WAS BULGING AT THE SIDES, AND THE ENGINE IS DEAD. CHRYSLER MOTOR COMPANY SAYS THEY HAVE NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH HEMI ENGINES, AND GIVEN THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY..SORRY NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS AND IS DOCUMENTED ON NHTSA AND OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS. THE OPTION PRESENTED BY CHRYSLER IS $5500 PLUS LABOR FOR A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE. ESTIMATED LABOR IS $1900. THE DEALER DOESN'T GET MUCH OF A BREAK FROM CHRYSLER FOR THIS ENGINE, BUT GETS ALL THE HASSLE FOR THE SHODDY WORK THE COMPANY SELLS. THIS IS A HEAVY DUTY TRUCK, AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT DIE AT 125,000 MILES. *TR