NHTSA Complaint #10333857 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO BEGAN JOLTING WHILE DRIVING WITH SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, INCLUDING STEERING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY AS THE WEATHER IS WARMER. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT BEING AS THERE WAS NO SHOULDER, I ENDED UP IN A DITCH. IF THIS WERE A FREEWAY AND I WERE IN THE LEFT LANE, I AM NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE MADE IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THEY SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE BATTERY. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO DIE. I AM IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND AM ON CALL FOR EMERGENCIES. IF THE CAR WERE TO DIE WHILE RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY CALL, IMAGINE THE IMPACT ON OTHER LIVES. ALSO, IF THE CAR WERE TO DIE ON A FREEWAY, THE RESULT COULD BE FATAL. THE CAR IS AT A MECHANIC CURRENTLY AND THEY HAVE 'NO IDEA' WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE SINCE BEEN AVOIDING FREEWAYS AND TAKING SIDE ROADS WITH REDUCED SPEED LIMITS OUT OF FEAR THAT THE CAR WILL QUIT ON A FREEWAY. THE ODOMETER READS 'NO BUS' DURING THE INCIDENTS AND WILL START UP AGAIN AFTER IT 'COOLS' FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS NOW HAPPENS 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK AND, QUITE FRANKLY, THE NEXT TIME IT DOES, I MAY JUST LEAVE THE CAR WHERE IT DIES. *TR