NHTSA Complaint #10380471 — 2006 DODGE CHARGER

WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MPH AND SLOWER WITH DEFROSTER ON AT 20 DEGREE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY FOGGED UP, HAD TO PULL OF TO SIDE OF ROAD TO CLEAR WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD ONLY CLEARED ABOUT 2/3RDS, AND WOULD NOR CLEAR ON SIDES OF WINDSHIELD. I COULD NOT SEE AROUND CORNERS WITHOUT OPENING WINDOWS. AFTER A WEEK OF FRUSTRATION AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING, I DISCOVERED FROM AN ONLINE COMPLAINT THAT THE RECIRCULATION COVER ON THE HEATER BLOWER WAS STUCK OPEN, AND WAS NOT LETTING FRESH AIR INTO THE VEHICLE. I FOUND THAT THE ARM THAT MOVES THE COVER HAD BROKEN, SO AFTER REMOVING MY GLOVE BOX, I MANUALLY CLOSED THIS COVER. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A RATHER COMMON IN CHARGERS. I AND EVERYONE ON THE ROAD AROUND ME WERE VERY LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD BE MAKING OWNERS AWARE OF THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM, AND SINCE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD BE A RE-CALL. FOR A VEHICLE OWNER TO FIX THIS $30 PART, THE REPAIR BILL IS ALMOST $900 DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE JOB OF REMOVING THE WHOLE DASHBOARD AND STEERING COLUMN, AND ALL ASSOCIATED PARTS. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND THE PROBLEM BEFORE I OR ANYONE ELSE GOT HURT, BUT OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE.