NHTSA Complaint #10400097 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

MY HUSBAND STARTED THE DURANGO AND HEARD A LOUD CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE FOUND A PUDDLE OF OIL UNDERNEATH AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE IN THE OIL PAN. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT A ROD HAD SHOT THROUGH THE OIL PAN AND THAT OUR ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WE HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE OIL CHANGES AND UPKEEP. THE DAY BEFORE THIS HAPPENED WE HAD DRIVEN ALL OVER AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. PRIOR TO THIS THERE HAD BEEN TWO OCCASSIONS WHEN I WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN AND I COULDNT CONTROL THE STEERING OR BRAKES BUT THEY HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR APART AND STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY I WASNT IN BUSY TRAFFIC WHEN THIS OCCURED. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER ANY ENGINE LIGHTS ON. EVEN THE MORNING WHEN HE DISCOVERED THE CLICKING SOUND THERE WERE NO DASH LIGHTS ON.