NHTSA Complaint #10400939 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DURANGO W/ A 5.7 HEMI. DROVE THIS VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH TO WORK EVERYDAY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I LOVED THIS SUV! IT WAS BY FAR THE NICEST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. FRIENDS JOKED THAT I BABIED IT MORE THAN I DID MY CHILDREN. I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS VEHICLE MECHANICALLY AND COSMETICALLY. BEING AN EX-MECHANIC, I AM VERY AWARE OF THE NECESSITY OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I PARKED THE VEHICLE FRIDAY NIGHT AND ALL DAY SAT. WIFE WENT TO GO DO THE GROCERY SHOPPING SUN MORNING AND CLAIMED THAT THE ENGINE TURNED OVER A LITTLE AND THEN THERE WAS A THUNK NOISE AND WOULDN'T RESTART. I WENT OUT AND TRIED TO START THE DURANGO. ON THE THIRD TRY, THE ENGINE STARTED. THERE WAS A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BENDIX WAS STUCK ON THE STARTER. I TRIED TAPPING ON THE STARTER TO DISENGAGE IT TO NO AVAIL. I REPLACED THE STARTER WITH A NEW ONE AND GOT THE SAME SOUND. I CALLED A LOCAL MECHANIC ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HE CAME TO MY HOUSE TO HEAR THE PROBLEM. WHEN WE STARTED THE ENGINE, THE NOISE WAS NOTICEABLY LOUDER. AFTER AN HOUR OF CRAWLING AROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE IT APPEARED TO BE AN INTERNAL ENGINE PROBLEM. ON FURTHER INSPECTION WE FOUND A SMALL CRACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE BLOCK. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS, INSURANCE, AND TAGS. AFTER ALL THE OTHER RESEARCH I HAVE DONE AND THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE I HAVE FOUND WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CHRYSLER HASN'T RELEASED A RECALL. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE DURANGO HAS APPROX. 95,000 MILES ON IT. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING THIS EARLY TO THIS AMOUNT OF ANY VEHICLE. UPDATED 08/23/11 *TR