NHTSA Complaint #10429643 — 2011 DODGE JOURNEY

AT APPROXIMATELY 5000 MILES, AND LESS THAN 5 MONTHS OLD, MY 2011 DODGE JOURNEY, BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY (STEERING WHEEL) WHEN I SLOWED DOWN. AT FIRST, IT BEGAN AT APPROX 52 MILES AN HOUR, AND WAS NOTICEABLE GOING DOWN SMALL HILLS. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY BECOME WORSE; VIOLENTLY SHAKING ANYWHERE FROM 30-60 MILES, WITH THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SO HARD IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. I FIRST NOTICED IT EARLY IN SEPTEMBER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 9/15, WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE ROTORS. WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WOULD BE ORDERED AND I WOULD BE CALLED PROMPTLY. I EMAILED THE SERVICE MANAGER ON 9/19, AND HE ADVISED IT, ALONG WITH A DEFECTIVE DASH BOARD THAT WAS BUBBLING, WOULD BE HANDLED BY HIS CORPORATE CONTACT, AND I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL. I HAVE NOT. ON 10/4, I RECEIVED A GENERAL EMAIL FROM THE SALESMAN WHO SOLD ME THE CAR, CHECKING TO SEE HOW I LIKED THE CAR. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THE SITUATION. ON 10/5, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM HIS MANAGER, WHO SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND WOULD BE CONTACTING ME SOON. THAT WAS A WEEK AGO, AND NO CONTACT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CAR. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND HAVE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO WORK AND TO CARE FOR AN ILL HUSBAND AND MOTHER. I AM ON THE ROAD A LOT, AND IT IS SCARY FOR THE CAR TO SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY. I BELIEVE THE ROTOR ISSUES OBVIOUSLY ARE DAMAGING THE BRAKES, BUT ALSO THE TIRES. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW, AND TO HAVE IT FAIL SO EARLY IS VERY UPSETTING, AS WELL AS SCARY. I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE 2009-2010 JOURNEYS AS WELL, BUT WAS ASSURED BY THE SALES TEAM AT DODGE THAT IT HAD BEEN ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED AND WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE WITH THE 2011 MODELS. PLEASE HELP. *KB