NHTSA Complaint #10450491 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

I OWN A 2004 5.7L HEMI MAGNUM DODGE DURANGO..WHEN I WAS LEAVING SCHOOL THE OTHER NIGHT MY DURANGO STARTED FINE. WHEN I PULLED OUT ONTO THE ROAD I ONLY GOT ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEFORE MY ENGINE MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE AND JERKED REAL HARD, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS DID MY OIL LIGHT. AS I WAS PULLING OFF THE ROAD I LOST THE POWER STEERING AS WELL,SMOKE POURED OUT FROM UNDER MY DURANGO. I GOT OUT AS I WAS AFRAID IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. I CALLED FOR HELP AND WAITED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TOW TRUCK GUY GOT THERE AND TOLD ME THERE WAS OIL ALL UNDERNEATH OF MY TRUCK. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL SHOP TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. GUESS WHAT? A ROD HAS BEEN PUSHED THROUGH MY ENGINE AND NOW I NEED A NEW ONE. MY DURANGO ONLY HAS 85,200 MILES ON IT. I AM REALLY MAD, I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO COULD HAVE BEEN WITH ME AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I HATE TO THINK THAT WAS POSSIBLE AND WHAT THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND I AM SURPRISED NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE.WE AS CONSUMERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO A VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE FOR US, THE LAW IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THIS FROM RE-OCCURING. I CAN SE IF THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT ITS NOT. I HAVE STARTED LOOKING AND I SEE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND THAT IS ONLY ON A COUPLE BOARDS/FORUMS, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE. I ENCOURGE ALL DURANGO OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE TO STEP FORWARD AND COMPLAIN, TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I ALREADY CONTACTED MY LOCAL NEWS, AND I WILL BE SENDING LETTERS TO REID BIGLAND (THE PRESIDENT OF CHRYSLER CORP). CHRYSLER/DODGE GOT A BAILOUT WHEN THEY WERE READY TO BE BANKRUPT, BUT WHERE DOES THAT HELP THE AVERAGE CONSUMER. WE ARE ALL HAVING DIFFICULT TIMES IN THIS ECONOMY, WHERE IS THE HELP FOR US? WE ARE LEFT TO PAY WELL OVER 6000 FOR ENGINE REPAIRS THAT DODGE/CHRYSLER CORP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. WE ALL NEED JUSTICE HERE. *TR