NHTSA Complaint #10502432 — 2010 DODGE CHALLENGER

I WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON 4 LANE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WAS ON A BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDER. ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. VEHICLE WAS COASTING AND SLOWING DOWN RAPIDLY. CARS BEHIND ME WERE HITTING THE BRAKES TO AVOID REAR-ENDING MY VEHICLE AS I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER. ONCE ACROSS BRIDGE, I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER. ENGINE WOULD TURNOVER BUT WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO DODGE DEALERSHIP. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BROKEN TIMING CHAIN, WHICH CAUSED CAMSHAFT TO STOP TURNING. THREE EXHAUST VALVES WERE THUS HELD OPEN WHILE THE CRANKSHAFT CONTINUED TURNING, CAUSING PISTONS TO HIT VALVES, BENDING VALVES AND DENTING PISTON TOPS NEAR EDGE OF PISTON. COMPLETE NEW ENGINE REQUIRED. CHRYSLER CORPORATION IS NOT FORTHCOMING WITH AN EXPLANATION FOR FAILURE OR A CORRECTIVE ACTION. THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN PER THE DEALER. I LOOKED ONLINE AT DODGE CHALLENGER USER FORUMS, AND FOUND DOZENS OF OWNERS HAD EXPERIENCED IDENTICAL PROBLEM: AT 35,000-45,000 MILES, DODGE CHALLENGER 5.7 L HEMI WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND MDS (MULTIPLE DISPLACEMENT SYSTEM) CYLINDER CUTOUT ACTIVATED, SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER DUE TO BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE NHTSA SHOULD COMPEL CHRYSLER CORPORATION TO DEVELOP A CORRECTIVE ACTION AND RECALL ALL DODGE CHALLENGER VEHICLES WITH 5.7 L HEMI ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. *TR