NHTSA Complaint #10506026 — 2010 DODGE CHARGER

WHILE DRIVING MY 2010 DODGE CHARGER R/T I WAS STOPPED AT STOP LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I ACCELERATED, IMMEDIATELY AFTER I STARTED ACCELERATING A NOISE AND CLUNKING FEEL HAPPENED. I MAINTAINED A VERY SLOW SPEED BECAUSE OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE FIRST PARKING LOT I COULD EASILY ACCESS. AGAIN NOT KNOWING WHAT THE ISSUE WAS BUT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT PHYSICAL APPEARANCE TO THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE AND ALSO HOW IT DROVE WHILE FINDING A PARKING LOCATION I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC. ONCE ON THE LIFT WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT THE REAR SUB-FRAME BUSHINGS HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THEMSELVES. BEING THAT I WAS GOING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED THE SITUATION WAS KEPT UNDER CONTROL, BUT HAD I BEEN GOING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AS I OFTEN DO ON MY DAILY COMMUTE I AM UNSURE IF THIS WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE AS CONTROLLED AS IT WAS. THE IMPRESSION MY MECHANIC GAVE WAS THAT THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF A PART THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AT THIS POINT OF A VEHICLES LIFE. AFTER THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE VEHICLE I DID HAVE IT TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP TO DO THEIR ASSESSMENT. I HAVE ALSO CONTACT CHRYSLER MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN LITTLE TO NO INFORMATION ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OTHER THAN THAT THE ENGINEERS ARE LOOKING AT IT. I DID DO SOME RESEARCH AND WAS ABLE TO FIND THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE DODGE CHARGER, CHALLENGER AND CHRYSLER 300 HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. MOST OF WHICH WERE SITUATIONS WHERE OWNERS REPLACED THE BUSHINGS WITH STRONGER AFTERMARKET PARTS PRIOR TO FAILURE BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE A MORE COMMON CONCERN AMONG OWNERS. I KNOW THAT I AM JUST ONE PERSON REPORTING AN ISSUE BUT MY MAIN CONCERN CURRENTLY IS THAT AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED I DO NOT KNOW IF THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN AS CONTROLLED, AND THAT IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME AS I DO HAVE A FAMILY WITH SMALL CHILDREN. *TR