NHTSA Complaint #10507501 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 2/19/13 DROVE IT FOR 2 WEEKS. WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY CLUNKING NOISE WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT TIRE BUT WASN'T. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FIXED THAT PROBLEM. 2 WEEKS AFTER THAT ON 3/29 WAS GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD ANOTHER LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY A CLUNKING NOISE THIS TIME I LOST STEERING AND BARELY MADE IT INTO A PARKING LOT. HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC TO FIND OUT IT BLEW A ROD AND NEEDED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. AFTER HAVING THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 WEEKS I HAVE HAD 2 CATASTROPHIC FAILURES. MY DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HELP ME AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ON MY OWN. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TO BE A SAFE AND RELIABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ME AND MY 4 CHILDREN. NOW I AM OUT $6000 AND HAVE NO VEHICLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO PAY FOR AN ISSUE THAT IS KNOWN TO BE A PROBLEM. *TR