NHTSA Complaint #10508620 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

2004 DODGE DURANGO WITH 5.7 HEMI,WOULD ALWAYS EXPERIENCE A SLIGHT ENGINE MISS AFTER A HARD RAIN AND VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITH ENGINE MISS IF RAN THROUGH AN AUTO CAR WASH. HAD A VERY HEAVY RAIN LAST NIGHT, RAN VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES TODAY WITH NO REAL NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS. FELT SLIGHT ENGINE MISS WHILE SITTING AT IDLE. ON MY HOME FROM PICKING UP OUR DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL, WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE BLEW A ROD OUT THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. FROM READING SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORUMS IT APPEARS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. HAVE ALWAYS HAD SERVICE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED EVERY 3,000 MILES! SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURES DEFECT CAUSING ENGINE TO BLOW ROD AT SAME LOCATION ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES! EVERY VEHICLE IN OUR DRIVEWAY IS A DODGE BRAND, MOPAR RUNS THROUGH OUR VEINS. CHRYSLER CORP. KNOWS THEY HAVE A COMPONENT FAILURE ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR AND ENGINE COMBINATION AND IT IS TIME THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO GET MY VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY, PRAISING GOD OUR DAUGHTER WAS NOT DRIVING WHO JUST GOT HER LEARNERS PERMIT. SHE (15 YEARS OLD) MOST LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO GET THE VEHICLE, WHICH DIED INSTANTLY OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY. *TR