NHTSA Complaint #10509296 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2005, THE GLASS ON BACK HATCH SHATTERED 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE ELECTRONIC PANEL WENT OUT, THE MAP SENSOR, IDLER PULLEYS (CAR WAS TWO YEARS OLD), CAR STALLS IN HEAVY RAIN/AT CAR WASH ALWAYS- HAVE HAD IT TOWED, EXHAUST MANIFOLDS BEEN WORKED ON, WATER PUMP, RADIATOR, HEATER CORE, INTAKE VALVE SPRING, RUST BUBBLES ON PAINT CAR WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. YESTERDAY, WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO ACTIVITIES, CAR MADE TICKING SOUND & SOUNDED FUNNY PRESSING ON THE GAS & SITTING AT LIGHT- I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO MUFFLER MAN THINKING IT WAS THE MUFFLER. TO MY SURPRISE, I WAS TOLD LIFTERS COLLAPSED AND NEED TWO SETS OF LIFTERS/ HEAD GASKETS, WHOLE ENGINE HAS TO BE TAKEN APART, COST IS $1,500.00. I THOUGHT A HEMI ENGINE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A MONEY PIT SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE TOO AFTER THE COMMENTS I HAVE READ. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A DODGE VEHICLE AGAIN. TOO MANY THINGS HAVE REPLACED ON THIS CAR I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU, IT IS IN PREVIOUS LETTERS SENT TO CHRYSLER-AND IT ISN'T JUST ME. I MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE, GOT REGULAR OIL CHANGES, ETC. AND IT BACKFIRED ON ME. I REALIZE IT IS 10 YEARS OLD AND WE PUT A LOT OF HIGHWAY MILES ON THE CAR TAKING FAMILY VACATIONS AND EVERY FAMILY VACATION, THERE HAS BEEN A CAR PROBLEM. I PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS CAR, I CAN'T SAVE UP ENOUGH TO GET ANYTHING NEW. I KNOW FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE CARS 10-15 YEARS OLD AND HAVEN'T PUT A DIME INTO THEIR CAR, OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE, NEW TIRES, OIL CHANGES, ETC. I CANNOT EXPRESS THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THIS CAR HAS PUT ON ME. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. NOT RELIABLE WHATSOEVER, WOULD NEVER PURCHASE A DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. EVERY TIME I TAKE IT SOME WHERE, THE MECHANICS ALWAYS MENTION THE POOR DESIGN OF THE ENGINE. *TR