NHTSA Complaint #10511418 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

WENT TO A DRIVE-THROUGH CAR WASH ... WHILE CAR WAS RINSING - LOTS OF WATER - THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED IDLING ROUGHLY. I GOT OUT OF THE WASH AND GOT ON TO THE HIGHWAY WITH THE ENGINE STILL CUTTING OUT SPORADICALLY. I DROVE ABOUT A MILE AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT, BUT THEN I HEARD A WARNING BELL AND NOTED THAT MY ENGINE TEMP HAD SHOT UP. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. ENGINE COOLANT WAS EVERYWHERE. I REFILLED WITH NEW COOLANT AND WATER AND STARTED THE ENGINE ... DROVE ABOUT ANOTHER MILE AND THE "HOT ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. CALLED FOR A WRECKER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED IN. DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. $6000 FOR ANOTHER ENGINE. I HAVE SEEN ON OTHER DODGE FORUMS WHERE THESE ENGINES HAVE FAILED AFTER DRIVING IN THE RAIN, OR HAVING DRIVEN THROUGH STANDING WATER. I SIMPLY WENT THROUGH A CAR WASH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM (WATER INTRUSION IN THE ENGINE DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED ENGINE COWLING) ON THE 2004 HEMI - ACCORDING TO LOCAL DODGE DEALER. *TR