NHTSA Complaint #10512297 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH 2012. I STARTED NOTICING THAT DURING A HEAVY RAIN OR A CAR WASH THAT IT WOULD BOG DOWN, IDLE ROUGHLY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FEB 2013 TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT SINCE I HAD BEEN STRANDED IN PARKING LOTS, THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ACTUALLY GOT STUCK IN A CAR WASH BECAUSE MY VEHICLE CUT OFF. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT MY COWL PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BASICALLY THIS PART WAS NOT DESIGNED CORRECTLY AND RAIN WATER OR WATER FROM A CAR WASH WAS DRAINING INTO MY ENGINE. HAD THE PART REPLACED FOR A WONDERFUL PRICE OF $236.00. I STARTED EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AT THE END OF APRIL, PICKED MY KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL AND WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT FOR AN 1HR BC OF THE HARD RAIN. TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK ON MAY 6TH TO THE VENDOR MECHANIC(STILL UNDER A WARRANTY, DOESN'T HELP:( ) AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PART HAD BEEN REPLACED THAT IT SHOULD WORK, COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT WASN'T WORKING. CONTACTED CHRYSLER ASKING IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE, CHRYSLER DOESN'T UNDER STAND WHY THIS NEWLY DESIGNED PART IS NOT WORKING. SO I HAVE AT THIS TIME, 2 MECH/TECH'S TELLING ME THAT THEY CANT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE PART SHOULD WORK. TRIED AN ALTERNATE METHOD WITH WEATHER STRIPPING AND SILICONE TO PLUG UP THE HOLES. I PICK SAID VEHICLE UP FROM THE SHOP ON MAY 8TH, DRIVE 3.2 MILES TURN ON MY STREET AN MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY CUTS OFF! CAN NOT GET IT TO CRANK BACK. CALL THE MECHANIC SHOP BACK EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED TAKE IT BACK THE NEXT DAY THEY BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY, MY WARRANTY WONT COVER IT. HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO DODGE AND BECAUSE OF THIS COWL PANEL LEAK MY INTAKE GASKETS ARE MESSED UP AND THE CM FRONT AND BACK NEED TO BE FLASHED AND RESET, TOTALING OUT TO BE $870.00 BUT STILL CANT FIX THE COWL PANEL. IM DAMNED IF I DO DAMNED IF I DON'T. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, I NEED SOMEONE TO START TAKING THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY. *TR