NHTSA Complaint #10514594 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO TRAFFIC. AFTER ACCELERATING TO FOR A SECOND, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE AND STARTED SHAKING BADLY. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, OIL WAS DRIPPING OFF THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE. AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE I COULD SEE A LARGE HOLE (ABOUT THE SIZE OF A CHILD'S HAND) IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE DURANGO SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE PISTON ROD HAS BROKEN AND PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. IT WAS A RAINY DAY AND HAD BEEN RAINING A LOT IN THE PREVIOUS DAYS. ONLY AFTER THIS HAPPENED, I DID SOME CHECKING ON THE INTERNET. I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE 2004-2005 DURANGOS WITH THE 5.7 HEMI ENGINE. THE WINDSHIELD COWL LEAKS WATER ONTO THE ENGINE, THE WATER LEAKS INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSES THE PISTON RODS TO RUST AND WEAKEN. THIS CAUSES FAILURE WITHOUT NOTICE. DODGE KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND CHANGED THE WINDSHIELD COWL SOMETIME IN 2005-2006. THIS VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. NOTHING BUT SYNTHETIC OIL WENT INTO THIS ENGINE. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I TOOK MY DURANGO TO A MECHANIC BECAUSE I THOUGHT I COULD SMELL GASOLINE ON THE OIL CAP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SMELL IS MOST LIKELY FROM WATER GETTING INTO THE ENGINE. MOST LIKELY FROM THE INTAKE AND THAT I WAS NORMAL. NOW I KNOW THAT IT WAS WATER GETTING INTO THE ENGINE, A LOT MORE THAN A LITTLE MOISTURE COMING IN THROUGH THE AIR INTAKE. THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW!! EVERY 2004 DURANGO WITH THE 5.7 WILL BLOW THE ENGINE IF IT GETS EXPOSED TO RAIN OR CAR WASH!! PLEASE, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY DODGE. *TR