NHTSA Complaint #10522775 — 2006 DODGE CHARGER

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 DODGE CHARGER (53K MILES ON THE ODOMETER) WITH THE 5.7 HEMI ENGINE AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH (POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED) WHEN I BEGAN TO HEAR A RATTLING SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER JUST BEFORE A SHARP CURVE IN THE ROAD, BUT AS I DID THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND THE KEY TURNED BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HAD I NOT PULLED OVER AND BEGUN TO CUT MY SPEED WHEN I DID THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE SHUT DOWN AS I WAS NEGOTIATING A SHARP TURN IN THE ROAD UP AHEAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN A VALVE AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE RESEARCHED DODGE CHARGER FORUMS AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND ENGINES AT APPROXIMATELY 40K-60K MILEAGE. IN EACH POSTED INSTANCE IT STATES THAT THE ENGINES BROKE DOWN FROM VALVE FAILURE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS COMMON AND IT CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS IF THESE ENGINES FAIL AT HIGH SPEED AND CAUSE THE CARS ELECTRONICS TO SHUT DOWN. CHRYSLER SSHOULD. *TR