NHTSA Complaint #10532603 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

2004 DODGE DURANGO LIMITED 5.7L HEMI HAD A KNOCKING NOISE, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND BASED ON THEIR VISUAL AND HEARING INSPECTION SUSPECTED TO BE THE FLYWHEEL RING; DEALER STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO TAKE THE TRANS OUT FOR A FINAL ASSESSMENT. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT ISSUES WITH ENGINE. A WEEK LATER WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH A LOUD NOISE AND SMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND LOST POWER BREAKS AND POWER STEERING. TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK BY THE 8TH CYLINDER AND ENGINE WAS SIZED. DEALER FOUND METAL PARTS (PISTON ROD PARTS) ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED CHRYSLER HQ AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF SUCH FAILURE AND THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED INTO LOOKING AT THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 106K MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AS THE REPAIRS (PARTS AND LABOR) EXCEEDED THE BOOK VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS LOOKS LIKE A METALLURGY ISSUE OF THE PISTON ROD AND CHRYSLER SHOULD ADDRESS IT. *TR