NHTSA Complaint #10555057 — 2011 DODGE DURANGO

ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO (AT AROUND 50000 MILES), I STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STARTING THE VEHICLE. IF I USED THE PUSH BUTTON, IT WOULD JUST KEEP TRYING TO TURN OVER BUT WOULDN'T START. I REMOVED THE BUTTON, THINKING THAT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT BUT IT DIDN'T HELP THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE, AND TODAY, IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 20 TRIES TURNING THE KEY TO FINALLY GET IT TO START. FOR A FEW DAYS I WAS ABLE TO START IT BY REMOTELY STARTING IT, BUT NOW THAT DOESN'T WORK EITHER. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I DID TAKE IT TO THE DODGE/CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND WHO HAS PERFORMED ALL MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR SINCE ITS PURCHASE. THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO "ACT UP" BUT GUESSED THAT IT IS THE TIPM AND QUOTED ME $1,067 TO REPAIR/REPLACE. I WAS TOLD THE PART ITSELF WAS $800. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT CHRYSLER WAS WORKING ON SOME SORT OF BY-PASS THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN MARCH 2014, AND WILL BE MUCH CHEAPER. BASED ON THE FACT THAT EVERY DAY STARTING GETS MORE PROBLEMATIC, THERE IS NO WAY I CAN WAIT UNTIL MARCH TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. EVERY DAY I WONDER IF THIS IS THE DAY IT WON'T START AT ALL. ON THE OTHER HAND, FROM WHAT I'M READING ONLINE, IT APPEARS I PROBABLY CAN'T GET THE PART ANYWAY, BECAUSE THERE ARE APPARENTLY SO MANY ORDERS FOR THIS PART, THAT IT IS ON BACK ORDER AND PEOPLE ARE WAITING MONTHS TO GET THE PART. I LIVE RURALLY AND HAVE TO HAVE A RELIABLE VEHICLE. I HAD A 2000 DURANGO THAT NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AND WAS THE MAIN REASON I BOUGHT THIS ONE. "BOUGHT" - MEANING I STILL HAVE OVER 3 YEARS OF PAYMENTS LEFT, AND AM FACING MAJOR REPAIR BILLS AS WELL, WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD. DISAPPOINTED IS A VERY POLITE WORD FOR HOW I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW. *TR THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 14V530000. SHE IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIPM. UPDATED 02/04/15