NHTSA Complaint #10574076 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE (5.7L HEMI). WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN OR GOING THROUGH AN AUTOMATIC CAR WASH THE ENGINE WOULD START MISSING AND SOMETIMES DIE. THIS WOULD MAKE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERS IN BOTH KENTUCKY & NORTH CAROLINA AND TO VARIOUS AUTO PARTS STORES AS WELL AS INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. THE DIAGNOSTICS READER ALWAYS SHOWED MISFIRE IN #2 CYLINDER BUT NO ONE COULD TELL ME WHAT CAUSED IT. EVEN THOUGH I KEPT THE OIL CHANGED AS WELL AS OTHER MAINTENANCE IT STARTED KNOCKING AND BLEW AT 124,000 MILES. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY KNEW OF NO PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES. I REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH ONE FROM A WRECKING YARD WITH 60,000 MILES. SAME PROBLEMS WITH RAIN AND CAR WASHES. IT LASTED 2 YEARS AND 21,000 MILES. I CONTACTED DODGE AND GOT THE SAME REPLY. AFTER RESEARCHING ON LINE IT SEEMS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE. I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. MINE BLEW UP IN THE DRIVEWAY INSTEAD OF ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE SEEMS TO HAVE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM IN 2006 & LATER MODELS BUT STILL WON'T ADMIT THAT THERE IS A MAJOR AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM IN THE 2004 & 2005 MODELS. I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THESE VEHICLES AND REIMBURSE THE OWNERS FOR REPAIRS WE HAVE ALREADY DONE THANK YOU *TR