NHTSA Complaint #10593486 — 2006 DODGE DURANGO

AT RANDOM TIMES, INCLUDING WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE TRANSFER CASE ON MY 2006 DODGE DURANGO AWD WILL ENGAGE THE 4WD. IT CAN HAPPEN WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN YOU INSERT THE KEY AND BEFORE YOU START THE ENGINE. IT ALSO MAKES THE CLICKING SOUND AS IF IT IS ENGAGING WHEN YOU UNLOCK THE DOORS (POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM?) IT CAN ALSO HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING WHILE TURNING A CORNER, SUCH AS THE SHARP CORNERS IN A DRIVE-THRU. THE EFFECT IS SUCH THAT ONE WHEEL LOCKS UP AS IF ONE FRONT WHEEL HAS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. WHEN GOING STRAIGHT THERE IS NO ISSUE. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND FORUMS WHERE OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS RANDOM AND INTERMITTENT, AND DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE AT THE DEALERSHIP. OFTEN THEIR RESPONSE IS TO SIMPLY REPLACE ONE OR MORE OF THE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS WITHOUT VERIFYING THAT IS THE ISSUE. THIS CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE FOR THE OWNER AND FRUSTRATING AFTER SPENDING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY AND THE ISSUE REMAINS UNSOLVED. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER MIGHT HAVE THIS ISSUE IN A DRIVE-THRU, AND TO OVERCOME THE LACK OF MOVEMENT AFTER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, THEY MAY REV THE ENGINE. THIS MIGHT OVERCOMPENSATE AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DART FORWARD INTO ANOTHER CAR, OR EVEN INTO THE BUILDING AS THE WHEELS ARE TURNED TO GO AROUND THE CORNER. IF THE 4WD DISENGAGES AT THE REVVING OF THE ENGINE, THIS COULD ALSO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN, OR BUILDING. *TR