NHTSA Complaint #10604405 — 2006 DODGE CHARGER

WE PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE CHARGER 3.5L FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH AROUND 63,000 MILES. THEY FILLED THE TANK UP BEFORE WE LEFT. OTHER THAN THE CUSTOMARY LAP AROUND TOWN WITH THE "NEW" CAR, I DIDN'T DRIVE IT FOR TWO DAYS. I DROVE THE CAR 70 MILES TO ANOTHER TOWN FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH NO ISSUES. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE MY APPOINTMENT, I STARTED THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT. THE CAR DIED AS SOON AS I PLACED IT IN REVERSE. I PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK, RESTARTED AND TRIED TO SHIFT TO REVERSE AGAIN. THE CAR DIED AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I ATTEMPTED THE SAME PROCESS AGAIN AND IT DIED YET AGAIN. I THOUGHT OF REVVING THE ENGINE WHILE REVERSING TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE, BUT I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES. I WAS BLINDLY BACKING INTO A STREET AND DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY BROTHER HAPPENS TO WORK IN THE SAME TOWN I WAS IN. HE CAME TO HELP. I STOOD IN THE STREET TO BLOCK TRAFFIC. HE REVVED UP THE ENGINE (TWO FOOTED THE BRAKE AND GAS) AND MANAGED TO BACK IT INTO THE STREET. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I TWO FOOTED THE CAR THE 70 MILES BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP I HAD PURCHASED IT FROM. THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM SENT IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND THAT THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ENGINE DYING. THEY STATED THAT I WAS DRIVING WITH THE PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. I NEVER USE MY PARKING BRAKE (ALL MY CARS HAVE BEEN AUTOMATICS). MY PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ON AT ANY TIME. MY BROTHER STATED THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH HOW THE DEALERSHIP HANDLED IT. I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. WHAT IF IT HAD DIED IN THE ROAD WHEN I HAD TO STOP AT LIGHTS OR FOR OTHER VEHICLES TURNING IN FRONT OF ME? I FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER DODGE OWNERS ONLINE. SEE INVESTIGATION PE 13-016. *TR