NHTSA Complaint #10608358 — 2006 DODGE CHARGER

2006 DODGE CHARGER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK, AND IT SHUDDERED, THE SUN ROOF RATTLED AND THE SIDE TRIM FELL OFF. A FORMER TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE CONDENSATION DRAIN FOR THE AIR CONDITION DRIPPED ONTO THE TRANSMISSION AND POOLED AROUND THE TRANSMISSION FILLER TUBE. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED A 140,000 MILES, IT BEGAN EMITTING WHITE SMOKE, TO THE POINT WHERE THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF HIS REAR VIEW MIRROR. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE VALVE SEAT OF THE #3 CYLINDER HAD DROPPED OUT, SMASHING TWO LARGE HOLES ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE PISTON, THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. THERE WAS ALSO A HAIRLINE CRACK ACROSS THE APEX OF THE PISTON HOLE-TO-HOLE, THE DEBRIS HAD PUMMELED THE CYLINDER HEAD. ALSO, DEBRIS FROM THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN SUCKED BACK INTO THE INLET MANIFOLD DEPOSITING METAL CHUNKS INTO THE #1 AND #2 CYLINDERS DAMAGING THE PISTONS AND HEADS WITH SMALL CHUNKS OF METAL EMBEDDED IN THEM. *JB UPDATED 08/28/14