NHTSA Complaint #10615913 — 2008 DODGE MAGNUM

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN MY 2008 DODGE MAGNUM R/T ONE OF THE COOLING FANS DISINTEGRATED AND DAMAGED MY RADIATOR PUNCHING HOLES AND CAUSING COOLANT TO BEGIN RAPIDLY LEAKING. AFTER ASSESSING THE DAMAGE I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR ALONG TO THE NEXT AUTO PARTS STORE I PURCHASED 2 GALLONS OF COOLANT IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, IT ONLY MADE IT 2 BLOCKS SINCE THE LEAKING WAS SO SEVERE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHERE HE ADVISED ME OF A RECALL AND I SHOULD CONTACT DODGE. I BEGAN RESEARCHING THE CAUSE OF THIS EQUIPMENT FAILURE. IT TURNS OUT THAT CHRYSLER RELEASED A RECALL "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTIFICATION L08 ENGINE COOLING FANS" FOR 2006 THRU 2008 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES WITH "SEVERE DUTY ENGINE COOLING" SYSTEMS WITH THE SALES CODE NMS, XDL OR XDK AND BUILT THROUGH APRIL 29, 2008. MY VEHICLE HAS THE SALES CODE NMCS AND HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. HOWEVER MY RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THERE IS NO DISTINGUISHABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE FANS PART NUMBER FROM THE YEARS 2004 THRU 2014. CONTACTING CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS BROUGHT NO RESULTS. I RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING A RECORD OF THESE FAN FAILURE OCCURRENCES IN VEHICLES THAT HAVE OTHER THAN THE RECALL'S STATED SALES CODES, AND THAT A NEW RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS COOLING FAN SYSTEM BE RELEASED. THE EXISTING RECALL INCLUDES "SOLD TO SALES CODES AND/OR ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN WARM CLIMATE STATES...". I LIVE IN A DESIGNATED WARM CLIMATE STATE ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE BLADES DIDN'T CUT ANY HIGH PRESSURE HYDRAULIC LINES OR OTHER SAFETY CRITICAL OR FUEL LINES. *TR