NHTSA Complaint #10621270 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

MY 2004 DODGE DURANGO LIMITED WITH THE HEMI 5.7 HAS AN ERRATIC IDLE AT STOPS WHENEVER IT RAINS. LATER IN THE WEEK I WENT ON THE HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED DURING A RAIN STORM. I ONLY HAVE 125,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND FOUND IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE PLASTIC WIPER COWL BELOW THE WINDSHIELD ALLOWING WATER TO FLOW OVER THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, WHICH COLLECTS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND MIGHT SLOWLY MAKE IT'S WAY IN TO THE BLOCK AND HYDROLOCK THE ENGINE. SERIOUSLY I THOUGHT. I WENT OUT THE NEXT DAY AND OPENED THE HOOD AND PLACED THE GARDEN HOSE OVER THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE WIPERS ON AND RAN THE WATER ON LOW, AND ALSO IN THE OFF POSITION. SURE ENOUGH A LOT OF WATER FLOWS IN TO THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER HOLE WHERE IT ROTATES AND SPREADS OUT OVER THE BACK TWO CYLINDERS OF THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE. I FOUND THERE IS POSSIBLY AN UPGRADE WIPER COWL THAT MAY PREVENT SOME OF THE WATER FLOW BUY NOT ALL OF IT. SO NOW I AM CONCERNED WITH THIS CIRCUMSTANCED EVEN AFTER I GET THE NEW COWL THAT WATER WILL STILL BE DAMAGING OR DESTROYING MY ENGINE ONE DAY FROM WATER FLOWING THROUGH THE COWL OVER THE TOP OF THE ENGINE ONCE AGAIN. THIS WOULD COST ME $5000-$6000 FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT, JUST BECAUSE OF A POOR DESIGN, AND NO RECALL OR SOLUTION FROM DODGE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS WATER ISSUE. *TR