NHTSA Complaint #10649095 — 2011 DODGE DURANGO

I BOUGHT A 2011 DODGE DURANGO IN OCTOBER OF 2013. THERE HAVE SINCE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS, ALL TOOK SOME TIME TO RESOLVE BECAUSE THERE WERE PART SHORTAGES ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM THAT HAS YET TO BE OFFICIALLY TERMED A RECALL BECAUSE CHRYSLER CLAIMS THEY ARE STILL "RESEARCHING" THE ISSUE INVOLVES A FAULTY IGNITION WIRING HARNESS. THIS DEFECT PREVENTS THE PROPER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE IGNITION AND FUEL SYSTEMS, WHICH RESULTS IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS PROBLEMS STARTING OR WON'T START ALTOGETHER. MY VEHICLE FALLS UNDER THE LATTER CATEGORY AS IT IS CURRENTLY STUCK IN MY DRIVEWAY. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER FOR PARTS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AND CHRYSLER CORPORATION IS DRAGGING THEIR FEET IN DECLARING IT A RECALL, PRESUMABLY TRYING TO AVOID BAD PUBLICITY. IN THE MEANTIME, I'M STUCK WITH AN USELESS VEHICLE, AND CHRYSLER CORP REFUSED TO PROVIDE A RENTAL VEHICLE WHEN I CALLED THEM ON 13 OCT 2014 BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THEY ALSO REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANYTHING IN WRITING STATING THAT THEY KEEP THEIR OWN RECORDS. THE ONLY THING THEY CLAIMED TO BE ABLE TO DO IS PROVIDE A AN EMAIL WHEN THE PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE, FOR WHICH THEY COULD PROVIDE NO ESTIMATE. THEIR CONCLUSION APPEARS TO BE THAT IT IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO SELL A VEHICLE THAT CAN BE RENDERED INOPERABLE THROUGH THEIR OWN NEGLIGENCE OR POOR MANUFACTURING PRACTICES WITHIN 3 YEARS.AS AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER AN UNRELIABLE VEHICLE IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION. *TR