NHTSA Complaint #10680682 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

STARTED CAR FOR FIRST TIME AFTER BAD RAINSTORM OVER WEEKEND. HEARD VERY LOUD CLANGING NOISE. HOLE IN OIL PAN, OIL LEAKED OUT EVERYWHERE. AFTER TAKING APART THE MOTOR, SERVICE CENTER DISCOVERED A ROD SHAFT HAD SHEARED IN HALF AND SHOT THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK AND OIL PAN. DISCOVERED IT WAS CAUSED BY WATER GETTING INTO ENGINE THROUGH SPARK PLUGS. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE WARRANTY COMPANY WON'T COVER AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE TAKEN IN THIS VEHICLE TO SAME SERVICE STATION BEFORE OVER THE TWO YEARS WE HAVE OWNED IT BECAUSE IT WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING IN BAD RAINSTORM. COULD NEVER FIND A PROBLEM. READ A LOT OF ARTICLES ONLINE ATTRIBUTING ALL OF THIS TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE HOOD OF THIS VEHICLE. I KNOW WE ARE NOT THE ONLY OWNERS OF A 2004 DODGE DURANGO WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO RESOLVE THE DESIGN FLAW AND COMPENSATE US FOR HAVING TO REPLACE AN ENGINE THAT, APART FROM BEING IN A POORLY DESIGNED CAR, IS OTHERWISE IN GREAT CONDITION. *TR