NHTSA Complaint #10761996 — 2012 DODGE DURANGO

CHRYSLER HAS PUBLISHED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) NUMBER 17-007-14. I EXPERIENCED THE SYMPTOM OF THIS TSB AS A CLUNKING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS CAUSED BY THE SELF LEVELING SUSPENSION (SLS) SHOCK STRUT UPPER MOUNT FAILING. THE SLS IS A COMPONENT OF THE OPTIONAL TOW PACKAGE. BEFORE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, I TOWED A 23' 4,500 LBS TRAILER OVER 1,200 MILES. I EQUIPPED MY DURANGO WITH A WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AND ANTI-SWAY HITCH ASSEMBLY RATED AT 8,000 LBS AND ENSURED BOTH THE TOW VEHICLE AND TRAILER WERE NEAR PERFECTLY LEVEL. ADDITIONALLY I WAS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO HAVE THE TRAILER SAFETY INSPECTED WHICH CONFIRMED THE AXLES WERE PROPERLY ALIGNED, WHEEL BEARINGS WERE SERVICEABLE, AND THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROLLER WAS FUNCTIONAL AND ADJUSTED PROPERLY. DESPITE THE FACT THE TRAILER WAS WELL WITHIN THE TOW VEHICLE OPERATING LIMITS, THE TOW VEHICLE AND TRAILER EXHIBITED UNSAFE LEVELS OF DYNAMIC INSTABILITY. THIS DYNAMIC INSTABILITY MANIFESTED AS A ONE-TO-ONE LATERAL OSCILLATION OF THE TOW VEHICLE, LATERAL SWAY INSTABILITY OF THE TRAILER, AND WHAT I WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS A DANGEROUS REDUCED CONTROLLABILITY OF THE TOW VEHICLE AND TRAILER. I ASK THAT THE NHTSA EXAMINE THIS ISSUE AND THAT THIS TSB BE ELEVATED TO A MANUFACTURER FUNDED RECALL ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ISSUE OR UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS ON TOWING STABILITY. THIS NOT ONLY PUTS THE TOW VEHICLE AT RISK, BUT ALL OTHER VEHICLES SHARING THE ROAD. ADDITIONALLY, THE HIGH COST OF MITIGATING THIS ISSUE (GREATER THAN $1,000) WILL VERY LIKELY CAUSE A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLE OWNERS TO DELAY THE REPAIR OR EVEN DECIDE NOT TO HAVE IT ADDRESSED AT ALL. CHRYSLER AND DODGE HAVE AN INTRINSIC RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH A RECALL FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS ALL DRIVERS WHO SHARE THE ROAD.