NHTSA Complaint #10778604 — 2012 DODGE DART

ONGOING CLUTCH/HYDRAULIC PROBLEMS HAVE CAUSED ME TO BE IN SEVERAL UNSAFE SITUATIONS. FIRST SAFETY CONCERN WAS DUE TO CAR STALLING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES THAT IMPROPER CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT CAUSED THE CAR TO JERK AND DIE AT A STOP. SECOND CONCERN WAS FROM DIFFICULTY SHIFTING GEARS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC DUE TO CLUTCH NOT ENGAGING FULLY. THIRD CONCERN WAS FROM TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE (19426 MILES): EXITED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND DEPRESSED CLUTCH TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. WHILE DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH I HEARD A LOUD POP/CLUNK SOUND AND THE CLUTCH INSTANTLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. I THEN STARTED SMELLING THE CLUTCH BURNING AND HAD NO ABILITY TO SHIFT OR ENGAGE GEARS. I WAS LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY AND HAD TO PUSH MY VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD THANKS TO THE HELP OF SOME PEOPLE THAT STOPPED. AFTER TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, I WAS TOLD THE FLYWHEEL, PRESSURE PLATE, AND CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (19,426 MILES). FOURTH CONCERN WAS A FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH (APPROX 34,735 MILES): AFTER BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY THE CLUTCH STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL POSITION CAUSING THE INABILITY TO SHIFT. AFTER RESTARTING VEHICLE I HAD TO LIFT CLUTCH BY HAND AND PUMP CLUTCH TO REGAIN HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. I WAS TOLD CLUTCH HAD FAILED AND WAS BLAMED FOR FAILURE FROM RIDING CLUTCH MILEAGE PROBLEMS FIRST REPORTED (I CONTINUED TO MENTION PROBLEMS ON LATER VISITS): 1555 - NOISE RELEASING CLUTCH 2072 - RESISTANCE AND ENGAGEMENT CHANGING IN THE CLUTCH MILEAGE/REPAIRS MADE: 5905 - MASTER CYLINDER/ACTUATOR REPLACED 19426 - CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE, AND FLYWHEEL REPLACED 34747 - CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE, FLYWHEEL, AND SLAVE CYLINDER REPLACED (AWAITING AMENDED REPAIR ORDER) AFTER LATEST REPAIR THE CAR IS BACK IN SHOP DUE TO RETURNED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE VARIANCE