NHTSA Complaint #10781332 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TWO MONTHS AGO FROM DEALER IN NJ. WE HAD A HARD RAIN ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND THE DURANGO WOULDN'T START IMMEDIATELY. I TURNED IT OVER AGAIN A FEW HOURS LATER AND IT STARTED WITH A HARD RUMBLE, BUT IT STARTED UP. IT DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND JUST AS THE WIFE AND I WERE LEAVING A GAS STATION, WE DROVE ABOUT FIFTY FEET AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, AND THE DURANGO WAS MAKING A NOISE LIKE METAL WAS ROLLING AROUND IN THE ENGINE. I STOPPED THE CAR, PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I LOOKED UNDER THE DURANGO AND SAW OIL DRIPPING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. I GOT UNDER THE CAR TO INSPECT IT A LITTLE FURTHER AND SAW A DIME SIZE HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. I GOT THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOME AS IT WAS SATURDAY AND THE MECHANIC WAS NOT OPEN. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD DURANGO HE PICKED UP THAT DAY. NOT SAYING THAT ALL OF THE OTHER CARS WERE TOWED BECAUSE A BLOWN ENGINE, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. DEALER WOULDN'T WARRANTY VEHICLE BECAUSE OF MILEAGE. I COULDN'T GET ANYONE TO WARRANTY THE DURANGO BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE BEING OVER 150000. NOW IM TOLD I WILL HAVE TO BUY A REMANNED/NEW ENGINE FOR THIS CLUNKER. I WILL BE MAKING A COMPLAINT TO THE MANUFACTURER. I KNOW IT MAY NOT GO ANYWHERE. I HAVE READ ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS HERE AND ON THE INTERNET, FORUMS, ETC. ALL THE RESULT OF BLOWN ENGINES DUE TO "HYDRO-LOCKING", AND THE WIPER COWL DEFECT WERE WATER WOULD GET INTO THE ENGINE DURING HEAVY RAINS OR CAR WASHES. I HOPE OUR GOVERNMENT WOULD INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF ITS CITIZENS AND FORCE CHRYSLER TO ISSUE A RECALL OR AT LEAST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEFECT THAT THEY CREATED, BUT I WON'T HOLD MY BREATH. MY DURANGO CURRENTLY HAS 160131 MILES ON IT, AND I GUESS IT'S GONNA STAY THAT WAY NOW BECAUSE IT CAN'T MOVE, AND I STILL OWE MONEY ON A SUV THAT I CANNOT DRIVE. NHTSA DO THE RIGHT THING.