NHTSA Complaint #10820762 — 2012 DODGE AVENGER

HEATER NOT WORKING. (65,000 MILES) TOOK THE CAR TO FIRESTONE, WHERE THEY DID A FLUSH WHICH DID NOT WORK AND TOLD ME TO TAKE TO THE DEALER AND REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. WHERE THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $2500 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM (HEATER CORE, RADIATOR, OIL COOLER, THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP). THE TECH ADVISED THERE WAS SOMETHING RESTRICTING FLOW THROUGH THE HEATER CORE. THERE IS A 100,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ON THE CAR BUT THEY DO NOT AGREE THAT THE COOLANT SYSTEM THAT COOLS THE ENGINE (POWER TRAIN) SHOULD BE INCLUDED. WHERE DID THE SEDIMENT/SLUDGE COME FROM? POSSIBLY OIL CONTAMINATION FROM THE ENGINE (POWER TRAIN)? THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED IN NUMEROUS MODELS AND DODGE HAS RELEASED A STATEMENT TO THEIR TECHS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY KNOW SOMETHING THEY DID IS WRONG. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM GM HAD WITH DEX-COOL WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE BURDENED WITH THE FAILURES OF THE MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE A QUALITY PRODUCT. I HOPE THIS MATTER IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY AS IT TRULY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THE HEAT DOES NOT WORK IT IS NOT JUST UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE DRIVER/PASSENGERS BUT IT WILL ALSO REDUCE VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD SINCE THE DEFROST/HEAT DOES NOT WORK.