NHTSA Complaint #10851775 — 2012 DODGE DURANGO

I PURCHASED THIS USED VEHICLE AROUND THE TURN OF THE YEAR. IT CAME ON THE FERRY JANUARY 15, 2016. BY MONDAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD TURNED ON. C&F RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON JANUARY 20, AND FOUND CODE PO456. WITHIN SEVERAL DAYS, I NOTICED WATER INTRUSION. THE FLOORBOARDS WERE WET AND BECOMING DRENCHED IN THE FRONT ' AND IN THE MIDDLE SEATS. EVERY TIME I CAME TO A STOP OR TURNED, I COULD HEAR WATER ROLLING THROUGH THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO RC FEBRUARY 15. WHEN THE WATER PROBLEM WAS LOOKED AT, I WAS INFORMED IT IS NOT A NORMAL LEAK, BUT WHAT IS CALLED A "PHANTOM" LEAK. TO FIX THIS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GUT THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THEY WENT TO RESTART, IT WOULD NOT START WITH THE PUSH BUTTON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDTOWN AUTO WHERE THEY FOUND THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT 3/4 FULL OF WATER. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PUSH BUTTON PROBLEM AFTER 2 HOURS OF DIAGNOSTIC. THEY STATED THE WATER INTRUSION COULD BE A DANGER TO MY LIFE WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR AFTER THEY HAD IT FOR 3 WEEKS. ON 3/9/16, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. AS OF TODAY, 3/25/16, THE SENSOR FOR "CHECK GAS CAP" COMES ON. THIS CAR WILL BE RETURNING IN THE MORNING TO THE DEALERSHIP IN ANCHORAGE VIA THE FERRY, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE ARE MAJOR ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE WATER IN THE CAR IS CLEAN WITH NO DIRT. IN THE MORNING, THERE ARE PUDDLES THAT DISTRIBUTE THEMSELVES FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK OF THE CAR DURING REGULAR DRIVING. THE ENTIRE FLOOR FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK IS SATURATED WITH A LOT OF WATER. RC ENTERPRISE SAID THERE IS NO WINDOW LEAK, NO DOOR LEAK, NO ROOF LEAK. THIS MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE FRAME. THIS CAR COLLECTS WATER WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING IN PARK. DUE TO THE BATTERY BEING UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IN THE FLOOR AND THEN FILLING WITH WATER, THIS IS NOT A SAFE CAR.