NHTSA Complaint #10873683 — 2012 DODGE AVENGER

KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE DASH, FOUND TO BE AIR BLEND DOOR. KNOCKING OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER ENGINE START. VEHICLE HAS ALSO LOST HEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE, DUE TO BUILDUP OF "SLUDGE" IN THE HEATER CORE. THE LOSS OF HEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE CREATES THE IN-ABILITY TO DE-FROST/DE-FOG WINDSHIELD AND COULD POSE A SAFETY RISK TO DRIVING CONDITIONS IN LOW TEMPERATURES OR HIGH HUMIDITY. CURRENTLY CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY A COST RANGING FROM $1,200-$2,000 TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE, COOLANT FLUSH, AND BLEND DOOR REPLACEMENT. ISSUE SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO POWERTRAIN MANUFACTURING (WHERE ELSE WOULD SLUDGE/DEBRIS COME FROM IN HEATER CORE?) BUT THIS ISSUE IS NOT BEING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY...