NHTSA Complaint #10994327 — 2006 DODGE CHARGER

WHILE DRIVING ALONG HWY, NOTICED ENGINE TEMP GETTING WARM (APPARENTLY ANOTHER RADIATOR HAD BLOWN AND WAS DUMPING COOLANT UNDER CAR), SO I STARTED TRYING TO GET TO SIDE LANES. THEN SAW TEMP WAS CLOSE TO RED, SO I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF (AT SPEED) AND COASTED OFF TO SHOULDER. DETERMINED RADIATOR WAS UNFIXABLE AND WAITED FOR TOW. ENGINE HAD COOLED SO TRIED TO START THE ENGINE TO BRIEFLY ADJUST IT TO BE PICKED UP BY TOW TRUCK. ENGINE WAS HARD TO START, THEN BEGAN MAKING AWFUL CLANKING, PINGING, RATTLING NOISES FOR A BIT, THEN STALLED OUT. HAD IT BROUGHT HOME AND ENDED UP FINDING THAT THE INTAKE VALVE SEATS FOR CYLINDERS #4 AND 8 HAD DROPPED OUT OF THE HEAD AND HAD BEEN RATTLING AROUND AGAINST VALVES AND MADE SEVERAL DINGS IN PISTONS. ENDED UP COSTING ME OVER $2500 TO FIX THE TOP END, BUT I MAY STILL BE DEALING WITH PISTON RING DAMAGE ISSUES.