NHTSA Complaint #11005474 — 2007 DODGE DAKOTA

VEHICLE: 2007 DODGE DAKOTA ST CLUB CAB, 2WD, 3.7L V6, 42 RLE AUTOMATIC TRANS PROBLEM: AT ROAD SPEEDS OF 34-50 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS, VIBRATES, AND SOUNDS AS THOUGH ON A RUMBLE STRIP. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE HAS AN ERROR THAT INCORRECTLY TELLS THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO START THE LOCK UP RANGE AT TOO LOW AN RPM, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE AND TORQUE CONVERTER TO NOT BE SYNCHED CORRECTLY. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER I'D BOUGHT THE TRUCK AT 71,100 MILES. I'M AT 71,500 MILES NOW. THE REMEDY IS AS LITTLE AS REPROGRAMMING THE PCM FLASH TO AS MUCH AS REPLACING THE PCM, THE TORQUE CONVERTER, AND TRANSMISSION. I FEAR THAT THE PROBLEM COULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS IN A WAY THAT COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. THERE ARE TWO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OF WHICH I'M AWARE ON THE MATTER.