NHTSA Complaint #11082213 — 2018 DODGE DURANGO

WE PURCHASED OUR 2018 DODGE DURANGO SRT IN 02/2018. AFTER 300 MILES, ALL DASH LIGHTS LIT UP AND A TROUBLE CODE OF ESC WAS DISPLAYED. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THERE WAS WATER PENETRATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH LEAD TO THE AXLE ACTUATOR SHORTING OUT. IT WAS REPAIRED BY CLEANING THE CONNECTOR AND REPLACING THE ACTUATOR. WE PICKED UP OUR DURANGO 4 DAYS LATER AND DROVE IT AN ADDITIONAL 990 MILES AT WHICH TIME THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED - LIGHTS, ESC MESSAGE. WE DROPPED IT OFF AT THE DEALER ON MARCH 26, 2018 AND THEY ADVISED THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED, WATER PENETRATED THE HARNESS CONNECTOR AND SHORTED OUT THE AXLE ACTUATOR. PARTS ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME AS THE DEALER INDICATED ALL THE AWD DURANGOS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. THE HARNESS IS ON BACK ORDER THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF APRIL. I'VE CONTACTED FIAT/CHRYSLER AND ON THE FIRST REPAIR, THEY COVERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 85 MONTHS FOR US. IN MY SECOND CONTACT WITH THEM, I WAS ADVISED THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING ISSUE AS THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR THE HARNESS CONNECTOR ISSUE AND ACTUATOR PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED ONCE REPAIRED THE SECOND TIME, THE ISSUE WILL RECUR ONCE DRIVEN IN WET WEATHER. BOTH ISSUES OCCURRED AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF AWD, CRUISE, AND OTHER SAFETY FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH TIMES IS HAPPENED, WE WERE DRIVING IN WET AND/OR SNOWY WEATHER. *TT *CN *JS *TT