NHTSA Complaint #11152657 — 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WE OWN A DODGE CARAVAN THAT HAS SOME MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO BE COMMON FOR THE 2012-2013 V6 PENSTAR ENGINE. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE ENGINE HEAD AND VALVES. OUR VAN HAS COLLAPSED CAM LOBES DUE TO FAILING ROCKER ARMS. THE SYMPTOM THAT REVEALED THIS PROBLEM WAS A MISFIRE IN THE LEFT CYLINDER HEAD. THE SYMPTOMS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEMS NOTED IN TSB NO. 09-002-14B INCLUDING A MISFIRE IN THE LEFT CYLINDER HEAD AND A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THIS AREA. CHRYSLER HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY KNOWN AS X56 THAT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM NOTED IN TSB NO. 09-002-14B. UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR WARRANTY ONLY COVERS THE HEAD REPLACEMENT (WHICH INCLUDES THE VALVES AND CAMS) IF THE HEAD IS CRACKED. WHILE INVESTIGATING MULTIPLE DODGE/CHRYSLER FORUMS I HAVE NOTED A LARGE NUMBER OF DODGE OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE. IN FACT, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE PROBLEM IS SO PERVASIVE THAT CHRYSLER HAS AN INTERNAL STAR CASE BULLETIN, S1309000016 RELATED TO THE ROCKER ARMS AND CAM LOBE PROBLEMS. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHILE WE WERE DRIVING.