NHTSA Complaint #11647623 — 2021 DODGE DURANGO

On [XXX] my Durango started leaking coolant and steaming while I was driving. The steam was rising through the openings in the hood and was getting on the windshield. The coolant was pouring on the ground. I had to stop the car to prevent it from overheating. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer and they told me a coolant hose had broken at the rear of the engine. I did some research on this specific leak. I have a friend with the same year and model/trim as my Durango who also had the same exact problem just past 30K miles. When I looked online, I can find many instances of this same failure. Here's one example that includes some excellent photos of the issue: [XXX] The Dodge PN for this failed component is: 55038042AJ. This part is common for 2011-2025 Durangos and is on at least the 6th engineering revision as evidence by is cross compatibility with 55038042AE, 55038042AF, 55038042AG, 55038042AH, 55038042AI. This issue is systemic and dangerous. The engine can lose all coolant and overheat without warning. It spills coolant on the roadway creating a hazardous condition and the driver's view can be obstructed by the coolant on the windshield and in the air. There was no advance warning of this failure and I don't expect this sort of failure when a vehicle is so new and well maintained. The dealer fixed my vehicle at a cost of over $1700 for this repair which was just barely past the manufacturer's warranty term for the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)