NHTSA Complaint #739316 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

THE DODGE DURANGO WAS PURCHASED IN OCT'1999. HEADING EAST ON I-20 WHEN WE HEARD A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE FRONT END OF SUV. THE CLICKING GOT LOUDER. AS WE TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO EXIT THE S.C. HIGHWAY, THE CLICKING TURNED INTO A RATTLE AND THE SUV BEGAN TO STALL AND EVENTUALLY QUIT. WE HAD THREE CHILDREN ON BOARD (19 MONTHS, 30 MONTHS, & 7 YRS). AFTER WAITING APPROX 3 HRS FOR FAMILY TO ARRIVE FROM GA, WE HAD THE SUV TOWED TO AUGUSTA DODGE. THEIR INITIAL FINDINGS WERE THAT JIFFY LUBE DIDN'T REPLACE THE OIL AFTER THE OIL CHANGE WE'D RECEIVED JUST BEFORE GETTING ON THE HWY. DODGE THEN SAID WE HAD A HOLE IN OUR ENGINE. NEITHER PROVED TO BE TRUE. NATIONWIDE INSURANCE CONCLUDED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MECHANICAL. DODGE ADMITTED THAT THEY HAVE 40 1999 V-8 ENGINES BACKLOGGED IN ATLANTA ALONE. WE'VE DISCOVERED VIA MECHANICS THAT DODGE'S V-6 & V-8 ENGINES ARE GUMMING UP, RESULTING IN A NEED FOR VALVE JOBS, ETC. THIS CONFIRMED JIFFY LUBE'S OBSERVATION THAT THE OIL SEEMED TO BE GUMMING UP. SUGGESTING A PROBLEM W/ OIL PUMP. *AK