NHTSA Complaint #750030 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

VEHICLE BURNED EXCESSIVE OIL PRIOR TO ENGINE SEIZE AND WE WERE TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF MILES TRAVELED ON THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS AFTER A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT KENWOOD DODGE. AS USUAL WE INQUIRED AS TO ANY FACTORY RECALLS. ON OUR WAY TO NEW HAMPSHIRE TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL FOR A RELATIVE, MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE OIL AS USUAL AND IT APPEARED TO BE FINE. NO OIL WAS ADDED AT THIS TIME. AFTER ENTERING NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THE TOWN OF PEMBROOKE, THE CHECK GAUGES LITE ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROPPED TO 0. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A LOCAL AUTOZONE CAR CARE STORE AND MY HUSBAND THEN CHECKED THE OIL. THE DIPSTICK SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 QUARTS LOW AND SO AFTER SETTING FOR A SHORT WHILE OF ABOUT 35 MINUTES AND REPLENISHING THE OIL, WE PROCEEDED ON THE REST OF THE JOURNEY. AFTER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 OR SO MILES ON THE WINDING BACK ROADS MY HUSBAND NOTICED AN ERRATIC, LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE THEN PULLED THE DURANGO TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEREBY THE KNOCKING WAS SO LOUD YOUR COULD NOT HEAR EACHOTHER TALK. HE THEN NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AGAIN TO 0 AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. IT BANGED LOUDLY AT THIS POINT AS SMOKE SPEWED FROM THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE TRUCK. WE HAD THE DURANGO TOWED TO BONNEVILLE AND SONS DODGE IN MANCHESTER NH AND THE CONCURRED THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THEY HAD STATED THAT THE OIL AS WELL AS THE RADIATOR FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT AND THIS WAS UNTRUE AS WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE INSPECT THE TRUCK PRIOR TO THEIR DIAGNOSIS AND SAW NO EXTERNAL VIEWS OF ANY FLUID LEAKAGE. THE RADIATOR WAS FULL AND THE DIPSTICK WAS SEIZED IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE DEALER AS WELL AS DODGE SAID THIS WAS DUE TO LACK OF OIL CHANGES. THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 5-7 THOUSAND MILES REGULARLY AND WAS ONLY THREE THOUSAND MILES PAST DUE FROM IT'S LAST CHANGE. I CAN'T IN MY WILDEST DREAMS IMMAGINE THIS IS THE RESULT OF OIL THAT WAS IN THE BLOCK AT THE TIME. WE DID FIND OUT HOWEVER THAT THIS IS COMMON.*AK