2007 DODGE SPRINTER Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE SPRINTER 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THERE WAS NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS ALMOST INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN SOMEONE REAR ENDING MY VEHICLE. PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED A TORN TURBO-INTERCOOLER HOSE. RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. EVIDENTLY THESE HOSES FAIL DUE TO A POOR DESIGN WHERE THE HOSE IS ATTACHED TO IT'S METAL FITTING. I PHONED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER USA AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. I BELIEVE A RECALL IS IN ORDER BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO A HOSE FAILURE. *TR

1. INITIALLY I HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CHASSIS BATTERY FROM THE BEGINNING OF PURCHASE (8/25/08). DURING THE FIRST AUTO DEALER'S SERVICE (5/13/09)), THE CHASSIS BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND CLEARED AS SATISFACTORY. THEN CHASSIS BATTERY BOILED DRY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED (5/30/09) LATER THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT THE TERMINALS ON THE CHASSIS BATTERY HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. 2. NEXT WAS A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRIC WIRING SYSTEM CONNECTING THE ALTERNATOR TO THE STARTER SYSTEM. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE BATTERY ISOLATING SWITCH MECHANISM (DISCONNECT SWITCH) WHICH IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE ACCELERATOR BEING JOSTLED BY THE OPERATOR'S FOOT. THIS CAUSES THE BATTERY TO CALL FOR EXCESSIVE VOLTAGE. CONSEQUENTLY THE EXCESSIVE CHARGING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME DESTROYED THE CHASSIS BATTERY, DESTROYED THE WIRING FROM THE ALTERNATOR TO THE STARTER SOLENOID WITH POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE ECM SYSTEMS. 3. I REPLACED THE CHASSIS BATTERY; THE DEALER PERFORMED TESTS AND REPLACED THE DESTROYED WIRING. WITH MY BACKGROUND IN MECHANICS, I DISCOVERED A DESIGN FLAW IN THE BATTERY ISOLATING SWITCH (DISCONNECT SWITCH). THE DEALER PERFORMING THE INSPECTION FOUND THE "DISCONNECT SWITCH" WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED AND THE AUTO MANUFACTURER DOES NOT RECOMMEND MODIFYING THIS DESIGN. AS A CUSTOMER I ASKED FOR THE DISCONNECT SWITCH TO BE STABILIZED WITH A DOUBLE NUT SYSTEM. THE REFUSAL OF THE AUTO MANUFACTURING TO MODIFY THIS DESIGN LEAVES THE BATTERY ISOLATING SWITCH (DISCONNECT SWITCH) SUBJECT TO MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE OR THE DRIVER'S FOOT WHICH CAUSES THE GROUND CONNECTION TO BE WEAK AND THUS CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO OVERCHARGE. THE CURRENT DISCONNECT DESIGN ALLOWS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. QUOTING: DODGE SPRINTER 2008 MANUAL: "CAUTION! MAKE SURE THAT THE KEY IS IN POSITION 0 IN THE IGNITION LOCK AND WAIT AT LEAST 20 SECONDS BEFORE DISCONNECTING OR CONNECTING THE BATTERY ISOLATING SWITCH. YOU COULD OTHERWISE DAMAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS." *TR

2007 SPRINTER: VEHICLE STALLS SEVERAL TIMES DAILY. DODGE SAID IT WAS AN EGR VALVE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY REPAIRED BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. THEY SAY IT ISN'T THEIR PROBLEM NOW THAT THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. *TR

THE 2006 SPRINTER VAN SOLD UNDER THE DODGE AND FREIGHTLINER BRAND (MADE BY MERCEDES) HAS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS CAUSED BY A FAILURE OF THE "RESONATOR", A PLASTIC PART THAT IS PART OF THE AIR INTAKE FOR THE TURBO CHARGER. THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS PART IS TO REDUCE THE "WHINE" OF THE TURBOCHARGER. THE PART IS MOLDED PLASTIC, AND IT FAILS BETWEEN WHERE THE TWO PARTS ARE MOLDED. WHEN IT FAILS, THE ENGINE COMPUTER THINKS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE HAS OCCURRED, AND PUTS THE ENGINE IN "LIMP HOME" MODE, WITH AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER. IF PASSING, OR GOING UPHILL, THE CAR WILL BEHAVE AS IF THE ACCELERATOR HAS BEEN REDUCED TO ZERO POWER RESULTING IN A RAPID DECELERATION. IF PASSING, THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT POWER TO COMPLETE THE PASS. UPHILL MAXIMUM SPEED IS ABOUT 20 TO 35 MPH, EVEN WITH A FULL THROTTLE. THIS DEFECT AFFECTS ALL 2006 SPRINTER VANS WITH THE 2.7 LITRE ENGINE. MANY RV'S ARE BUILT ON THIS PLATFORM, INCLUDING ROADTREK, PLEASURE WAY, LEISURE WAY, GREAT WESTERN, AND OTHERS. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO USE BY MANY DELIVERY SERVICES. THIS IS SERIOUS DEFECT THAT COULD RESULT IN DEATH OR INJURY AND IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. MINE FAILED AT 9800 MILES. REPORTS OF OTHERS FAILING WITHIN 2000 MILES AND REPEATED FAILURES AFTER REPLACEMENT. MINE FAILED WHEN GOING 65 ON A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL ROAD. HAD IT OCCURRED WHEN PASSING, I COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY KILLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND HAD THE DEALER CHECK THE RESONATOR BEFORE A LONG TRIP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *TR

2007 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 HAD NO BRAKES. CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW HOW CAN AN AUTOMOBILE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DRIVER WARNING DEVICE TO ADVISE THE DRIVER THAT HE HAS NO BRAKES. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS A MELTED VACUUM HOSE. *JB

I GOT SEPARATIONS IN A SIZE OF A 1/2 - 1 INCH ON THE DRIVER FRONT TIRE, LOOK LIKE THEY ARE CUT OUT WITH A KNIFE ALL AROUND THE TIRE. ALL THE OTHER TIRES HAVE THE SAME THING, BUT NOT AS BIG. SOME PARTS ALREADY FLOW AWAY. THE RUBBER FEELS LIKE IT LOST THE SOFTENER AND GOES VERY HARD. JUST BY RANDOM, I HAVE SEEN IT. I ALREADY CHANGED THE TIRES TO NEW ONES, BUT I SAVED 2 TIRES OF THE DAMAGED TIRES. *TR

2007 WINNEBAGO VIEW ,RIGHT SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR HAS A LARGE BLIND SPOT. DUE TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS A DEFECTIVE MIRROR AS IT IS 2 INCHES SHORTER THAN THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR. THE MIRROR WAS MADE FOR A STANDARD SIZE VAN, NOT A LARGE MOTORHOME TYPE BODY. THE SELLING DEALER,WINNEBAGO,OR DODGE DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE SPRINTER 3500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TURBO IN THE ENGINE CAUSED THE FAILURE AND ALSO BLEW THE HOSE IN THE AIR INDUCTION. THE HOSE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A REAR END CRASH. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD RECUR AND HAS NOTICED DUPLICATE FAILURES IN SEVERAL RELATED VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2007 AND REPAIRED IN OCTOBER OF THE SAME YEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 04/23/08 *BF UPDATED 04/23/08 *TR

ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES MARKETS THE NAVION MOTOR HOME AND THE USER CANNOT EASILY AND ROUTINELY CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE DUAL REAR TIRES BECAUSE WINNEBAGO COVERED UP THE VALVE STEMS WITH WHEEL COVERS---TO CHECK PRESSURE ONE MUST SECURE A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND REMOVE THE WHEEL COVERS TO GAIN ACCESS. THIS IS DIFFICULT AND THE RESULT IS THAT OWNERS WILL NOT ROUTINELY CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE TO BE ASSURED OF SAFE OPERATION. *TR