DODGE Complaints

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CAR HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN SMELLING A CHEMICAL SMELL SIMILAR TO MELTING PLASTIC OR RUBBER SINVE I PURCHASED IT IN JANUARY AT 39,000 MILES. MY PASSENGERS ALSO SMELL IT. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT AND THEY DID NOT INVESTIGATE FURTHER. NOW THE SMELL HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND IS MORE LIKE ANTIFREEZE AND MELTING PLASTIC. THE SMELL HAPPENS MOST NOTICEABLY AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND COMINGVTO A STOP. MY PASSENGERS ALL NOTICE IT. I RIDE WITH THE WINDOWS LOWERED SLIGHTLY TO BRING IN FRESH AIR. ALSO THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS BEEN TURNING ON ON ITS OWN, THE BACKUP CAMERA RECENTLY STAYED ON FOR ABOUT A HALF MILE AFTER I CHANGED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AND BEGAN DRIVING. ALSO THEIR SEEMS TO BE AN OCCASIONAL DELAY IN ACCELLERATION WHIN SHIFTNG GEARS.

TSB# 18-003-08, I HAVE HAD THIS OIL SENDING UNIT REPLACED 2 TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR AND DODGE HAS A TSB OUT THERE TO FIX IT. ALTHOUGH MY WARRANTY IS OUT OF DATE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THE SWITCH STARTS TO FAIL THE UNIT SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE ON BOARD COMPUTER TO TURN ON THE CHECK GAUGES LIGHT AND REDUCES THE RPMS AND STALLS OUT THE VEHICLE. DODGE HAS A TSB TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO DO IT WITHOUT CHARGING. DODGE KNEW THIS ISSUE WELL BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT DID NOT NOTIFY THE OWNERS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. IT HAS NOW BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY TRUCK AND NEARLY CAUSING 2 CRASHES. I HAVE ASKED DODGE VIA CHAT TO APPROVE THE UPDATE TO MY ON BOARD COMPUTER TSB# 18-003-18 AND THEY REFUSE. I DON'T SEE HOW THEY CAN FORCE THE CUSTOMER TO PAY $100 PLUS TO FIX AN ISSUE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF REGARDLESS. I HAVE NOW HAD TO PAY 100'S TO REPLACE A OIL SENDING UNIT THAT NO LONGER WORKS WITH THE TRUCKS COMPUTER DUE TO DEFECTIVE SOFTWARE USED BY DODGE..

WHEN I REMOTE STARTED MY VEHICLE. I CAME OUTSIDE TO SMOKE ROLLING OUT OF MY BACK HATCH AREA. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATING THE RACETRACK TAIL LIGHT HAD CAUGHT FIRE.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE ROAD AT AROUND 25MPG, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL MADE A POP SOUND AND ABRUPTLY STOPPED. WHEN MY DAUGHTER GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE SHE SAW THAT THE WHEEL WAS FOLDED UNDER THE CAR. SHE HAD IT TOWED AND WE LEARNED THE TIE-ROD CONTROL ARM FAILED AND BROKE THE SHAFT. THANK GOD SHE WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. WE PAID 1200.00 DOLLARS TO GET HER BACK ON THE ROAD AND 4 MONTHS LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOW MAKING A LOUD SQUEALING SOUND WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. NOW I LEARN THAT IT SEEMS THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THESE CARS ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS! OH, AND THE HEAT STOPPED WORKING AND WILL COST 500.00 TO FIX.

CAR DID NOT ENGAGE INTO PARK ON 3 OCCASIONS WHILE RUNNING, I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM ROLLING. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURED THE CAR WAS IN IN PARK AND IT ROLLED INTO A HOUSE. THE SECOND TIME I WAS DROPPING MY SON OFF AND I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND IT STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD. I THEN HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE SAME SITUATION OCCUR AGAIN TWO DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATLEY AFTER THE FIRST OCCURANCE AND AGAIN AFTER THE SECOND.I WAS TOLD THEY COULDNT RECREATE THE THE ISSUE THEY DID NOT FIX ANY PARTS. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP NOW AND THEY WANT ME TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH A RECORDER TO SEE IF IT ROLLS AGAIN.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE. I NOTICED MY BATTERY LIGHT COME ON ABOUT 1 MILE FROM MY EXIT AND LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER FLUID SPRAYED ONTO MY WINDSHIELD FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND AS SOON AS I STOPPED, SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I WALKED AWAY FROM THE CAR AND CALLED 911 AT THAT POINT. DURING THE 911 CALL THERE WAS ONLY SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE BAY AREA. RIGHT NEAR THE END OF THE CALL I STARTED TO SEE PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE DRIPPING BELOW THE CAR ONTO THE GRASS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED LESS THAN 5 MINUTES LATER AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE BAY WAS IN FLAMES, 10-20 FEET HIGH. THE FIRE MELTED ALL THE PLASTICS AND MOST OF THE METAL OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME AND ENGINE. EVEN THE STEEL HOOD WAS MELTED AWAY AND GONE. MY CAR HAD A LONG HISTORY OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES DATING BACK A LITTLE OVER A YEAR FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRE. DURING THAT TIME, THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES ENCOUNTERED INCLUDED THE DASH BECOMING COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE AND NO ELECTRONICS WORKING, THE DASH SCREEN REBOOTING WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER NOT WORKING, AND MORE. DURING THE TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED THE PCM, BCM (THREE TIMES), AND THE BATTERY. AT ONE POINT, CHRYSLER ENGINEERING WAS INVOLVED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG AND SAID THE CAR LOOKED LIKE IT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. ENOUGH PARTS WERE FINALLY REPLACED TO FIX THE CAR, TEMPORARILY, BEFORE MORE ISSUES. A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE THE FIRE I TRIED TO GET CHRYSLER TO BUY THE CAR BACK BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES BUT IT WAS DENIED. AFTER THE FIRE, CHRYSLER AND KEFFER BOTH DENIED ANY FAULT ON THEIR PART. YET, I HAVE A THIRD PARTY FIRE REPORT SHOWING THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL AND STARTED IN THE AREA OF THE BCM, PCM AND BATTERY. ALL THE PRIOR FAULTED PARTS.

VEHICLE WAS BACKED INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A RESTAURANT WITH NO POSSIBILITY OF A REAR END COLLISION WHEN THE ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DEPLOYED. FORTUNATELY WE WERE PARKED, OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE VERY EASILY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE FROM OTHERS AS WELL. THE PLASTIC THAT HOLDS THE RETENTION ROD BROKE CAUSING THE RELEASE, SO THE WHOLE UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED AT MY COST. YOU CAN SEE THE BROKEN PLASTIC IN THE PROVIDED PICTURE. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF IT DEPLOYED WHILE SOMEONE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.

MY RACETRACK TAIL LAMP IS FILLED WITH WATER AND THE LIGHTS ARE STARTING TO NOT WORK

LEFT AND RIGHT HORN ACTIVATED AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED, NIGHT AND/OR DAY. DEALERSHIP CAN NOT PIN POINT THE PROBLEM. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A KNOCKING SOUND EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THEIR FACILITY. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE ROD BEARING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER (SKYLAND CHRYSLER/JEEP/DODGE IN ASHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND FILED CASE NUMBER: 33531139. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.