2006 SPRINTER 3500 Complaints

MY NEW MOTOR HOME , SPRINTER CHASSIS, SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHEN DRIVING ON FREEWAY, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. IT WAS TOWED TO DODGE DEALER IN THOUSAND OAKS CITY, RESULT WAS A FAILURE OF A TURBO RESONATOR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THESE VEHICLES, AND DODGE FAILED TO ADMIT IT TO ISSUE A RECALL.*AK

BEFORE I TOOK MY VEHICLE FOR ITS 6,000 CHECK UP OIL CHANGE. I BEGAN EXPERIENCING A LOT OF SHAKING IN THE WHEEL AND BRAKES. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP OF THIS ISSUE DURING THE 6K CHECK. THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS MY TIRE PRESSURE. A WEEK AND A HALF LATER I TOOK IT BACK TO DARCARS. THEN THEY INFORMED ME ONE TIRE HAD TOO MUCH AIR IN IT. THEN I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN THEY STATES THE ROTORS WHERE WORN BECAUSE I LET THE CAR SIT TOO LONG(???????????????) THAT WAS ONLY AFTER I WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE WITH THE SHOP MANAGER AND I TOLD HIM THRU CONVERSATION I DON'T DRIVE THE CAR THAT MUCH. SO, THEN THEY TURNED THE ROTORS WHICH I DEMANDED TO MEASUREMENT DOCUMENTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE WORK WAS DONE. THEN IT WAS THE SAME THING AFTERWARDS I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEN THEY CONTACTED DARCARS. THEN DARCARS MANAGER BOB TELLS ME THAT A TSB IS COMING OUT FOR BUSHINGS FOR THE BRAKES ON THE CHARGER AND THAT THE PARTS WILL BE IN AT THE END OF THE MONTH . MEANWHILE, THEY WILL CHANGE THE ROTORS (LET ME GUESS NOT THE PADS)AFTER THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD A THING FROM DARCARS OR DAIMLER BUT A CALL FROM DARCARS CUSTOMER SERVICE NOT THE MANAGEMENT. WELL YESTERDAY I WAS LEAVING WORK AND I BEGAN TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE WINDOW DOWN AND MUSIC DOWN. I HEAR SINGING NOISE FROM MY CAR. I AM TRULY DISTURBED. I NOTICED THAT DARCARS DODGE IN LANHAM, MARYLAND AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER WASTED NO TIME CASHING THE CHECK FOR MY CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I WANT TO TAKE MY CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT IS ALMOST A HOUR AWAY. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED WITH A DEMO TO USE WHILE THEY FIX MY CAR. CAN I GET A NEW CAR ? *TR

FAILURE OF GLUE HOLDING TOGETHER THE TURBO RESINATOR. CAUSED 1996 DODGE SPRINTER VAN TO GO INTO ENGINE MALFUNCTION MODE. VEHICLE SPEED DROPPED TO 40 MPH. I HAD TO DRIVE 120 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE TO GET TO A SERVICE FACILITY AT 40 MPH. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO STEEP UPHILL GRADES, OR THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER AT A SPEED NOT ALLOWED ON THE INTERSTATE IN OKLAHOMA.*AK

(1) WITHOUT WARNING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. HAD TO DRIVE A TOTAL OF OVER 200 MILES ON REDUCED POWER TO GET HOME. (2) 2006 DODGE SPRINTER CHASSIS MOTORHOME WITH MERCEDES BENZ 2.7L 5-CYL TURBO DIESEL ENGINE, TURBO RESONATOR SPLIT AT SEAM, CAUSING TURBO SHUTDOWN, AND MAXIMUM SPEED OF 30-40 MPH AND NO POWER ON ANY HILLS. FAILURE ON A HILL OR FREEWAY COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT! (3) DEALER HAS REPLACED RESONATOR TWICE AT NO CHARGE. WE'RE SEEKING A METAL REPLACEMENT PART THAT WON'T VOID THE WARRANTY.

TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE WHICH IMMEDIATELY REDUCES POWER AND SPEED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CLIMB AN EXIT RAMP TO LEAVE THE HIGHWAY. *NM

I WAS DRIVING A 2006 ITASCA NAVION CLASS C RV WITH A DODGE-SPRINTER CHASSIS (BUILT ON JULY 2005) AND CRUISING AT 65 MPH, WHEN GOING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE, THE SPEED DROPPED DRASTICALLY TO 50 MPH, UNRESPONSIVE TO FURTHER ACCELERATOR PRESSURE. A REDUCED POWER MODE SUBSEQUENTLY ENSUED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLES FOLLOWING BEHIND AND THE REDUCTION IN POWER MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO EXECUTE MANEUVERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE A LEAKING TURBO RESONATOR WAS FOUND CAUSING THE PROBLEM THE PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND NORMAL FUNCTION WAS RESTORED. *NM

RE: 2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2006, MY 2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA STALLED ON RT. 78 E., BETWEEN EXISTS 17 AND 18 OF THAT ROAD (THE FLEMINGTON/ANNANDALE, NJ EXISTS). AT THAT TIME, WHEN I ACCELERATED THE GAS PEDDLE, THE VEHICLE MOVED SLOWER AND SLOWER, UNTIL IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OR WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY ENGINE OR OTHER TYPE OF FAILURE. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SHIFTED GEARS ON ITS OWN. I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED THE GEAR BACK TO DRIVE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING VERY SLOWLY. BEING ON RT. 78, I WAS SURROUNDED BY TRAFFIC GOING 70-80 MILES PER HOUR, WITH MERGING TRAFFIC TO MY RIGHT. THERE WERE SEVERAL CARS AND TRUCKS DRIVING AROUND ME WHO MISSED HITTING ME BY ONLY INCHES. WHEN I CONTACTED MY DEALER (BROWN-DAUB) TO ADVISE THEM OF THIS INCIDENT, I RECEIVED VERY RUDE TREATMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT AT NO TIME WAS I EVER ADVISED OF A CURRENT RECALL FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I DESCRIBED TO BROWN-DAUB. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND I BELIEVE THAT FAILURE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF A MAJOR DEFECT IN A VEHICLE SHOULD RESULT IN PAYMENT OF BOTH ACTUAL AND PUNITIVE DAMAGES TO THE CONSUMER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING THIS EXACT FAILURE IN 2005-2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICAS. THE PROBLEM PERTAINS TO THE "FUEL PUMP MODULE AND/OR THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE," WHICH MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL. AT THIS TIME, I AM STILL IN THE PROCESS OF RESOLVING THIS MATTER WITH BROWN-DAUB. I AM FILING THIS REPORT IN THE HOPES THAT IT MAY HELP OTHERS. WHEN READING THIS REPORT, PLEASE REMEMBER TO NOTE THAT, ALTHOUGH I WAS SPARED ON DECEMBER 8, 2006, THAT DAY, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERAL DEATHS, INJURIES, AND UNNECESSARY PAIN AND SUFFERING TO ALL THE FAMILIES OF THOSE AFFECTED. I BELIEVE THAT A MORE THOROUGH INSPECTION OF NEW/CERTIFIED VEHICLES SHOULD BE REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT, PRIOR TO ANY SALE. PLEASE, LET'S THINK IN TERMS OF BEING PROACTIVE. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER MOTOR HOME AND WITH ONLY 2,000 MILES THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO GET OFF AT THE CLOSEST EXIT AND CALLED THE DAIMLER/CHRYSLER HOTLINE OBTAINED THE NAME OF THE NEAREST REPAIR DEALER. I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY NEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HAD THE PART AVAILABLE. THE PROBLEM WAS A CRACKED TURBO RESONATOR WHICH IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND REPLACED WITH A NEW UPDATED VERSION. THE REPAIRMAN SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND DAIMLER/CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF IT AND THAT THEY ARE NOW REPLACING THE PART WITH A MORE RELIABLE ONE. MY COMPLAINT IS IF I WERE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HIT SOMEONE OR I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT. SPRINTERS ARE USED IN MANY APPLICATIONS INCLUDING AMBULANCES, AND AS OF THIS DATE DODGE HAS NOT ISSUED A WARNING OR RECALL ON THEIR WEB SITE. *JB

I PURCHASED AN ITASCA NAVION WHICH IS BUILT ON A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS. THE MERCEDES ENGINE, I FOUND OUT AFTER OURS FAILED, HAS A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TURBO RESONATOR OPENING UP, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE GOING INTO A "LIMP HOME MODE" WHERE THE VEHICLE OPERATES AT 200 RPM OR LESS. I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUNG ON THE 101 HIGHWAY SOUTH OF SANTA BARBARA WHICH IS A HILLY 2 LANE HIGHWAY. DUE TO THE RPM RESTRICTION ON THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRAMATICALLY LOSE POWER AND SPEED ON THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE. IT WAS ON ONE SUCH INCLINE THAT I FOUND MYSELF WITH A LARGE 18 WHEELER BEARING DOWN ON ME IN THE #2 LANE. DUE TO THE SMALL INCLINE WE HAD JUST ENCOUNTERED, MY SPEED DROPPED TO BELOW 20 MPH. THERE WAS HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE #1 LANE, SO NEITHER THE 18 WHEELER NOR I COULD JUMP INTO THE #1 LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. RATHER THAN FORCING THE 18 WHEELER TO LOCK UP TO SLOW DOWN, I DOVE INTO A VERY NARROW SHOULDER WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STEEP DROPOFF. HAD THE SHOULD NOT BEEN WIDE ENOUGH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO AVOID INJURY OR DEATH ON THIS INCIDENT. GREATLY SHAKEN, I WAS FORCED TO TAKE SIDE STREETS ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY HOME IN ALTADENA, CA. I HAD MY VEHICLE TAKEN TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, WHERE THE MECHANIC KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT. THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH THE SAME NON-UPGRADED PART. FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE SINCE THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL KNOWN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND I HAVE HEARD OF FAILURES ON THE REPLACEMENT UNITS AS WELL.

PART FAILED CAUSING INABILITY TO OPERATE AT SAFE SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY. PART IS CALLED "TURBO RESONATOR" AND HAS A REPUTATION AS A WEAK PART. SEVERAL OWNERS OF SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE HAVE HAD FAILURE. I SAVED THE DEFECTIVE PART. *NM