This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Two issues to discuss. First windshield wipers appear to work independently on instructions when on intermittment setting. You never know when or where they will stop. Second issue is the tensioner and water pump within the cooling system. I have had to replace them each twice in the last year. It appears to be a chronic problem.
The vehicle lost its power steering, cooling system, etc. When the tensioner went bad and the engine belt came off. My local service station advised they have had to replace numerous tensioners on this make/model, and they're surprised there hasn't been a recall - especially considering the danger involved. The dealer (herb gordon Dodge) advised that there is no problem with the tensioner, and that it is "normal wear" for it to go bad at 76,000 miles. In case the problem is not unique, I wanted to report it. I have had numerous problems with this vehicle.
Part breaks off at shoulder. It is obvious that the part was cracked in the heat treating process when it was made based on the discoloration in the area where the crack was located. Failure of the part, which is sudden, dissables the power steering and the water pump. Engine failure will follow.
Went to start vehicle & the starter failed to connect. Managed to get vehicle to shop. Informed by mechanic started burned out. Also, shocks/struts were leaking fluid & needed to be changed. In addition, water pump was leaking due to corrosion.
This component failure in heavy traffic could cause loss of all power assist equipment due to consequential damage to surrounding components. The manufacturer classifies it as a "wear part". the shaft connecting the part to the engine showed quite clear evidence of a fracture line. The dealer seemed unfazed by our complaint of part defect and appeared to consider this a common failure. The component failure could easily have caused my wife to lose control of the vehicle if she had been driving at high speed in traffic.
Replacement of ac compressor & evaporator cost $1450; engine head was replaced free even though warranty had expired(spent $870 on maint and repairs of which $300 was to replace spark plug wires and resistor pack that was said to cause check engine light. Head was actually casuing problem); fan relay repaired under warranty; Firestone said water pump frozed and caused belt to break ($300 repair).
We have had multiple problems in most components of this vehicle including but not limited to both rear sliding doors, front and rear wipers, coolant leakage, engine fan & belt malfunctions, intermittent stalling, transmission failure and continuous malfunction, multiple parking brake malfunction and adjustment problems, multiple interior light malfunction, rear quad seat attachment problem, and other more cosmetic related problems with cracking door panel & poorly installed carpet & seat covers.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Greenbelt, MD, USA