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2004 DODGE DURANGO — UNKNOWN OR OTHER

crash1 injured · 1218308 · 2015-09-12

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
DURANGO
Year
2004
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Miles at failure
140,000
Speed
70 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DURANGO SLT 5.7L HEMI. NEVER HAD ANY BIG ISSUES WITH IT UNTIL IN 2014 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND LOUD KNOCKING NOISES FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY AN ABRUPT SHUT OFF. I TRIED IMMEDIATELY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT WHEN I LOST POWER STEERING FROM THE ENGINE CEIZING AND COULDN'T CORRECT MYSELF ENOUGH SO I WENT DOWN THE HILL OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHILE TRYING TO BREAK WITH NO BRAKE BOOSTER ANYMORE AS WELL. I ENDED UP RUNNING INTO A COUPLE SMALL TREE'S AND FINALLY STOPPING . AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND I ONLY JAMMED MY FINGER AND HURT MY BACK SOME BUT I ONLY MISSED A LARGER GROUP OF TREE BY INCHES. MY FRONT BUMPER WAS RIPPED OFF, MY DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS BROKE AS WELL AS MY GRILLE AND MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE "HYDROLOCKED" AND A PISTON ROD PUNCHED THROUGH MY ENGINE AND BROKE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS INTERNALLY. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE ENGINE IS GONE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS MORE PEOPLE THAT HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEIR 04 AND 05 DODGE DURANGO WITH THE 5.7L HEMI. APPARENTLY THE WATER RUNS RIGHT DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE AND POOLS UP AND THE INTAKE IS FAULTY SO IT SUCKS THAT WATER UP AND CAUSES A CATASTROPHIC HYDROLOCK WITH THE ENGINE WHICH COULD KILL SOMEONE IF THEY LOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WITHIN A SECOND. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAVE TO GET A NEW ENGINE (WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $3800 ALONE) BECAUSE I BOUGHT THIS FOR TOO MUCH

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10763307
Machine
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