2012 Dodge Dart

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ONE OTHER OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DETAILS OF THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

WE WERE JUST LEAVING ON A WEEKEND TRIP, STOPPED FOR GAS AND STARTED TO PULL OUT FROM DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND WE ENDED UP HALFWAY IN THE ROAD. THANKFULLY IT WAS CLEAR AT THE TIME AND THANKFULLY WE WERE 3 BLOCKS FROM HOME. THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY STIFF AND HAS A WHOOSHING SOUND. I'M SO UPSET WITH THE QUALITY OF THIS CAR. I'VE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH IT SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT AND AFTER MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP NONE OF THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED EXCEPT ONE I FIGURED OUT ON MY OWN. I WILL NOT SUGGEST ANYONE BUY A DART AND EXPECT TO HAVE ALL THESE ISSUES DEALT WITH AT NO COST AS AFTER READING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS I SEE ITS A COMMON ISSUE

WHEN I WENT TO TURN MY CAR ON, WHICH IS A MANUAL, MY CLUTCH PEDAL STAYED ENGAGED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE AND MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I COULD NOT TURN THE KEY TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I HAD TO WAIT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE CLUTCH RELEASED AND I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO TURN MY CAR OFF. WHEN I TRIED AGAIN TO TURN MY CAR ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL ONCE AGAIN STAYED ENGAGED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE BUT I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY CAR OFF THE SECOND TIME. AND TRY AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL THE CLUTCH WOULD RETURN AFTER I TURNED THE CAR ON

VEHICLE THREW AN ERROR MESSAGE ON THE LED DASHBOARD ABOUT SERVICING THE TRANSMISSION. UNABLE TO PLACE CAR IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. AFTER MESSING WITH IT FOR A WHILE (SHUTTING VEHICLE OFF AND TURNING BACK ON, PAUSING FOR A FEW MINUTES) THE VEHICLE WOULD FINALLY WORK AGAIN. THIS SEEMED TO HAPPEN DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR AND TOWARDS WINTER WITH THE RECALL EVENTUALLY TAKING PLACE. (2014). I ARGUED WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO PROVIDE SOMETHING FOR TRANSPORTATION SINCE I HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS. AFTER ARGUING AND FINALLY GETTING A RENTAL THEY OFFERED TO PAY 3 DAYS. IT TOOK THEM MULTIPLE DAYS TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE AND THEY FOUND LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID. THERE WAS A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO TAKE CARE OF THE RECALL AS WELL. THIS YEAR ALMOST 6 MONTHS SINCE THE LAST INCIDENT THE SAME ISSUES ARE OCCURRING. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO I CAME ACROSS THE SAME ISSUES. IT TOOK A WEEK TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND I HAD TO BORROW A VEHICLE SINCE THE CAR HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING WITH THESE ISSUES. THEY PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND IT SEEMED TO WORK FOR A WEEK. TODAY THE ENGINE WOULDN'T START BUT THE CARS COMPUTERS TURNED ON. AFTER TESTING DIFFERENT STEPS THE CAR FINALLY TURNED ON BUT THE ACCELERATION IS CLUNKY AND DOESN'T SHIFT APPROPRIATELY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND ENCOUNTERING A POTHOLE, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

INTERMITTENTLY, THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD DROPPED TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED AND NOT RETURNING WITHOUT PUMPING THE PEDAL PRIOR TO STARTING THE ENGINE. THIS WAS BECOMING COMMON AFTER THE CAR WAS NOT IN OPERATION OVERNIGHT BUT ON 6-AUG-15 THE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS PRIOR TO EXITING A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY WITH THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR THE ENGINE DID NOT DISENGAGE FROM THE TRANSMISSION OR ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVE OUT OF GEAR. IT REQUIRED THE PEDAL TO BE PULLED UP MANUALLY WITH THE TOE OF MY SHOE AND PUMPED BEFORE IT ACTUATED THE CLUTCH AND ALLOWED THE CAR TO STOP. AN ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED ON INTERSTATE 495 DUE TO THIS FAILURE. CHRYSLER WAS CONTACTED REGARDING THE SERVICE BULLETIN M37, TRANSAXIAL SLAVE VALVE DEFECT AND THEY SAID THIS IS A LISTED ISSUE FOR THE CAR/ENGINE BUT NOT FOR THIS VIN. REGARDLESS OF THE BULLETIN'S "COMMITMENT TO SAFETY" THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY TOWING OR REPAIR.