2006 Sprinter 3500

SUBJECT: TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE I TOOK DELIVERY OF A DODGE SPRINTER MODEL 3500 CHASSIS WHEN I PURCHASED A WINNEBAGO VIEW IN MARCH OF 2007. CURRENT MILEAGE: 15,422 I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ON 8/17/09, I HAD THE RESONATOR, PART NUMBER 14070001, AND THE ASSOCIATED AIR HOSE, PART NUMBER 14089002, REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY FARRISH DODGE IN FAIRFAX, VA. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS IN 2007, THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY DOMINION DODGE IN ROANOKE, VA. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS IN 2008, THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY FREIGHTLINER OF HAGERSTOWN IN HAGERSTOWN, MD. IN EACH CASE, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED AND BEGAN TO HAVE NO POWER. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OF THE RESONATOR IS DETECTED, THE ENGINE IS PUT INTO THE 'SAFE' MODE AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE CAN ONLY BE DRIVEN AT LOW SPEED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT FARRISH DODGE, HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY DODGE. HE DID SAY THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON AND WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE IS AWARE THAT THERE IS AN AFTERMARKET ALL METAL RESONATOR AVAILABLE BUT COULD NOT BE SURE WHETHER THE INSTALLATION OF THIS WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN DODGE INTENDS TO OFFER A SOLUTION TO THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. MY WARRANTY WILL CONTINUE TO COVER THIS REPAIR FOR TWO MORE YEARS, BUT AT THIS POINT, I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL NOT CONTINUE TO RE-OCCUR FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY COMES TO A NEAR STOP WITHOUT WARNING. IN ONE CASE I WAS ALMOST HIT IN THE REAR END BY A LARGE TRUCK. I HAVE APPROACHED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH NO USEFUL HELP. *TR

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