Dodge Magnum body problems

STRUCTURE

THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON JUST AFTER PURCHASE AND UPON LOWERING THE TILT WHEEL AND DID SO AFTER EVERY SUPPOSED REPAIR. I HAD THIS IN FOR REPAIR 7 TIMES 5 OF WHICH WERE DONE AT WARRENSBURG CHRYSLER IN WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI. BY THE TIME THEY HAD TRIED 5 TIMES AND TORN MY DASH APART SCRATCHING ALL THE LOWER KICK PANELS AND LEAVING ME WITH A DASH THAT RATTLES THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND REFUSED TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. I THEN CALLED THE DISTRICT REP AND WAS TOLD QUOTE: (WE AIN'T DOING [XXX] ABOUT IT!) AT THIS POINT I GAVE UP BUT DID CONTACT THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY. SEEMS AS THOUGH CHRYSLER NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT AS IT IS A FAULTY SQIB1 & 2 CABLE THAT IS THE ISSUE LEAVING THE AIRBAG INOPERABLE AND A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM TO TELL AN OWNER OF A VEHICLE WHAT I WAS TOLD SHOWS A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY OR ANY PASSENGER ONBOARD INCLUDING CUSTOMERS THAT ARE OFTEN IN MY VEHICLE. NOTE THAT THE DATE I HAD TO SHOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS FORM IS AN APPROXIMATE AND THE DEALER WILL HAVE THE ACTUAL ATTEMPTED REPAIR DATES. NHTSA (NVS-210) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #11163638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

MY 2005 DODGE MAGNUM R/T BURNED THROUGH THE UNIBODY FRAME RAILS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THIS CAUSED THE FRAME TO DEVELOP RUST PERFORATIONS. DAMAGE IS THE SAME ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR, CONCENTRATED WHERE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS MEET THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THIS IS A DIFFICULT AREA TO SEE, LET ALONE INSPECT DUE TO TIGHT CONFINES AND HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. IT WAS FOUND WHILE CHANGING THE OIL DIPSTICK TUBE. THE REST OF THE CAR IS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN AND HAS NEVER BEEN UNDERCOATED, IN AN ACCIDENT OR WINTER DRIVEN. NUMEROUS TECHNICIANS LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM AT CHRYSLER AND INDEPENDENT GARAGES. ALL OF THEM AGREED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY HEAT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS BURNING AWAY THE FACTORY RUST PROTECTION AND THEN ACCELERATING RUSTING OF THIS STRUCTURAL AREA. THE CHRYSLER DEALER BODYSHOP QUOTED OVER $8000 TO REPLACE THE ROTTED FRAME RAILS, MOSTLY LABOR BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, EXHAUST, FRONT SUBFRAME AND MUCH OF THE INTERIOR. THE CHRYSLER DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SENT IN A REPORT TO HIS DISTRICT SERVICE REP. I ALSO FILED A REPORT WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE, CASE FILE NUMBER 25844173. THEY INFORMED ME THAT SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CHRONIC WITH MAGNUMS AND THE CAR WAS PAST ITS 3-YEAR RUST PERFORATION WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE CAR OR HELP WITH REPAIR COSTS. THIS IS A MAJOR STRUCTURAL DEFECT WITH THE FRAME OF THE CAR, NOT A MERE RUST HOLE IN A BODY PANEL! I SUSPECT THE PROBLEM MAY BE FOUND IN OTHER CHRYSLER LX-BODY MODELS OF 2005 MODEL YEAR. OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THESE VEHICLES I WALKED AROUND A LOCAL JUNKYARD AND FOUND A 2005 MODEL CHRYSLER 300 STARTING TO SHOW CORROSION PROBLEMS IN THE SAME FRAME AREAS ADJACENT TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. I HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTING AND PHOTOGRAPHING ALL OF THIS.

NHTSA complaint #10651144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

THE REAR HATCH DOES NOT STAY UP WHEN LIFTED. AT TIMES THE HATCH FALLS WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS HIT ME IN THE HEAD SEVERAL TIMES. THIS IS AN INJURY WAITING TO HAPPEN AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA complaint #10641352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

I TOOK MY DODGE MAGNUM INTO THE LARRY MILLER DODGE DEALERSHIP (AVONDALE DODGE WAS BROUGHT OUT BY LARRY MILLER DODGE WHO DID NOT KEEP RECORDS FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNERS). TO HAVE SOME WORKED DONE ON THE COIL. WHEN I GOT MY CAR BACK THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED. THEY STATED IT WAS SUN DAMAGE THAT OCCURRES MOST DODGE MAGNUMS AND REFUSED TO FIX IT. I CALLED DODGE WHO STOOD BEHIND THE DEALERSHIP AND REFUSED TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS 2005 DODGE MAGNUM AND STATED IT WAS COMMON IN 2005 DODGE MAGNUMS. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD BUY A DASH COVER TO COVER THE DASHBOARD.

NHTSA complaint #10617108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

I HAVE HAD AT LEAST 3 OF THE ISSUES OF THE COMPLAINTS I AM SEEING HERE AND WONDERING WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALLS ISSUED: 1) CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR IT WOULD DIE AFTER FILLING UP THE GAS TANK. WENT ON LINE AND FOUND OTHERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEM. FIX: DO NOT FILL YOUR GAS TANK UP ALL THE WAY AND ALSO DO NOT LET IT GET TOO CLOSE TO EMPTY. 2) NEITHER THE BACK HATCH OR THE HOOD WILL STAY UP ON THEIR OWN. HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE HEAD WITH THE BACK HATCH NUMEROUS TIMES - SOMETIMES IT WORKS. 3) COULD NOT GET CAR OUT OF PARK. AGAIN WENT ON LINE AND EVEN FOUND A YOUTUBE VIDEO EXPLANING HOW TO REMOVE THE PINK THINGY FROM THE GEAR COUNSEL AND ALL WILL BE OK. SAVED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS BUT NOW NO SAFETY DUE TO THE FACT THAT CAR CAN BE TURNED OFF IN ALL GEARS.

NHTSA complaint #10560078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

I HAVE NOT HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE. WAITING ON THAT TO HAPPEN. I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2005 DODGE MAGNUM SXT WITH V6, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN 2005 FROM A DEALERSHIP. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 36 MILES ON IT. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PULLING TO THE RIGHT EVERYONE ELSE HAD, BUT IT DOES MAKE A FUNNY SCRUBBING SOUND WHILE DRIVING AS IF THE TIRE WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE CAR ON THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMON. I HAVE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE AND FELT VIBRATIONS FROM PEDAL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CAR DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO STOP COMPLETELY. I EVEN GOT OUT TO LOOK,THINKING I HIT SOMETHING. A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE POWER OUTLET LOCATED INSIDE THE ASTRAY STOPPED WORKING. IT BLEW A FUSE, I REPLACED IT. THEN, TWO WEEKS AGO, THE POWER OUTLET IN THE CONSOLE STOPPED WORKING. JUST TWO DAYS AGO, THE BATTERY WENT DEAD FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE MONTHS. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AGAIN. NOW ALL THE SUDDEN THE AC/HEATER STOPPED WORKING. YOU CAN HEAR IT TRYING TO COME ON, BUT THE FAN MOTOR DOESN'T SEEM TO BE COMING ON. WE'VE NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS SEEM TO SURGE AT NIGHT. I WILL BE TAKING OUR CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP, ALONG WITH COPIES OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS.

NHTSA complaint #10491454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

WHEN THE TAIL GATE WAS LIFTED TO RETRIEVE THE ITEMS PLACED INSIDE THE CAR THE TAIL GATE FAILED TO KEEP OPEN AND CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD. THE HOOD SUPPORTS STARTED TO FAIL 2 YEARS AGO SO WE PUT A SUPPORT (BROOM HANDLE) TO HOLD IT OPEN TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL IN THE MOTOR. THIS WAS A ENGINEERING GOOF WHEN THE CAR WAS DESIGNED, SPRINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE SUPPORTS AND HAVE BEEN USED FOR YEARS WITHOUT FAILING. I WAS VERY LUCKY AS THAT TAIL GATE MUST WEIGH AT LEAST 200 LBS.

NHTSA complaint #10484797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE MAGNUM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD NOT BE SHIFTED FROM PARK. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V460000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). IN ADDITION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE TRUNK, THE TRUNK WOULD SLAM SHUT ABRUPTLY AND ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TRUNK LID WOULD SLAM ON A PERSON'S HEAD, CAUSING INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/15/12

NHTSA complaint #10443203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

BOTH REAR HATCH SUPPORT RODS AND HOOD SUPPORT RODS INTERMITTENTLY GIVE OUT, CAUSING THE HOOD/ REAR LATCH TO FALL ONTO PEOPLE.

NHTSA complaint #10365366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

MY 2007 MAGNUM HAS 48K MILES AND RECENTLY HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON SHOWING CODE 1004. RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THIS CODE TO BE VERY PREVALENT WITH THIS MODEL OF DODGE, YET THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT AN ISSUE, AND ARE ASKING $1300+ FOR REPLACEMENT/PARTS FOR THE INTAKE AND SHORT-RUNNER ACTUATORS. AS WELL, MY SUNROOF TRACK FAILED AND THE SUNROOF WILL NOT MOVE. BOTH THE GUIDE ATTACHED TO THE GLASS AND THE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY BOTH HAVE BROKEN PLASTIC PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10350474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

THE CLEARCOAT ON THE R/T WHEELS BUBBLES AND COMES OFF AROUND THE CENTER CAP. THIS IN TURNS CORRODE.

NHTSA complaint #10350218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.