Here is a short blurb I received from Automotive News today:

Dodge is telling dealers to stop selling the redesigned 2004 Dodge Durango because the throttle is liable to stick in the open position, resulting in a "crash without warning."

I think that would present a problem for most owners or even those out test driving the Durango. Geez...do you think there is anything like quality assurance that would find problems like this before the vehicle starts shipping?

Mark

 

I just have this urge to say: "That thing gotta Hemi?"
...you know the rest :smile:

 

The problem relates to water being able to enter the jacketing for the throttle cable, and when it freezes it can cause the throttle to stick.

The stop-sale order only affects the 3.7L V6 and 4.7L V8 Durango models, the engines from which have been used in other models (Jeep Wrangler and Liberty, Dodge Ram, Dakota and last-gen Durango, for example) without incident.

What's interesting is that problems like this only tend to crop up once the vehicles are in the hands of the buying public. It's why, when Chrysler redesigned its minivan platform in 1996, pilot vehicles were introduced into rental fleets before production started. Joe Consumer abused and wrecked the vehicles in ways that would never occur to the engineers and designers on the minivan platform team!

 

Ryephile - The problem is with the throttle cable freezing. The 5.7L "Hemi" V8 uses an electronic throttle, thus it's the one Durango model not affected by the corporate stop-sell order.

I know, I know... I'm taking things way too seriously...

 

>>-Your Hemi shows the whole world how huge your package really is (?)
>>-Your Hemi takes over the world, emulating Pinky and the Brain momentarily
>>-You realize your Hemi is more like Pinky than Brain, and has "Narfed" itself into wide open throttle!
>>-You freak out, sawing away at the steering wheel trying to avoid clipping the HUGE wing off the punk in the Civic that just passed you (how'd he do that?)
>>-You "Crash without warning" into the nearest Krispy Kreme, but only if its' "Hot Donughts Now" sign is illuminated.
>>-Life is good after you get out of the hospital with the help of your lawyer and newly inflated savings account, courtesy DCX.
>>
>>The End :smile:<<


:evil: :evil: :evil: