Complaint 822099

Complaint Summary

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Owner Narrative

DRIVING FREEWAY AT 70MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE DOES WHAT SEEMS LIKE A STALL, QUICKLY DROPPING DOWN TO 35MPH AND CONTINUES TO SLOW DOWN AS WE MANEUVERED TO SIDE IF ROAD. THIS WAS VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING THE SEMI TRUCKS BEHIND US TO REAR-END US. WE PULLED OVER, DRIVING OFF THE FREEWAY AT 15MPH WITH HAZARDS ON. STOPPED AT A TRUCK STOP (I AM A FEMALE HERE, SO SAFETY WAS A CONCERN) AND PROCEEDED TO TALK TO INSURANCE COMPANY/TRY TO FIND A DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO ACTUALLY COULD "WORK" ON THESE SPECIFIC SPRINTER ENGINES. AFTER MUCH TROUBLE, END RESULT IS THE VEHICLE ENDS UP AT A CERTIFIED DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO IS VERY AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM AMONG SPRINTERS (DEALS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE CONSTANTLY). IT IS THE TURBO RESONATOR THAT IS A FAULTY PLASTIC PIECE THAT OFTEN AND FREQUENTLY BREAKS ON THESE VEHICLES. THE ONLY THING THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO "UNDER WARRANTY" IS REPLACE THE FAULTY PIECE WITH A NEW, SAME, WILL ULTIMATELY CAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, PLASTIC PIECE! WHY IT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED/RECALLED BY DODGE OR MERCEDES IS OUTRAGEOUS AND IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS VEHICLE PUT ME AND MY FAMILY AT GREAT RISK BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CORRECTED, A $5 PIECE OF PLASTIC!?! I WOULD HATE TO HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WRITING THIS FOR ME BECAUSE OF A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT OCCURRING, SO I ASK, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, I HAVE SEEN TONS OF SPRINTER OWNERS WITH THE EXACT PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.