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Dodge Durango 5.7 Hemi Engine Failure

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Comments

  • danfrommassdanfrommass Member Posts: 6
    I’m the original owner of a 04’ Durango 5.7 Hemi. With less than 80K miles driving 35 MPH.... BAAM, a rod puts a hole through the engine block. Oil that looks like liquid gold is weeping to the ground.

    I paid over 35K for this car, never towed anything, just drove it like a normal car. And yes, I changed the oil!! I wanted this vehicle to last another 75K being a V-8 and all, is that asking too much?????? My dad’s 1981 K-Car with a 2.2 engine lasted longer than my HEMI!!!

    Why is Chrysler in denial? I’m still waiting for my agent at Chrysler to call me but based on what I read, it looks very depressing. Didn’t Toyota give 15K for vehicles with over 200K miles due to rust on the frame?

    Do I keep the car for a year or two in hopes there is a forced recall? SHAME SHAME SHAME on Chrysler. Why is not Motor Trend or the Attorney Generals of all the states doing something/ How about using facebook? I feel like crying now, no family car, tough economy, no help from Chrysler as I type.....
  • mish7777mish7777 Member Posts: 3
    There are so many of of with the same story of our $35- 40K vechicles becoming lawn ornaments just out of warranty. Please file a complaint on NHTSA.gov web site, Hopefully they will take notice. I sold mine to a junkyard....I will NEVER buy and American vechicle again.
  • danfrommassdanfrommass Member Posts: 6
    My brother has a 2003 Saturn, 4 cylinder that has over 200K miles. My sister got 23OK out of her 93 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Not all are bad but I understand your point. Will NHTSA really do something? Thank goodness I was not on a highway when the engine blew.
  • kaykaywckaykaywc Member Posts: 6
    Why don't we all load facebook or twitter with complaints like people did when verizon tried to charge $2.00 to pay their bill online? There has got to be something we can do about these lemon hemis.
  • lke2muchlke2much Member Posts: 4
    I have submitted two to the NHTSA, but they said that they will look into it I paid 15K for a used hemi which is not good. I have had it maintenced and just placed new tires and I even had a tire that was rubber half off before the indicater light didnt even come on until after it was to late. I am refusing to pay anymore on this truck as they can have it back I am going to file bankruptcy.
  • daddytomykidsdaddytomykids Member Posts: 2
    Ok, so i think i figured out why we are all having or will have problems with the Hemi breaking rods in our Durangos and i think Dodge should admit its a manufacturers defect!. Have you noticed the engine wants to stall when its raining or when in a car wash? How many of us are saying, hey my Durango was fine till i cranked it up in the morning.. well do you remember if it rained that nite? Hmmmmm...... The durango does not have to be in motion for water to get into the engine bay, you will see in this video that tons of water is making its way into and on top of the motor/ intake causing it to get sucked in or simply work its way into the intake and into the cylinder causing the hydrolocking and eventually a broken rod! Hmmm... come on Dodge!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_thrVTMlx4&feature=player_embedded

    By the way the water is seeping in via the cowl cover that rests on top of the lower part of the front winshield. Dont believe me? open your hood and spray your windshield.. =)
  • danfrommassdanfrommass Member Posts: 6
    My Case Manager said I need to bring the Durango to a Dodge Dealer and pay them to conduct a diagnosis, to see if the engine was abused or neglected. What are they, social services? I abused a 76,000 mile engine???? What is abuse and how is it determined?

    So even if I pay for a new motor, the water is still going to weep into the engine compartment and ruin the motor? My engine failed when it was sunny and dry, if that matters anything.
  • hazmat1980hazmat1980 Member Posts: 3
    There is a technical service bulletin out for that. Funny though that Dodge says they are not related when my He I blew a year ago.
  • drrighteousdrrighteous Member Posts: 49
    The 2 are unrelated.
    The water problem is a poor design of the plastic cowl cover. There is a service bulletin on it and there is an updated replacement cover. Normally the stalling and rough running issue is simply the ignition getting wet. Sometimes it is accompanied with a check engine light because of a cylinder misfire code.
    Getting water INTO the engine (not on) would have to be a severe breech in the air cleaner assembly or a severe leak in the intake manifold and a huge volume of water, more than the cowl leak will produce. In either one of these events there would be a check engine light. The factory air box/air cleaner system is designed to be water proof under normal circumstances. If someone is driving the vehicle with NONE of the air intake parts installed there would be a risk of hydro-lock because there would be nothing protecting the engines air intake tract. To hydro-lock an engine it has to ingest a significant amount of water all at once.

    For an engine to hydro-lock it has to ingest a lot of water equivalent to the air box or air filter being partially submerged.
    I have seen this a few times when someone drives a 4x4 across a deep water hole or stream and enough water splashed up the engine gets a "big gulp".
    What happens is there is standing water in the cylinder and when the rod moves up for the compression stroke it can't compress it; the weak link is the rod and piston.
  • bassmaster57bassmaster57 Member Posts: 13
    Well said dr.righteous! My wires get really wet during a rainstorm or car wash. The plastic cowl cover leaks around the wiper shafts and there is a plastic gromet in the middle that allows water through to engine wires. I installed the K&N cold intake on my vehicle which meant removing the OEM intake box. The box offered some protection but now the wires are fully exposed. So, thank you for infomation on the service bulletin!
  • angel121angel121 Member Posts: 9
    My Hemi dropped dead in April last year. I cannot remember if it was raining or not but I am just now getting the POS fixed .Took time to get the $$ together. I got an 05 motor hoping the problem wont be like th 04. My mechanic in taking out the old engine asked me if the car spent time under water. 2 cylinders on the old engine were completely filled with water. They could not understand how this could be. Wow, this is the first I heard of it and now you all are saying the same thing. Does this defective junk ever stop? Will Dodge ever fess up?? Dont think so guys...remember, this is pre bankruptcy Dodge. So they take our bail out money and we get nothing but their garbage in return.. Don't ever buy their products again. NO matter what. Thats all we can do.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I didn't see your engine block of course but if you threw a rod like is typical in the 5.7 failure then having coolant in the adjacent (or actually, any) cylinders wouldn't surprise me much. The broken rod flailing around causes all kind of damage besides possibly punching through the side of the block. I really doubt if water leaking into the engine bay during rainstorms is any cause of these failures. The intake is designed to keep it out unless it gets all the way under water.
  • southjersey2southjersey2 Member Posts: 1
    Saturday I went out to start my 04 durango and it sounded like a bunch of stones were thrown in my engine. I took it to my mechanic and the same problem as everyone else the rods went. I have also experienced the hesitation like it is going to stall when it rains. I can't believe Chrysler is not recalling this I will never buy a dodge again. We should all get together and file a class action suit.
  • kris64kris64 Member Posts: 2
    Went out to start it on Saturday..made that awful noise. Left til it could be towed to the mechanic today.

    Just got the call that most likely this the rod is gone. The engine is shot. They have to tear into to see. They said they had one that did this last year.

    I was hoping to seek out information that Dodge has stepped up to the plate on this defect.

    Ours did start doing the stalling thing in car washes or when it was really raining out it would hesitate.
  • kris64kris64 Member Posts: 2
    Just had this happen with us on Saturday..same thing..and it is 2005
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2012
    MY issue is very similar to others posted. We purchased our car new in May 04. We drove our car 2 days before the engine failure and all was fine. We have had no major issues with the vehicle. I got in the car the other morning and tried to start it and it made this loud noise like rocks or marbles in the engine. Then it would not start. After a few attempts to start, the engine started but has a very loud knocking noise. Had it towed to a Dodge dealership. They said the camshaft and pistons need to be replaced. But haven't really torn the engine apart to diagnose everything. They said this is not a known problem....Right! Total cost to rebuild the bottom half is $5,000.00. The service guy told me it was one of the cleanest engines he has seen too. I told them that was too much and they went down to $4,100.00. But we found another licensed shop to rebuild for $2,700.00 with tax. The shop doing the work has 3 other Durangos at his shop with the same problem. The Dodge dealership also charged us $90.00 for diagnostics and $13.00 plus change for supplies. ? Our receipt just shows charge for diagnostics. We asked they also add to record the cause but they handwritten the possible problem on our paperwork. Is it because they don't want that in the system? I'm curious. We have purchased many Chrysler/Dodge products but no more especially if Chrysler will not come clean about this KNOWN problem with the engine. This engine should have lasted a lot longer than 90,900 miles. It's not the 70's anymore. And the Dealership said that they sold over a million and a half of these vehicles and this is a fluke that it happened to a few of them.
  • lke2muchlke2much Member Posts: 4
    I just had my Durango towed off as I voluntary had them repo it as I gave it back to many issues and alot of money to fork out when these things should be recalled and fixed but they won't. I won't get a durango even if I do love it.. I will by a Ford it seems to out last the durango by a long shot
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    We are discussing the same about purchasing new vehicles. Ford is the only car company of the big 3 that didn't get bailed out. And I don't think Chrysler/Dodge is going to bail me out of this known engine problem.
  • danfrommassdanfrommass Member Posts: 6
    If you have your car repoed, it will impact FICO score and ability to obtain credit. You are allowed to put comments on your credit file, best put something like bad auto credit due to Chrysler not recalling defective engine, repair costs over $8,000.

    Won't guarantee this will help but good luck.
  • drrighteousdrrighteous Member Posts: 49
    Hate to hear that you had to -default- on your loan that way. It may be a :lemon: but this does not clear you of the responsibility to stand behind your promise to pay back your loan.
    The problem may be you purchased the vehicle in good faith that it would provide good service for the life of the vehicle and it didn't. But nowhere will you find such wording in the loan agreement. It is all on your back once you sign.
  • jinx412jinx412 Member Posts: 4
    hey guys im another mad 04 durango owner. bought it last may and didnt drive it much do to my job. i started driving it about a week ago to go get it inspected. then put it back in its parking space. woke up yesterday morning to take my son to school. started it up and it sounded like rocks in my motor and a pool of oil under my truck. dodge have to pay for all of our troubles this is some reall bull. bassmaster57 what warranty company do you have that replace your motor. thanks everyone we need to really go a little harder and try getting a law suit on them
  • jinx412jinx412 Member Posts: 4
    h bassmaster57 whats the name of the warranty company that replaced your motor
  • daddytomykidsdaddytomykids Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2012
    Check out my video on youtube.. search for 2004 durango leaking water hydrolock. It shows water just pours into the engine compartment on top of the intake via the cowl. There is nothing other than the cowl that seperates the engine from the outside elements. I don't even think the dang thing diverts rain water. My engine has gone sour twice... I can't afford this. We need an engineer to prove how the water is getting in. The engine does not have to be submerged in water.. maybe others do but not this one. Best thing to do is open the hood. Spray your windshield with water and see if water leak in on top of your motor. People say, well your engine can't hydrolock if water is poured on top of it and I say eell if its designed wrong it can. Just need money a lawyer and an engineer.. I don't have either one.lol.
  • bassmaster57bassmaster57 Member Posts: 13
    edited January 2012
    Hello Jinx412, I'm not sure of the name of the warranty company. I purchased the warranty when I bought my Durango 04' from the Tom Masano Auto Group in Reading Pa. My Durango is the first Chrysler product I've owned (I've always been a suburban guy). I drive alot for my job and I pull a large boat when I am not working. Therefore, I was easily convinced to purchase the warranty. Good thing as I found out 6 months later when my engine failed. Now, I'm a big advocate for purchasing an aftermarket auto warranty when buying a used vehicle. With that said, get the warranty if you purchase the vehicle through a major dealership. If buying through a car lot or private seller, call your local AAA office and get a warranty through the auto club. My experince is they are the best, in price, recognition, and service. With other warranty co.'s, read the contract very carefully!, as to what's covered. Just as important is SERVICE and PERFORMANCE! If you have a local mechanic/ dealership, check and make sure they will accept payment up front from the warranty company (or any negative experience). Be sure to ask the warranty co. if they will replace your motor with a low mileage motor or at least with a fully tested used motor. I had to pay an extra $300 for a low mileage motor, which I gladly paid. The original suggested replacement motor had 80,000 miles (yeah right), the $300 got me a motor with 34,000 miles. I hope this helps!
  • bassmaster57bassmaster57 Member Posts: 13
    edited January 2012
    My Durango started leaking anti-freeze about a month ago. I started seeing very small spots on the ground on the passenger side of the truck. I checked the hoses and the radiator and all looked good. Driving home one day the temp gauge shot north of normal but luckily I was close to home. When I checked under the truck the fluid and steam was coming from the lower passenger side of the motor. Turns out it was the aux. water pump. I didn't know I had one of those and it took me calling three dealerships before I could identify the part. Yes, the dealership mechanics didn't know of this pump and I found out by calling other part stores, you can only get the pump from the dealer. Replacement was fairly easy. Remove air filter box etc. This will give you full access. Turn tires fully to the right. Put a low sided bucket under the unit to catch any coolant. From the top, disconnect two hoses held on by cinch clamps. Disconnect the power connector. The pump is secured by a rubber grommet. Pull up on the rubber mounting bracket by hand, pump will come out. The part number is 1-55056340AA. It is a part added by Mercedes in 2004. The manufacturer is Bosch. Hope this helps!
  • jinx412jinx412 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks bassmaster57. I purchased a warranty with a company named wynn. I will be towing my truck to the dealership tomorrow. Thanks
  • shills1024shills1024 Member Posts: 1
    hello everyone,my name is roy and i share the same concerns as many of you.i also have a 2004 dodge durango with the 5.7 lit granade,i am a certified auto tech as to which dodge does not want to talk with me.because i called them out on there defective 5.7 lit hemi. the problem with the engines vary,some have ticking noise due to poor material used in the valve seats,which dodge saved about $10 per veh by useing this cheaper press fit matrial at a low tolerance press fit into the head.and once the veh hets some where on it it starts to work its way out of the head.as to which they used the same material on the push rods and over time with the heat up and cool down of the engine the rods becomeweek there for snap and cause failure. as to which dodge will not admitt the failure but when i brought this to there attention all i reicived was silence on the other end of the phone. so i know i stuck a nerve with them but they are still not going to do anything for me. dodge sucks and thats that. i wish i coulod say i didnt own three of these ticking time bombs but i do one of which is blown up the other one is just paid off the other has 4 payments till paid off.if dodge doesnt acknowledge the problem fast ford here i come
  • angel121angel121 Member Posts: 9
    I finally just got my "bomb" back on the road after it sat for 8 months with a blown rod through the oil pan. Once the engine was pulled out, the mechanic asked me if the car had been under water or in a flood a 2 cylenders were completely filled with water! SO there is a lot of B S going on with this car and year model. I have had no assistance from DODGE what so ever, they blamed me for not maintaining the hunk of junk correctly, so I put an 05 used engine in the thing hoping for a better result. I am now determined to just get rid of the money pit. Shame on Dodge for what they have done and the conspiracy like cover up they perpetuate. THinking thier customers will forgive and forget is a naive concept. NEVER AGAIN will I or any of you purchase their garbage. Not when this is their reaction to their bad behavior and design. The one company that should have never been bailed out!
  • jinx412jinx412 Member Posts: 4
    I mean this 2004 5.7hemi is B.S. My extended warranty company or my insurance will not cover this blown hunk of junk. Really don't want to put a few grand into this junk and the same thing happens. But still owe money on it. Shills1024 round about what did it cost you do get yours back up and running.
  • drrighteousdrrighteous Member Posts: 49
    I agree.

    The overall design of the engine is excellent. A real power house, light weight, small displacement (relatively) and powerful. A win-win combination that yields power without sacrificing descent gas mileage. But why in the HELL did they use such cheap internals?? It blows my mind.
  • avanti67avanti67 Member Posts: 1
    Driving my '04 Hemi Durango, pulled out of toll booth, hit the gas, and BAM!, connecting rod through the side of the block.
    As an Amsoil dealer, I'm a fanatic about frequent oil changes, using Amsoil's best synthetic oil and filters. Clean as a whistle inside, my guess is the use of cheap/defective material for the rods.
    Jasper wants $3500 for a long block, plus $800 because the core is no good.
    Found a 67,000 mile engine for $2,000. Have to give it a try.
  • rambo818rambo818 Member Posts: 9
    The problem with buying another 04' engine is that when it hits around 83,000 miles the same thing is going to happen. You would be better off spending the extra and having the peace of mind that its going to last. I still don't have mine running yet. I have been so upset but I guess i will relent and have a Jasper put in ours. Chrysler owes all of us and it sickens me that they are totally ignoring this problem and taking no blame. This is America, we bailed them out....now the least they can do is stand behind their product....but thats not going to happen.
  • seeyuuhseeyuuh Member Posts: 1
    Last week. Same track, different lap. 84,000 miles kablewy! Motor grenades. Original owner. Maintained. No warning. What are we going to do folks? Safety issue? ....not. Design issue? ...probably. Does ANYONE know how to get restitution for this egregious injustice? NHTSA is for safety issues. We need to get organized and connected I guess. I can't believe this is normal for a model year. Anyone got any legal counsel? or do we just take it?
  • lisaintexas1lisaintexas1 Member Posts: 1
    I was a proud owner of a 2004 Dodge Durango Ltd with the 5.7L HEMI engine. Then it self-destructed at 77k miles. We need to get organized and let Dodge know, at the very least, we are aware of their awful product and follow-up customer service and we will be very vocal about our experiences. They (Dodge, and at least for me, the "new" Chrysler) have permanently lost a customer....plus my husband and son and parents and siblings....
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    @ lisaintexas1

    I agree. I also have a 2004 Durango Ltd with 5.7L Hemi and am also in Texas. My engine blew with no warning and I previously had no problems. I did call Chrysler and told them what had happened. They said the engine blowing was not a known issue and basically thanks for the info. They also apologized and said my engine blowing up was just a fluke. I told them this is happening to many 2004 Durangos with less than 100 k miles. AND I would NOT take a chance on another 'fluke.' My husband and I mainly purchased Chrysler products but have lost our business.
  • chris1017chris1017 Member Posts: 1
    Same story as everyone else. Driving yesterday on the Thruway, went to exit and heard a clunk, blue smoke started coming out. I was right at the exit and imediately pulled over and shut it off. My mechanic told me my only choice is to cancel the insurance, take off the plates, and get $350 from the scrap yard for a vehicle that cost $40,000 8 years ago with less than 80,000 miles on it. I would like to get it fixed, but he says he can't even find an engine for it.
  • drrighteousdrrighteous Member Posts: 49
    You need to find another mechanic that wants to work and not insult you by pouring salt on a wound.
    The ONLY way to recover any value in your Durango is to get it fix, and yes pay for it.
    If you vehicle is relatively low miles (less than a 100K) then you can get a premium for it if it looks good.
    Find a mechanic that will do a search for an engine (replacing engines is what good mechanics do all the time) and get a good price on a used engine. You should be able to find one for less than $2000 with a guarantee.
    A 2nd option is to sell the vehicle to a "rebuilder" and get something for it. (not junk value).
    Guys that buy cars and trucks; do some repairs and resell them for profit are all around. 2nd gen Durangos are popular vehicles so there should be some interest there.
    Prices vary greatly depending on where you live. In the southern states I have found 4x4s and SUV always bring a premium, but not so much in the northern states because of the rust issues. The salt use on the roads will damage a nice vehicles in just a few years so there is a glut of "fixers" vehicles in that area.
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    Sorry to hear your engine blew. I was able to get mine repaired but I didn't have a rod go through the block. I was able to get the engine rebuilt by an engine shop and was quoted $2,500 but once they tore into the engine, the heads were warped and they had to be replaced which cost another $700.00. A dealership was going to charge me $3,500 without replacing the heads so I would have been looking at approx $4,500 at a dealership for the same work. Now I am starting to have other problems with my Durango. First my air conditioning stopped working. I live in Texas and REALLY need it. I was afraid that repair was going to cost another $500 but we were able to reset the unit two days ago and saved ourselves a lot of money. We decided to take it out for a drive last night to see how the air conditioning was working. Stopped at a restaurant and ate, got back in the car, started to pull out of the parking spot by making a sharp turn and the car started jerking and making a chirping noise which sounded like it was coming from the tires. Felt like the wheels were not wanting to turn. Then noticed the svc 4wd indicator light is on. Will troubleshoot this weekend. I'm hoping it just needs fluid in the transfer case. Keeping my fingers crossed. I will not buy another Chrysler product. My next vehicle may be a Ford since they did not take the bail out. But I may look at a Toyota or other foreign cars. Nothing is totally made in America today.
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    I have noticed my back doors filling up with water after a rain and draining out when I open them. How do I fix that problem? What is the procedure? Thanks
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    "making a sharp turn and the car started jerking and making a chirping noise which sounded like it was coming from the tires." That means it was/is in 4wd.
    On pavement when the tires can't slip that's what happens. When turning one has to travel farther than the other. It can be dangerous if you aren't aware of it, especially making sharp right turns.
    On my 2000 it sometimes is necessary to shift into reverse and back up a little to get it to fully disengage from 4wd locked.
  • bassmaster57bassmaster57 Member Posts: 13
    I understand your agony and of course it happened to me. I had my motor replaced with a used motor through the warranty I purchased when I bought my Durango. The Company found a complete low mileage motor. The motor was out of a 2008 and cost @ 1,800 complete with shipping. I had to cover $350. I had a Chrysler Dealer do the repalcement. They exchanged my carb, put in new plugs, wires, and dropped the new motor in. That was 2 years ago. The Durango is otherwise a great SUV. I pull a 24ft boat with it. I average 35,000 miles a year seeing clients, and the car performs great. It handles better than my 06 suburban Z71, it's way faster, and gets way better gas mileage. Put a K&N cold air intake and a Throttle body spacer on it. Changed the exhaust to a Flow Master Cat back 70 series American Thunder and I'm getting 19 city and 24 Hwy. at 75 mph. So I say, bump Chrysler, remember Mercedes basically designed everything but the motor, and install a rebuilt or low mileage motor. You won't regret it!
  • mmorisettemmorisette Member Posts: 1
    I don't have a durango I have a Chrysler Aspen with the same engine and my engine also seized and of course Chrysler is not going to honor the warranty> i am a mechanic and I noticed the problems and I took it to the dealership prior to the engine locking up on me. The oil light kept coming on and the engine was knocking one day when my husband came home like it was no oil in it. I had him shut it down when the engine cooled I checked the levels and the engine stated it back up it ran fine. I took it to the dealership and told them what was going on it was running smooth and nothing was noted. I think it needs to be a class action done against GM for this engine because like I said I'm a mechanic and I did what I was supposed to do and the engine still failed.
  • drrighteousdrrighteous Member Posts: 49
    edited May 2012
    Don't know what to say because you post is confusing.
    Class action lawsuit against GM??

    And I will say again what I think of a "class action lawsuit".
    These are for the sole benefit of LAWYERS. Ever notice the TV commercials "if you have suffered (insert ailment) after taking (insert drug, or a surgical procedure) then you deserve compensation. Call the XYZ law firm 1-800-gotcha!.
    What those ad are an attempt to gin up a class action lawsuit. They are looking for enough people to file. It has NOTHING to do with justice.
    When you take part in one of these you sign your right to compensation over to the lawyers. THEY get the compensation you deserved, NOT YOU. Because there will be 100, 200, 1000 or whatever people that signed up as part of the suit, the plaintiffs share of the settlement (after the lawyers take them majority) is split up among you. So you get a check for $10.
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    @ drrightious:

    You are right. I had a hard time reading the post also. If they are a mechanic (as they say) they would know the difference between a Chrysler and GM. And the only ones that would come out ahead if a class action lawsuit was made against Chrysler would be the lawyers. We can only hope Chrysler realizes the problem and tries to fix it. Otherwise I WILL NOT buy another Chrysler.
  • durangoshotdurangoshot Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the information. I have tried putting my Durango in reverse and the service 4 wheel drive light indicator is still on. We also changed the transfer case fluid and the light is still on. The fluid was not red anymore and we did not see any particals or gunk int he fluid. Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.
  • hlwallerhlwaller Member Posts: 1
    Hi there, I too have a 2004 Dodge Durango w/ Hemi. Love it. I have 187k miles on it. I noticed that in very heavy rain the engine would want to stall when I came to a stop. The dealership cleaned the throttle body and updated the software. However, with the next heavy rain, at 70mph on a freeway, it started to vibrate (thought it was a flat tire) and then realized something was wrong. Moved off the freeway and the engine stalled. Had it towed and the dealership did a compression test and found that there is a broken valve spring. Anyone knows what would cause that??
  • drrighteousdrrighteous Member Posts: 49
    Actually a broken valve spring isn't that uncommon, and normally does not leave to catastrophic failures in the engine. These Hemis use a "beehive" valve spring. This adaptation of a "race type" spring was very interesting because this design is superior to the older cylinder shaped coil valve spring. But the conclusion I came to because of the common failure of these is poor metallurgy in manufacturing. The springs fatigue and break.
    The vibration is basically a cylinder with low compression. A skilled mechanic can fix this by removing the valve cover and swapping the spring with the specialized tools for this kind of job.
    Again I will emphases the '03,04,05 was the fledgling years of the new hemi and these bugs have been worked out. You very rarely hear of these kinds of failure in '06 and newer hemis.
  • daonmdaonm Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2012
    I have a 2005 Durango Adventurer just paid it off, have performed all preventive maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape only to have it break down on saturday. I get a call today from 5Star Automotive informing me that the 5.7 liter hemi engine is DEAD-BROKEN BEYOND REPAIR, however, IT'S NOT MY FAULT, I COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO PREVENT THIS. I can't afford to pay $9000 for a new engine and I believe that the Dodge corporation should assume some responsibility for their faulty engines.
  • rambo818rambo818 Member Posts: 9
    Welcome to my world as well as many, many others. We've all been there done that and Dodge hasn't helped most of us one bit. Its been 16 months since our 2004 shot a rod through the oil pan. It was fine the day before but happened when my husband started it one Monday morning. We are finally getting ours repaired (with our own money) which is not easy to come by for us. I will never understand why Dodge isn't being held accountable for this!!!!
  • bassmaster57bassmaster57 Member Posts: 13
    Great SUV with a motor made with Chinese steel cranks and rods. I replaced my motor with a used complete motor, with 35,000 miles. The motor cost ruffly $1,500 and I had a Dodge Dealer install it. The dealer used my belts, throttle body, wires/ignition, etc. The new motor came out of an 08' vehicle and hasn't given me any problems. From what I understand, the problem is mostly with the 04' motors. All in all, the re powering event cost about $5,000
    including gaskets, fluids, A/C recharge, plugs wires, etc. Now I have a great SUV and motor! Hope this helps.
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