Won't Start After a Wash - 2015 Dodge Viper GT Long-Term Road Test

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Won't Start After a Wash - 2015 Dodge Viper GT Long-Term Road Test

Our long-term 2015 Dodge Viper GT has a lot of slots and grilles to aid airflow during driving. During a wash, they also let in water.

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kirkhilles1

Hmm. That's pretty concerning.

nate001

Since it is rear engine car that vent is fake.
Just Kidding,


Is that white thing some kind of filter in the vent? was engine wet like water had come in that way. it looks from other photos that the alternator is sitting near the exit of the vent. that may cause some issues.

bankerdanny

Beyond wondering about having a carb, I would have wondered if someone had mysteriously installed a cable to the gas pedal as I am fairly sure the Viper is drive by wire like most modern cars.

daryleason

It's a very expensive Supercar. But it's still a Chrysler product. Poor panel fitment. It's "brother" the Ram went through a period of time where it refused to run. It's little sister, the Dart, smelled funny. It's cousin the Renegade makes weird noises. Are you really surprised that it decided not to start because it got a little moist?

misterfusion

Well it sure is reliable when it's trouncing a Corvette in 110-degree heat...and during a race day at Laguna Seca...and driving across the country...plus the return trip.

If a couple of reluctant starts is the worst thing that's happened, then this is the most reliable supercar in history.

allthingshonda

misterfusion said:

Well it sure is reliable when it's trouncing a Corvette in 110-degree heat...and during a race day at Laguna Seca...and driving across the country...plus the return trip.

If a couple of reluctant starts is the worst thing that's happened, then this is the most reliable supercar in history.

I think the original Acura NSX still holds the most reliable supercar title.

Even Chrysler engineers would have thought about making sure water, dust, snow and ice entering through the hood would not effect engine performance. The description sounds a lot like BMW's notorious HPFP problems. But why would water effect....screw it, this is normal for a Chrysler product.

daryleason

This Supercar line of comments got me thinking... Can a car be a supercar if it has pedestrian parts? We all can agree that a Dodge Viper (when it's running) is a Supercar. Corvette, to me, is a supercar. Lambos & Ferraris are no doubt. But what about the cars that are boutique manufactured that take Commercial Off The Shelf components to assemble something that they price as a supercar? Take something like the Pantera. It used Ford's 351 Cleveland. We've got car companies like McClaren who can wring some pretty impressive numbers out of their cars. And they do have (at least now) exotic bodies. But is the fact that these companies are doing what shade tree mechanics have done for years, dropping the most powerful "generic" V8 available, into a different body so it'll out run brand name cars, enough to make it a Supercar?

misterfusion

Right, if you're thinking of things like Caterham or the KTM X-Bow, I think those are on the other side of the line from "supercar". Meaning they may have some performance parameters that are equal to a McLaren or what have you, but if all you're doing is dropping a 1500cc Kawasaki engine into a 300lb fiberglass tub, then of course you'll have amazing performance!

derekpt12

Xbow