2004 Dodge Durango: windshield wiper failure

Filed Feb 21, 2019 · Driver assistance, Electrical · VA

I am original owner and love my durango but since I have owned it I cannot drive in rain. The vehicle sputters and dies and check engine light comes on. I found several places online of people with same complaint and the issue is the original cowl. I looked and mine does not have a taller ridge around the wiper bolts or a ridge to divert the water from running into my engine. I need the 2nd generation cowl that was improved part #55362453ak our family always buys dodge, my husband has the 1500 truck as well as my daughter. I don't understand why dodge has not put a recall out on this issues that so many are complaining about. I have taken my durango several times to the service dept. And they could never find the problem but online after seeing everyone with same issue and how they are repairing I know I need this part. I ran water directly over the windshield and as it went over the existing cowl it did indeed dump into my engine and started sputtering and shut off. I tried to find the part but they are costing $180 with shipping and another $130 to have installed. I need this part like so many other dodge owners and there should have been a recall for this ongoing issue. It is not safe for us because the vehicles stall in traffic and we have to avoid collisions with other drivers as well as creating traffic jams. I have to keep my vehicle parked under a roof to avoid rain and I cannot drive when it is raining. This has been an ongoing issues since I have owned from 2004 to present.

Filed Aug 19, 2018 · Electrical, Engine · 176,000 miles · KY

My 2004 dodge durango has the 5.7 hemi. During heavy rains the engine would start to run rough and the electrical system shut down on me three different times in the middle of driving due to the rain. During this electrical shutdown steering was impossible and I would have to stop the vehicle in the middle of traffic. The vehicle did this to me one time in the middle of turning at an intersection. Fortunately no accident occured. I found that the issue was being caused by a faulty seal at the wiper cowl. This leak later blew my engine as the water leak found it's way into the cylinders and blew a piston rod. I was told that this defect has been reported to chrysler by hundreds of people.

Filed Jun 29, 2017 · Engine · 240,000 miles · FL

The windshield wiper cowling allows water to flow right over the entire engine and right into the intake. My dodge was sitting for 2 weeks during heavy rains and when I tried cranking it up for the first time, the engine hydrolocked.

Filed Apr 7, 2017 · Engine · 96,000 miles · CA · fire

The windshield wiper cowl became defective and let water into the engine compartment, specifically the fuel intake manifold. After about 5 years of random water related stalls (rain,dew,car washes) which could never be replicated by numerous mechanics and therefore not properly diagnosed, water eventually found its way into a piston chamber. While on the freeway in san francisco on march 31,2017, hydrolock ensued and caused the number four piston rod to snap and break through the engine block destroying the engine. I was at the dodge dealership in colma a few weeks prior for an unrelated airbag recall fix and spoke to the a service supervisor about the water related stalling issue. He basically told me to go somewhere else because they only use oe parts and even if they could figure out the problem (no guarantee), they probably couldn't get original parts. He acted like he was doing me a favor! I feel as the dodge and the dealership is negligent. I have found out subsequently that this issue is widely know amongst parts suppliers (specifically used and rebuilt engine suppliers) and has a high rate of incidence according to various internet forums. I have lodged a formal notice/complaint with dodge as have many, many others. I got three quotes for replacing the engine, all were over $6000. The vehicle proved to not be wiorth that cost to fix. I have subsequently donated it to a local charity. This problem definitely deserves a recall, and customers such as myself who have incurred financial losses should be compensated. Thanks

Filed Nov 2, 2015 · Engine · 122,000 miles · VA

Vehicle would stall during heavy rains and taking it through a car wash while driving. Sometimes it would even cut off. One day it cut off and I had to have it towed to the dealership. I bought my vehicle brand new and this problem has been going on since then. Goodyear could not determine the cause of the issue and the dodge dealership informed me that it was the fuel pump. So they replaced my fuel pump and the problem still occurs during heavy rains and going through the car wash. I replaced the battery a third time after contacting roadside assistance. Now the vehicle is making a knocking sound. I'm afraid it's the engine. After researching, there are thousands of complaints about the issue with the wiper cowl leaking. There is a service bulletin 18-006-05 put out by chrysler.

Filed Oct 27, 2015 · Engine · 151,400 miles · NY

It was a rainy day on friday oct. 2, 2015. That morning my vehicle started fine, it wasn't until I came out of work that evening when I went to start it the engine made a loud sound and it wouldn't start. I tried a few times until suddenly it turned on and it was making a knocking noise. I then called my mechanic and explained the situation and he told me to bring it to the shop so they can put it on a lift to take a look underneath. As I drove away the sound was unbearable and the faster I drove the louder it got, suddenly I heard a loud explosion and the vehicle stopped. It felt like the engine fell out, there was a lot of smoke and oil everywhere. I got the vehicle towed to the my mechanics shop for further diagnosing when they told me the engine blew out. The next day I got a call after they took the engine apart and told me the block had a hole because the piston blew through it. They told me it would cost more money to rebuild my original engine than buying a used one, I opted out on the used one. As I was home I went online and did some research when I come to find out that many people had the same problem happen to them with the same vehicle on a rainy day or when they took their car through a car wash. So as I did more research it turns out the wiper cowl which at some point chrysler came out with an upgrade tends to leak water on top of the intake manifold which is another bad design, then sucks in water into the engine eventually causing it to hydro lock. I bought my vehicle brand new in 2004 and now I'm disappointed they never issued a recall to fix this problem. I just paid over $4000 to repair it and god knows how long until this used engine goes out with the same problem. I filed a complaint with dodge and spoke to someone yesterday for them to tell me that my vehicle is out of warranty . Please help me with this matter.

Filed Oct 11, 2015 · Engine · 160,131 miles · NY

Just purchased this vehicle two months ago from dealer in nj. We had a hard rain about a month ago, and the durango wouldn't start immediately. I turned it over again a few hours later and it started with a hard rumble, but it started up. It drove fine for about a month, and just as the wife and I were leaving a gas station, we drove about fifty feet and heard a loud bang. Smoke was coming out of the passenger side of the engine, and the durango was making a noise like metal was rolling around in the engine. I stopped the car, pulling over to the side of the road. I looked under the durango and saw oil dripping out from the engine. I got under the car to inspect it a little further and saw a dime size hole in the engine block. I got the car towed back to my home as it was saturday and the mechanic was not open. The tow truck driver told me that this was the third durango he picked up that day. Not saying that all of the other cars were towed because a blown engine, but you get the idea. Dealer wouldn't warranty vehicle because of mileage. I couldn't get anyone to warranty the durango because of the mileage being over 150000. Now im told I will have to buy a remanned/new engine for this clunker. I will be making a complaint to the manufacturer. I know it may not go anywhere. I have read all of the complaints here and on the internet, forums, etc. All the result of blown engines due to "hydro-locking", and the wiper cowl defect were water would get into the engine during heavy rains or car washes. I hope our government would intervene on behalf of its citizens and force chrysler to issue a recall or at least be responsible for a defect that they created, but I won't hold my breath. My durango currently has 160131 miles on it, and I guess it's gonna stay that way now because it can't move, and I still owe money on a SUV that I cannot drive. The federal safety agency do the right thing.

Filed Mar 19, 2015 · Engine · 150,000 miles · CT

The vehicle was purchased new back in march of 2005 and has been maintained at regular intervals. Recently when it rained a sputter was noticed and thought to be spark plug wires, which had been changed approximately 1 year prior. Then approximately one month ago we went to start the durango and it would not start. At first it sounded like the starter grinding so I removed the starter and had it tested and it fine. I attempted to turn the engine over by the crankshaft bolt and the engine would not move. I removed the spark plugs and found that the #7 spark plug had ice on it. The cylinder was found to be full of ice. The following day the ice melted and the engine moved and ran. The truck drove fine with no issues after that. I did some research and found many complaints of the engine hydrolocking due to a failure in the cowl which allowed water to pour onto the engine. The complaints indicated that it was a known problem and that chrysler had been advised of the issue but nothing was done about it. I then found that water was leaking past the cowl and the wiper arms. On march 17, 2015 the durango again made the grinding noise when attempting to start. The #7 cylinder and the #8 cylinder had water in them. The vehicle had been sitting for approximately 4 days prior and it had rained while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle would not start with the starter and would not turn by hand when tried at the flywheel. The vehicle had not exhibited any issues prior to being parked and had not run since it was parked and did not turn over at all when we attempted to start it. The engine is believed to be seized and no longer usable.

Filed Dec 4, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 126,000 miles · VA

All alert lights on dash remain on. Windows headlights, speedometer, wipers all not working.

Filed Oct 27, 2014 · Body, Engine · 140,000 miles · FL

Rain poured through the wiper cowl and saturated the engine causing it to hydro-lock and blow a rod. This is just one of thousands of complaints about this vehicle. This is obviously a very dangerous manufacturer defect and no one is doing anything about it. Is the government waiting for more people to be killed on the highways due to this? Please advise if something is being done about this. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Filed Aug 10, 2014 · Electrical, Engine · 125,562 miles · CO

My 2004 dodge durango limited with the hemi 5.7 has an erratic idle at stops whenever it rains. Later in the week I went on the highway at 45 MPH the engine stalled during a rain storm. I only have 125,000 miles on the vehicle. I researched this online and found it was most likely the plastic wiper cowl below the windshield allowing water to flow over the top of the engine, which collects on the intake manifold and might slowly make it's way in to the block and hydrolock the engine. Seriously I thought. I went out the next day and opened the hood and placed the garden hose over the center of the windshield with the wipers on and ran the water on low, and also in the off position. Sure enough a lot of water flows in to the driver side wiper hole where it rotates and spreads out over the back two cylinders of the center of the engine. I found there is possibly an upgrade wiper cowl that may prevent some of the water flow buy not all of it. So now I am concerned with this circumstanced even after I get the new cowl that water will still be damaging or destroying my engine one day from water flowing through the cowl over the top of the engine once again. This would cost me $5000-$6000 for engine replacement, just because of a poor design, and no recall or solution from dodge to take care of this water issue.

Filed Apr 23, 2014 · Engine · 84,000 miles · WA

Moisture entered into the cylinders via that air intake manifold due to a water seal design defect in the area of the windshield wiper arms. When the vehicle is parked, rain water coming down the front windshield will flow directly under the cowl and onto the engine block. This water intrusion causes undue stress on the pistons, rods, and crankshaft eventually causing a rod to break and puncture the engine block. If this happens at highway speeds, the results could be deadly. The other known scenario is after the car is parked for a period of time (exposed to rain), the cylinder will fill with water, causing a hydro-lock condition and the vehicle will not start. The engine usually is found to also have a bent or fractured rod at this point. This is a known problem by dodge / chrysler and they refuse to do anything about it. See the numerous complaints on edmunds.com blogs and on youtube regarding this topic.