WE PURCHASED A USED 2005 DODGE MAGNUM ON DECEMBER 13, 2010. IN MARCH 2011, WE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUTTING OFF AND/OR LOSING POWER; ENGINE STALLING AND SPUTTERING; AND THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINING ILLUMINATED. WE PERFORMED THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE -- OIL CHANGES, ETC. ON THE RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE. THE SUDDEN ENGINE CUTOFFS AND POWER LOSSES INCREASED; AND THEN ON SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2011, WE STARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS MAKING VERY LOUD BANGING AND KNOCKING NOISES. TWO MECHANICS CHECKED THE CAR AND RENDERED THE SAME REPORT THAT IT IS A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. WE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR AND WE WERE TOLD IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED AND THEN TOLD IT WOULD BE COVERED. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESOLUTION TO DATE REGARDING GETTING OUR CAR FIXED, YET WE ARE STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A CAR WE CANNOT DRIVE. WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE DEALER TO GET SOME RESOLUTION; HOWEVER, NOTHING TO DATE. AT LAST CONTACT WITH THE MECHANIC, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAVE AN INTERNAL ENGINE PROBLEM AND THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. *TR
2007
STEERING
I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING FAILURES WITH THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR (CODE C121A) INTERMITTENTLY FOR OVER A MONTH. IN DOING RESEARCH WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE LX SERIES VEHICLES (CHARGER, MAGNUM, 300) AND JEEP VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SENSOR IT SEEMS THAT THIS PART COMMONLY FAILS, OFTEN FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. EXPLANATIONS VARY BETWEEN CHAFING AND FRICTION CAUSING PLASTIC CHIPS TO OBSCURE THE ELECTRO-OPTICAL SENSOR, TO CHAFING OR BAD WIRING HARNESSES. THE INABILITY OF THIS SENSOR TO INITIALIZE RESULTS IN A LACK OF ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO A CRASH. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND DISCUSSED ON MULTIPLE ONLINE VEHICLE FORUMS SUCH AS 300CFORUMS.COM, JEEPSUNLIMITED.COM, LXFORUMS.COM, JK-FORUM.COM, DODGEFORUM.COM AND A LITANY OF OTHER WEBSITES. SOME EVEN HAVE THREADS DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY OF RECALLS AND SERVICE ADVISORS TELLING CUSTOMERS IT IS A "COMMON" PROBLEM, HOWEVER DAIMLER-CHRYSLER HAS NOT SEEN FIT TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION OR ISSUE A RECALL, NOR ARE THERE ANY TSBS THAT I COULD LOCATE. *TR
