What 1,153 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Dodge Dart

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN A PARKING LOT IDLING, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT THROUGH THE VENTS AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE LOW WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 10496762

MY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON ENGINEERING EXPERTISE NOT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SUGGESTS THAT, RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROLLED BY-WIRE" INSTRUCTIONS TO BRAKE PREPARATORY TO A HARD RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE, BRAKE, AND (DRIVE-BY-WIRE ?) CLUTCH PROPELLING ITSELF 20 METERS FURTHER DOWN-ROAD TO THE RIVER SHORELINE. PERHAPS READING THE BRAKE COMMAND AS AN ACCELERATION INSTRUCTION (OR ???) THE VEHICLE CONTINUED FORWARD AND DROVE ITSELF OFF THE ROAD, TUMBLING 2 METRES ONTO A BEACH, THEN FROM THE BEACH ONTO THE RIVER ICE WHICH EXTENDS OUT TOWARDS MID-RIVER. IT CONTINUED ACROSS THAT ICE ONLY TO END ITS FORWARD PROGRESS AT THE ICE/WATER BOUNDARY WHERE IT PLUNGED INTO OPEN WATER WITHIN 100 METERS OF HOME. THESE EVENTS EFFECTIVELY ENDING A JOURNEY HOME WITH DEATH. THE OTTAWA CORONER REPORTS NO INDICATION (SUCH AS BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS / MEDICAL EVENTS) TO INDICATE THE DRIVER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OUTCOME IN ANY WAY. IF THE DRIVER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE THEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS EVENT LIES WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ALONE. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT (1) MY SON IS A PROFESSIONAL AZ LICENSED DRIVER (2) HAVING FISHED IT OFTEN, IS INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE ROAD/FERRY BOUNDARY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OUR HOME (3) WERE MECHANICALLY OPERATED STEERING ALL THAT REMAINED UNDER HIS CONTROL HE WOULD HAVE HAD THREE CHOICES: RIGHT INTO THE RIVER; STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO THE RIVER, OR LEFT ONTO A BEACH FORMED BY THE DEPOSITION OF RIVER SILT OVER TIME (THE CAR WENT LEFT OFF THE ROAD) (4) THE RECORD LEFT BY HIS BODY SHOWS ARM AND FIST POSTURE THAT SUGGEST DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS LITERALLY FORCED HIS HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL. STRAPPED AND PINNED TO THEIR SEATS BY THE VEHICLES SAFETY SYSTEMS, MY WIFE AND SON WERE HELPLESS ONLOOKERS AS THE VEHICLE DELIVERED THEM TO THEIR DEATH. BLACK BOX ANALYSIS TO FOLLOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10494772

ONE MONTH OLD DODGE DART RALLYE WAS PARKED ON A STEEP DRIVEWAY THE MORNING OF 01/20/13. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR THE 'PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED' WAS LIT. THE CAR SAT IDLE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND WAS ALSO IDLE AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR FOR >30 SECONDS. AT THAT POINT THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY WHERE IT CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA STRIKING SEVERAL TREES. THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE WAS STILL UP AND APPEARED TO BE ENGAGED. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS ESTIMATED AT $2400. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10493778

THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE & COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY. WHO EVER OWNS THIS VEHICLE BE CAREFUL. ON 10/31/12 ABOUT 11:30AM MY GRANDMOTHER & I WERE HEADING OUT TO LUNCH. MY GRANDMA WANTED TO RIDE IN THE DART THAT I HAD BOUGHT ON 10/26/12. I ONLY PUT ABOUT 10 MILES ON THE DART & IT IS A MANUAL 6 SPEED. I LET MY GRANDMA INTO THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT, I STARTED THE CAR, PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ALREADY ENGAGED, BUT I DOUBLE CHECKED IT & RE-PULLED UP ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, I THEN PULLED UP ONE MORE TIME TO MAKE SURE IT WAS FULLY ENGAGED BECAUSE MY DRIVEWAY IS SLANTED. I THEN TURNED ON THE A/C SINCE IT WAS ABOUT 80 DEGREES OUT. I LEFT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPEN. I TOLD MY GRANDMA THAT I WAS GOING TO MOVE HER CAR SINCE IT WAS BLOCKING THE DRIVEWAY & PARKED IN THE STREET & THEN WE CAN GO TO LUNCH. I WALKED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY & MADE IT TO HER DRIVER SIDE DOOR WHEN I HEARD MY 76 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER SCREAMING I LOOKED UP & SAW MY DODGE DART ROLLING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AS IF NO E-BRAKE WAS ON AT ALL. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ON THE DART SMASHED INTO MY GRANDMA'S CAR THE DOOR ON THE DART THEN SMASHED INTO THE FRONT FENDER OF THE DART THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR RUBBED & DAMAGED THE REAR FENDER OF MY GRANDMOTHERS CAR. THE DART THEN CAME TO A STOP ABOUT A 1/3 WAY INTO THE STREET ABOUT 50FT FROM WHERE I HAD THE DART PARKED. I JUMPED INTO THE DART & CHECKED ON MY GRANDMOTHER SHE HAD NO SERIOUS INJURIES. I LOOK DOWN AT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE & THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS FULLY ENGAGED & IN THE SAME POSITION THAT I LEFT IT IN. THIS CAR DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY ROLL DOWN THE DRIVEWAY IT TOOK ABOUT 30-45 SECONDS BEFORE IT STARTED ROLLING. IT ACTED LIKE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED THEN JUST DISENGAGED & ROLLED AT A HIGH SPEED. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY & TO DODGE. DODGE IS SAYING THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO GIVE ME A COPY OF THE REPORT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10491591