2012 Dodge Dart

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE DART. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE OR DURING COLD WEATHER TEMPERATURES, THE CLUTCH FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO SHIFT PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

WHILE TRAVELING AT A STEADY 45 MPH WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN "DRIVE", THE VEHICLE SOUNDED AN AUDIBLE ALERT. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED A MESSAGE THAT SAID "SERVICE TRANSMISSION" AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AT THIS POINT, I FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER POWER AND WAS ACTING AS THOUGH IT HAD SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. I PULLED FROM THE ROADWAY. WHILE STOPPED, I SHIFTED THE VEHICLE TO PARK. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY ADVISED ME TO SHIFT THE CAR TO NEUTRAL AND THEN TO DRIVE OR REVERSE. INITIALLY, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE THIS STEP, I RECEIVED AN ALERT SAYING "GEAR NOT AVAILABLE". AFTER COMPLETING THIS PROCESS SEVERAL TIMES OVER 10 MINUTES, I GOT MY GEARS BACK AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PERFORMED TROUBLESHOOTING. THE CODES REPORTED BY THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED "NEUTRAL ENGAGEMENT" AND "MULTIPLE GEAR SELECTION" BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO NO FIX WAS ATTEMPTED. THEY CLEARED THE CODES AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. THE VEHICLE IS THE 1.4L TURBO ENGINE WITH THE DUAL DRY CLUTCH TRANSMISSION. A REVIEW OF THIS ISSUE ONLINE INDICATES THAT IN ADDITION TO MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BLOG ENTRIES AND FORUMS ON THE TOPIC. IN FACT, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DURING A TEST DRIVE BY CAR REVIEWER FOR YAHOO. THIS PROBLEM CREATES A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME. HAD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED UNDER ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC IT COULD HAVE BEEN QUITE DANGEROUS. I FEEL LIKE I GOT LUCKY IN THIS SITUATION THAT IT HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING IN AN AREA WHERE IT WAS SAFE TO PULL OFF WITHOUT POWER. *TR

I HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND A BURNING SMELL HAPPENING. IN OCTOBER THE DEALER REPLACED THE TCM AT 33,000 MILES AND STATED I WAS LUCKY TO BE UNDER WARRANTY SINCE IT WOULD COST $600+ OUT OF POCKET. NOW ON CHRISTMAS MORNING I HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, SERVICE TRANSMISSION MESSAGE, AND AUTOSTICK NOT AVAILABLE MESSAGE DISPLAY. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP HOME TO HAVE R, N, D SHOW GEAR NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER WAITING I TURNED THE CAR ON AND THE MESSAGES CLEARED. THEN 2 DAYS LATER I WAS AN HOUR LATE TO WORK SINCE THE MESSAGES AND SHIFTING PROBLEM OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY. DURING TRAFFIC STOPPAGES I COULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED FAST ENOUGH AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE MESSAGE AND ISSUE CLEARED AGAIN WHEN I LEFT WORK AND I DROVE HOME BUT NOW IT SHIFTS AT 5,000+ RPM WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A STOP SIGN. BURNING SMELL IS BACK AND CAR IS SLUGGISH. SEEMS LIKE CHRYSLER IS WAITING FOR ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DIE BEFORE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. CURRENTLY HAVE 39,000 MILES ON CAR. BEFORE THE ISSUE IN OCTOBER THERE WAS ALSO A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" FOR THIS AFTER I HAD IT ABOUT A WEEK WITH 500-600 MILES AROUND MID AUGUST 2013. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW TO HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR WORK. NOW IT SEEMS I HAVE AN UNRELIABLE CAR WITH LOAN PAYMENTS AND DEALER SERVICE COSTS SINCE CHRYSLER DOESN'T COVER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY APPARENTLY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SOUNDS AN AUDIBLE ALERT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON, AND DISPLAYS "SERVICE TRANSMISSION" ON THE CAR'S DASH/DISPLAY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CAR DROPS INTO NEUTRAL AND I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ANY GEARS. ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO DRIVE DISPLAYS A "GEAR NOT AVAILABLE" MESSAGE ON THE CAR'S DASH/DISPLAY. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER, OR IF I POWER THE CAR DOWN AND START IT BACK UP, I CAN GET THE GEARS BACK, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON AND THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND THE CAR IS SLUGGISH. THIS CAR IS THE 1.4L TURBO WITH A DUAL DRY CLUTCH TRANSMISSION. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW WITHIN THE LAST 1.5 MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER DID A "REFRESH" ON THE COMPUTER AND STATED THAT THE COMPUTER HAD TO "RELEARN" THE TRANSMISSION. THE SECOND TIME (12/09/2014) THE DEALER SAID THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME OCCURRED TODAY (12/16/2014) AND IT IS AT THE DEALER NOW WAITING ON SOMEONE TO LOOK AT IT. TODAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET MY CAR ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC AND ONTO THE SHOULDER OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN NEW JERSEY. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY AS IT WOULD HAVE INVOLVED A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH AN 18-WHEELER SEMI-TRUCK. *TR

TO ADD TO A LONG LIST OF ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE WE NOW HAVE A VERY SERIOUS ONE THAT CHRYSLER DOES NOT COVER IN THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. ON THANKSGIVING WHEN GETTING READY TO LEAVE A STORE MY WIFE PUT THE VEHICLE INTO WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS 1ST ONLY TO BEGIN GOING INTO REVERSE. THANKFULLY THERE WAS NOTHING BEHIND AT THE TIME. WE DISCOVERED THAT YOU CAN PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AT ANY SPEED OR ANYTIME WITHOUT THE USE OF THE SHIFT RELEASE. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THEY STATED THAT THE SHIFTER NEEDS REPLACED AS THE CABLE BROKE FREE. THEY ALSO DISCOVER THAT THE REVERSE SHIFT SENSOR HAD GONE BAD AS WELL WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSING THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STOP WORKING. THIS IS BUT ANOTHER ISSUE THAT THERE WHERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, BELLS OR WHISTLES YET EVERYTHING IS OK BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SAYS IT IS. THIS VEHICLE IS A DEATH TRAP, THEY WILL NOT FIX EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE SINCE 2012 WHEN THEY FIRST RELEASE THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY SOMEONE NEEDS TO DIE FOR IT TO BE A SERIOUS ENOUGH ISSUE.. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE MADE TO STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SHODDY PRODUCTS. OUR HEATER CORE IS LEAKING, TURBO INTERMITTENT, ENGINE SURGES (RPM'S) ETC. *TR

THE FIRST TIME MY VEHICLE DIDN'T GO INTO REVERSE WAS WHEN I WAS LEAVING WORK. I ATTEMPTED TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT AND THE SHIFT MECHANISM TO ENGAGE THE REVERSE IN MY CAR WOULD NOT COME UP LIKE IT HAS TO FOR REVERSE TO TAKE HOLD. I TRIED TWICE AND TURNED MY CAR OFF. I WAITED ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND TRIED AGAIN AND THE CAR ENGAGED REVERSE LIKE NORMAL. FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS THE CAR SHIFTED FINE UNTIL ON 11/23/2014 AFTER STARTING MY CAR AND LETTING IT WARM UP, I ATTEMPTED TO PLACE MY CAR IN REVERSE AND HALFWAY THROUGH THE SHIFT INTO REVERSE ON MY MANUAL CAR I HEARD A POP AND MY CAR JERKED. I THEN LET GO OF MY SHIFTER KNOB AND IT RETURNED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THEN I TRIED TO PUT IT IN TO REVERSE ONCE MORE AND THE SHIFTER KNOB WAS LIMP AND RETURNED TO NEUTRAL BY ITS SELF. I TURNED MY CAR OFF AND SINCE I AM MECHANICALLY INCLINED I REMOVED THE LEATHER COVER FROM THE SHIFTER KNOB TO SEE MY REVERSE CABLE HAD SNAPPED CLOSE TO THE BASE OF THE HOUSING. *TR

RE: INTERMITTENT BURNING SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, SOMETIMES FUMES OBSERVED THROUGH THE AC VENTS. VEHICLE: DODGE DART 1.4L TURBO 2013 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: THEPROBLEMONLYOCCURSATLOWERGEARS(1,2,3,R).IHAVENEVEROBSERVEDTHEISSUEATHIGHERSGEARS.GEARSHIFTSAREDONEWITHCLUTCH DEPRESSED.IHAVESEENTHEISSUEINFOLLOWINGSITUATIONS: A.CARISINNEUTRALCRUISINGAT1015MI/HR,GEARISSHIFTEDTO2(LIKEWHENSLOWINGON EXITINGOFEXPRESSWAYANDTHENMERGINGONLOCALROAD) B.CARISINGEAR2,ANDGEARISSHIFTEDTO3. C.CARISGEAR3,THENPUTINNEUTRAL,ANDBRAKESAPPLIEDSLOWLYTOCOMETOHALT(LIKEWHEN COMINGTOHALTATTRAFFICLIGHTORSTOPSIGN) D.CARISPUTINREVERSEGEAR. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL, "SERVICE TRANSMISSION" APPEARED ON LCD, THEN "GEAR NOT AVAILABLE". AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND ON, "GEAR NOT AVAILABLE" APPEARS AGAIN IF IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. AFTER ANOTHER REBOOT, ONLY OCCURS IN DRIVE. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL REBOOT, FUNCTIONS IN ALL GEARS. DODGE ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR 3 TIMES, WITH THE CAR IN THE SHOP FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS. FINAL REPLACEMENT PART WAS "CLUTCH ACTUATOR". *TR

ON THE INTERSTATE DRIVING 80MPH, WENT TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR JUST REVVED UP TO 7500RPM, LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. CHECKED THE GEAR SHIFT AND TRIED AGAIN WITH ONLY GETTING THE CAR TO REV. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, TURNED IT BACK ON IT ACTED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WASN'T CATCHING. NOT ONCE DID IT SHOW ANY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY OTHER WARNINGS. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT TOOK THEM 2 DAYS TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEN IT FINALLY TURNED ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT HAS BEEN BEING REPAIRED FOR OVER A WEEK NOW BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY IS WRONG WITH IT EVEN THOUGH IT HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. *TR