Power Train Problems of Dodge Durango - part 1

Bought vehicle new with almost no miles from Dodge dealer in [xxx] (paramus Dodge) after 3000 miles I start noticing hard kick when selecting gear from park to drive or reverse gear with noise coming from underneath vehicle almost sounds like broken u joint. Harsh up and downshift when in traffic intermittently. Took vehicle three times to the dealership service department and no issues or problems found as per service technician’s and service personnel. I’m very disappointed that Dodge dealers don’t want to stand by there warranty and will definitely take this matter further. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The radio displays uconnect box requires service, please visit an authorized dealer. When that happens you cannot use the safety call 911 button, if you are using your phone for navigation, you will not be able to see it. It also makes the vehicle run different.

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The vehicle fails to start reliably. I have made all the necessary repairs in an attempt to have the car to start reliably. I have replaced items that the average owner would think are normal wear-and-tear items around the starting system. I have also replaced items that the average owner would not think would wear out and need replacing. All of this work was done out of pocket. A warranty or recall covered none of the work. Yet the car still does not start reliably. I believe this is a safety issue because it could lead to the vehicle losing power on the road and leaving occupants stranded. This is not a normal issue. This must be a manufacturer's issue. Producing and selling a vehicle that has known electrical and fueling problems. Also, Dodge, the manufacture clames the zf 850re-based 8-speed automatic has fluid for the life of the vehicle. Dodge claims that the transmission fluid in this transmission does not need to be changed and/or serviced. More information about this zf 850re-based 8-speed automatic transmission claim by Dodge would be helpful.

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2024 Dodge Durango, purchased brand new. Ac completely stopped working at 340 miles after buying. Vehicle has had 7+ dealership visits since purchase. Vehicle has been out of service for 40+days total. Currently, vehicle has been at dealer since June 24, 2026 and is still not returned as of July 9, 2026 — 16 days ongoing with no resolution. I request NHTSA look into this. Electrical/hvac: constant leaking and repeated failures since 340 miles. Ac intermittently will not blow air at all, especially when first starting vehicle. System makes loud hissing/whistling sound from dash. Dealer has replaced the a/c condenser, discharge line, compressor, and evaporator core. On one visit, dealer found ac dye present at the hvac box drain tube indicating evaporator core was leaking. On another visit, dealer noted system was slightly low and stated "not sure if vehicle was charged properly when the condenser was replaced. " system still leaks and fails. Ac failure in tennessee summer heat creates risk of heat exhaustion and prevents defroster use. Issue still not repaired. Power train: transmission was misfiring and vehicle jolts forward when shifting into drive. Dealer performed transmission reprogramming. Dealer initially claimed they were unable to duplicate the concern and that it "operates as designed. " concern not resolved. Engine: had to have all spark plugs replaced at approximately 9,000 miles due to misfire issues. Fuel/propulsion system: gas/fuel smell reported. Dealer noted system was slightly low. Body/interior: during repeated dashboard removals for ac repairs, dealer did not properly reassemble vehicle. A screw was left out, causing dash to rattle. Dealer also removed carpet and improperly reinstalled, causing damage. All defects occurred under 10,000 miles. Dealer has performed multiple major component replacements on the ac system. Issue still persists. Vehicle has severe diminished value due to 9+ repair attempts and 40+days out of service. Legal case .

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I brought the car to the dealership on June 24th about the car jolting forward and a this coming from the bottom of the car . The car jolts forward when in drive I have 10k miles now after he dealership put 588 miles on my car . Got my car back on July the 20th . I was told that my engine misfired and they had to replace spark plugs on a new car I purchased this car brand new . Less than two years having it my engine misfired and they replaced spark plugs . No warning lamps which is deeply concerning as this issues had been happening for awhile with no warning on dash car jolting forward thudding from the bottom of the car . Extremely dangerous you could hit the back of someone’s car or something . Extremely unsafe . The issue was reproduced by the dealership . I strongly suggest this be looked into to a car jolting forward is extremely unsafe for the roads .

My vehicle has had a recall since November 2024 for the hcu/abs module that falsely reads pressure in the primary circuit may illuminate the brake lights (up to 4. 5 mph), disable the abs and electronic stability control (esc), and allow the vehicle to start and shift out of park without the brake pedal being depressed. Well back in November 2025 I had to pay for towing twice and have it in service because the abs stop and start module went out and I had to repalce the battery out of pocket and then not even 7 months to the date I went out and tried to get in my Durango and it wouldnt start so I replace the battery and the abs light came back on and the vehcle shut down and I couldnt get it started back.

Vehicle component failure description: the electronic gear shifter intermittently shifts into neutral without the driver pressing the release button or applying the brake, and can also slide back into drive without button engagement. This has occurred multiple times since service on 08/27/2025 and continues to occur. The issue has been demonstrated to dealership personnel, who confirmed they could replicate the condition but stated it is “normal. ” two separate dealerships (suncoast Chrysler Jeep Dodge and dayton andrews Dodge) 3x both acknowledged the behavior and classified it as normal operation. Safety risk: on 04/30/2026, while pulling from a center median on gulf to bay right before bayside bridge into traffic (vehicles traveling approximately 45 mph), the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into neutral without warning. The vehicle lost power and would not accelerate, creating an immediate hazard. I was forced to veer back into the median and narrowly avoided colliding with an arrow board trailer. This condition creates a serious risk of collision, especially in traffic, intersections, or highway conditions, as the vehicle can unexpectedly lose propulsion without any driver input. Inspection / reproduction: -issue has been reproduced by dealership personnel -dealerships claim the condition is “normal” -manufacturer (Chrysler) has been contacted and a case opened -vehicle is under warranty (~18,200 miles) warnings / symptoms: -no warning lights or alerts prior to shifting into neutral -occurs without pressing the shifter button or brake pedal additional information: dealership personnel advised to “make sure nothing touches the shifter while driving,” indicating the system may be overly sensitive or defective. This is not a reasonable or safe expectation for normal vehicle operation. If this behavior is considered “normal,” it represents a design or safety defect, as unintended shifting into neutral while in motion creates a high risk of crash or injury.

2024 Dodge Durango (sxt plus, gt plus, rt trims) update to my prior complaint regarding a dangerous shifter defect. Defect description: while driving and pressing the accelerator (no brake, no shifter button pressed), the transmission shifts into neutral without warning. The vehicle loses propulsion. The instrument cluster does not display or warn that it is in neutral — no chime, no message, no clear gear indicator. This matches NHTSA recall 26v262000 (fca 39d), where the instrument panel fails to show gear selection in other 2024–2025 stellantis vehicles. Widespread issue: I have replicated this multiple times on my sxt plus, a gt, and rt models. Other owners in Durango groups report the same. This is a systemic defect across Dodge Durango trims and likely the broader stellantis/Chrysler/mopar lineup. Related lawsuit: this also appears connected to the class action [xxx] et al. V. Fca us llc d/b/a stellantis (case xxx) regarding defective uconnect 5 systems in 2022–2024 Durango's and similar models. My background: I have worked in transportation most of my career, hold fdot advanced mot certification, and am completing my undergraduate degree in occupational safety and health (osha). I request NHTSA investigate this shifter and instrument cluster defect across affected Durango models. This has nearly caused a collision and endangers the public. Available: videos, records, owner statements. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2026 Dodge Durango. While driving at an undisclosed speed in a rainstorm, the front window windshield wipers failed to wipe the windshield. The windshield wipers were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the instrument panel failed to display an accurate fuel level. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who informed the contact that the failure was caused by an inoperable hood latch and electrical wiring that was damaged. The hood latch wiring was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was bucking and hesitating, and the instrument panel became inoperable. Additionally, after starting the vehicle, there was a whining sound coming from the engine while the transmission was shifting gears. The local dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. While driving uphill, the vehicle stalled with the message "brakes" displayed. The vehicle was restarted and later returned to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. After retrieving the vehicle, approximately 500 miles later, while driving on a back road and crossing a dangerous intersection, the vehicle suddenly stalled in the middle of the intersection with oncoming traffic approaching. The vehicle suddenly restarted and drove forward moments before a collision occurred. The vehicle was immediately returned to the dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 651.

The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Durango. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 07v555000 (power train); but the failure occurred. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly shifted out of park(p). After several attempts, the gear shift lever was shifted to park(p) and remained in park(p). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

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2015 Dodge Durango awd rolls downhill while in park. Electronic parking brake engages and locks rear wheels, but vehicle still moves. Rear wheels slide while front wheels roll. Occurred multiple times over several years, including a recent incident where a person was nearly struck. Dealer unable to diagnose. ”.

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Took vehicle in for cooling issues, leaking coolant. Garage did courtesy inspection and determined oil cooler failure had caused catastrophic damage to the engine, requiring replacement. Mechanic informed me this particular shop deals with this issue 3-5 times every week, with about one per month requiring full engine replacement. The engine is the 3. 6l v6 pentastar, which is standard in Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Plymouth vehicles and this is a defect known to the manufacturer. My mechanic informed me that both Dodge and the current manufacturer of the engine had tried and failed to correct the problem, because it is an actual design flaw. Caused in part, by the oil cooler being constructed of plastic and mounted at the top of the engine, it is subject to heat and warping which causes the failure. . Mechanic said this is typical around 100k miles. My Durango has 108k, 6k out of the warranty I bought for $4,500 at the dealership, just shy of 3 years ago. This is a known defect. Why is there no recall or remedy for a consumer now facing a $17,000 engine replacement on a $30,000 used vehicle? Dodge knows this is a problem, what is a consumer’s recourse for trusting they make quality vehicles when this presents a major safety issues to anyone with the 3. 6l? my dealership never notified me of this issue, nor did the manufacturer. At least a heads up to change to an aftermarket metal oil cooler, to avoid catastrophic loss? this is wrong.

The engine cooling system on my 2021 Dodge Durango gt failed due to ruptured coolant lines, including the rear coolant tubes supplying the rear air conditioning system and both transmission heater hoses. These lines carry engine coolant to the rear hvac system and transmission. The ruptures caused coolant loss and engine overheating during normal operation. The failure appears related to the routing of the lines near the transmission housing, causing excessive wear not attributable to driver error. This model year has a documented history of similar failures. The vehicle and components are available for inspection and are currently at the dealership. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because the vehicle overheated while I was driving at normal speed in traffic. A major overheating warning appeared while driving. Overheating in traffic creates a risk of sudden loss of power or the need to stop unexpectedly, which could result in a collision. Although I was able to drive slowly due to proximity to home, this condition would be hazardous on longer trips. The issue was confirmed by an authorized Dodge dealership, which verified failure of the coolant lines and provided an estimated repair cost of approximately $3,600. The vehicle has only been inspected by the dealership. A third-party warranty provider (warranty solutions) denied coverage, and I am disputing the decision. The vehicle remains at the dealership because I do not feel it is safe to drive. No prior warning signs were present. The overheating warning appeared suddenly at approximately 62,000 miles. I noticed the smell of coolant upon arrival at the dealership, indicating an active leak.

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Vehicle will not shift into drive. This issue is similar to the zb3 problem. Improperly heat treated shifter parts failed and will not allow the transmission to shift into drive.

See all problems of the 2022 Dodge Durango 🔎.

Last year I notice water in my tail lights. I removed the bolt to help drain the water. Part of my tail lights is now burned out. Now at 77,000+ my start/stop light came on, then the check engine. Scan code was p0304. Misfire on cylinder 4. I changed ignition coil 4, set of spark plugs. It was still misfiring on 4. I had spark plugs on 4 changed. This still did not fix it. The person who changed the spark plugs let me know my lifter/cam was bad. I scheduled with Dodge and they diagnosed it with a blown head gasket. The service rep said the blown head gasket was my fault, however after asking the mechanic said there was no code for over heating or any of that, just the misfire.

My 2019 Dodge Durango r/t began experiencing drivetrain and warning system issues after collision/body repairs were completed by a repair facility. The original repair work involved suspension/body-related repairs and did not originally include documented transfer case or internal drivetrain damage. At the time I picked the vehicle up from the repair facility, the tire pressure monitoring system warning light was already illuminated. I notified the repair facility and was told to drive the vehicle for approximately 10 minutes and the warning would clear itself. I have video documentation related to this interaction. After the repairs, additional problems began appearing including: * service awd warning * traction control warning indicators * ongoing drivetrain concerns * diagnosis involving transfer case/internal damage and burnt fluid the vehicle was later reported to have transfer case clutch failure and internal drivetrain-related issues despite the original repair scope not documenting drivetrain damage. My concern is that the post-repair warnings and drivetrain symptoms may indicate improper inspection, repair, reassembly, fluid servicing, calibration, or unresolved damage related to the repair process. The vehicle has been inspected by the repair facility and diagnostic information was later provided identifying drivetrain/transfer case issues.

The contact owns a 2023 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that upon startup and while driving, the check engine and airbag warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the gear shifter became stuck when shifting into drive(d). The rearview camera flickered, displayed incorrect images, and the display screen intermittently froze or turned blue. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on ten occasions, and an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Vehicle engine shut off while driving approximately 50mph. No prior issues or warning lamps. The failure happened without any warning. I had over half a tank of fuel at the time of the stall. Loss of engine propulsion is extremely dangerous as I was in rush hour traffic on a major highway in houston, TX. Luckily the stall occurred at an exit and I was able to safely get to a area to pull over. Dash read out said I needed to be in park to start the engine. Engine started without issue and I finished my drive home.

Three times now I have a service transmission and it won’t shift but then when taken to dealer they state no codes pop up but I show them a video of what happens each time the dealership says bring it back. First time no codes- no fix, the second time they exchanged the transmission brain and 3 months later the third time and still nothing fixed due to no codes and nothing happened when they drove the car. Something is going on for it to service transmission light to come on and then not shift 3 times now within 6 months. Mileage is under 32,000. Regular maintained with oil changes and tires.

The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the transmission was slipping while shifting to second gear, and the vehicle lost motive power and failed to respond with the rpm elevated. The message to “shift to park and restart” was displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.

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This is about our 8th, of a fleet of 14 police Durangos, all 2021-2024 to have the oil filter housings have failed, causing engine oil and coolant to mix, making the car inoperable. This has been brought to the attention of Dodge, and they have told me it is a very common problem, yet we have no recalls yet and this is on agencies, and I assume personal vehicle owners too to repair. We just had another car, ill write up next, that had the same failure, causing engine to blow while headed to a priority call. This is an known problem and stellantis needs to be held responsible for past repair costs, and a full recall of all faulty parts.

Service shifter on dashboard. When driving or at the start.

While enroute to a priority call our officer experienced a catastrophic engine failure. Said vehicle was in the day before for brakes, and our mechanic always does pm to include a check of coolant fluid level, oil and windshield washer fluid, and car was fine. Vehicle overheated, and shut down shortly after, taking officer out of service and leaving call without an police unit to respond. For personal vehicles this creates a risk of car failure, but for emergency responders it is a much higher safety risk based on the nature of our calls we are responding to. At one point last year I had 4 cars all down at once for same issue. I spoke with Dodge dealer who said this is a very common issue. I tried to file a complaint with stellantis which was not helpful.

My alternator was overcharging my battery, replaced both. Still having an overcharging "sweating battery" issue. The vehicle has suddenly died at low speed, but was able to start. The check engine light comes on and goes off, sometimes it is off for weeks, other times for a day, the code it sets is always different, even for components that have been replaced. Tells me I have a large leak , a small leak in the evap, egr is shorted to ground, ait is out of spec, etc. Now my transmission has shifted from fifth to third back to fifth to fourth, all while at low speed in cruise control. The speedometer, while in cruise control, will jump to 3000rpm, down to 1500, and between all at the same speed.

See all problems of the 2007 Dodge Durango 🔎.

My vehicle randomly stalled in the middle of the road (I was unaware of the recall, I was not notified of recall upon purchase of vehicle) when I was towed to shop they confirmed the issue was the fuel pump relay (I believe that is what it’s called that the recall is for) I was charged $700 for 2. 5 mile tow and repair. After leaving the shop my vehicle began having other problems shortly after (within a month) my vehicle stopped accelerating like a normal vehicle would, it was harder to accelerate it seemed and then the noise. . It is like a knock or a grind? I was told I needed to replace my engine mount so I did… another $850 later and the noise is worse and it still doesn’t accelerate like it should and they are saying my transfer case needs replacing and that it will cost me 2k just for the parts. My car was in perfect condition before the relay failed. . No issues. So is it another recall or is it damage due to a recall I was never notified of?.

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Driving in the left lane of an interstate highway at 75mph, in moderate traffic, in daylight hours, clear weather, with my young son. Sudden, unexpected decrease in engine rpm resulted in unannounced, approximate 40 mph reduction in speed. The instrument cluster illuminated stating “ service transmission continue in d. Do not shift or turn engine off”. Such an unforeseen event, without brake light illumination, resulted in several following vehicles to take evasive actions, thus preventing a potential mass casualty accident. I was able steer towards the right shoulder at the greatly reduced speed of 35mph, collect myself, check on my upset son and try to make sense of what had happened. At this point panic began to set in. I called my father & he was able to provide the next step being to deliver the vehicle to the local Dodge dealership. Those few miles were miserable since the dash was still presenting dismal warnings, there was reduced power and the vehicle acted like it was in a very low gear. The dealership was closed, so the vehicle was parked on lot however, once the engine was turned off the battery power remained on. Unable to lock, turn off or change any electrical device. We returned the following day and spoke to the service advisor who stated, “the vehicle had entered the limp mode” addition research states it is a safety feature that activates when a critical issue is detected by a computer. Well, I guess the engineers never thought about such a radical transformation at highway speeds…. Without brake lights! such a device should never allow an automobile to suddenly and without notice, startle the driver with annunciations while simultaneously downshifting and reducing engine rpm.

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The contact owns a 2017 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked and hesitated to respond, and the engine made an abnormal revving sound. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for brakes servicing, the contact was informed of NHTSA campaign number: 17v541000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included on the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure had persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.  .

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The contact owns a 2023 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that upon shifting into reverse, the vehicle failed to respond with the message “service shifter” displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact shifted the gear shifter between neutral and reverse until the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 60 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

Screen/display has blacked out. Take it to the dealer appeared on the screen. Transmission shifter indicator stopped working. The dealer is charging me $1,900 to repair both.

The transmission dropped after being stopped at a stop light and lightly accelerating. When this happened the vehicle dropped to neutral. After pulling over it did go into first gear but that’s it. When in reverse it moves a foot then goes back in to neutral.

The heating hose exploded due to unknown pressure and ended up getting steaming, hot coolant, and all the cylinders and causing engine failure on a Dodge Durango that I purchased 80 days ago. And I have manufacturer, the dealer and an extended warranty, and after verbal and written promises, now I’m left with almost a $20,000 bill and no car and wasting money on rentals. I have filed to bbb and other complaints towards the dealership. I have tons of other people who have had similar problems with this year and model and newer.

The contact owns a 2021 Dodge Durango. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the message "switch to park and select a gear" was displayed with an audible alarm. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000.

From manufacturing Dodge put a clamp on a rubber hose that goes to the transmission heater. That clamped rubbed a hole into the metal antifreeze line above it. My car started over heating on a busy road. Luckily I was able to pull off without being hit. Dodge doesn’t wanna do anything about it but it’s a known issue for the Durango’s. But Dodge won’t recall the issue. Instead their wanting to charge people anywhere from 2k up to 6k depending what state you live it. The issue is known to occur around 50k miles to around 65k miles.

While driving on the highway, the engine overheating light came on, the car seemed to be losing power, and I pulled over and was then towed to the dealership. My safety was put at risk as I could have been hit as the car was slowing down in fast traffic; it also was extremely cold (about 5 degrees f) while I waited for the tow truck. The tow truck driver noted that I had lost coolant fluid due to a large puddle beneath the car. The dealership reported that the aluminum coolant line had rubbed against the transmission cooler and had broken through, causing a loss of fluid. The dealership replaced the coolant line and also stated that they cut an extra piece of aluminum and wrapped it around the coolant line to reinforce that line and stop it from rubbing through by rubbing against the transmission cooler. I stated that this seemed like a design defect but the dealership responded that these things just happen. I note that there appears to be a similar recall in 2022 Durango hellcats for the coolant line being subjected to abrasion from rubbing on the serpentine belt. The dealership did not return the parts to me; I do not know whether they provided them to the manufacturer for inspection.

On [xxx] I drove my new Dodge Durango to sam's club marion illinois. I picked up prescription and attempted to start the vehicle. The vehicle had 800 miles on it. The vehicle would do nothing but click and would not start. The vehicle is equipped with the assist button and I engaged it. The vehicle was sending off codes of transmission codes, air bags need service, and vehicle was not in park. The representative in my conversation went dead as did all communication between vehicle and android auto. I thank goodness was at [xxx] because I was stranded. The manager aaron attempted to jump start vehicle no success. As this was happening a marion police officer was dispatched to find me because the vehicle apparently thought I was in a crash. The vehicle was now rendered helpless. I called and couldn't get ahold of my dealership (who was less than a half mile away). My wife managed to get ahold of another dealership who stated they could dispatch a tow truck and I would have to cover the cost. Aaron stated that we could try a new battery (after placing a tester on the battery which revealed 11. 6 volts and a capacity of 600cca. The new battery was replaced and just like that the vehicle resumed normal operation. I had to purchase a battery and it was 218. 87. The vehicles battery is under the front passengers seat, it is what I would consider a hidden compartment. The core charge was waived so I could take it to the dealership on [xxx] to find the problem. The vehicle was placed on the computer to find out the issues were all from low voltage. I am very blessed that the marion police officers body camera was activated the entire time. As did [xxx] on the lot. I can't express enough how unsafe this situation is. The vehicle was stranded as I was and would not move. The vehicle is all wheel drive and doesn't seem to have a override that will let you move it without a battery that is functional. Dodge refused to reimbursement. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C.