Despite having J.D. Power quality rankings that look impressive, it seems Dodge’s quality is affecting more than just its normal customers. Fox 59 Indianapolis reports that Indiana State Police have been dealing with oil cooler issues in some of its Durango patrol vehicles, leading many of the SUVs being pulled from duty.
Last spring, not long after it was announced that the Dodge Charger would be ending production, Indiana State Police began transitioning its fleet to the Durango. The state police ordered 516 Durangos totaling $25.8 million. Of those, 219 have been out on active patrol. Since the transition, however, 18 percent of the total number of Durangos on patrol have been pulled due to oil cooler issues, as Fox 59 explains:
ISP says during this timeframe, 39 Durangos (18%) have experienced mechanical failure due to a defective oil cooler. ISP states using the same ratio, ISP would anticipate having an additional 40 Durangos experience the same failure for a total of 79 anticipated failures, meaning approximately $3.9 million of equipment may not be available for their intended use by ISP personnel.
During May 2024 alone, another 15 Durangos experienced the same failure. These failures cost the police both money and time with the average downtime for repairs or a full on engine replacement taking six to eight weeks. Dodge hasn’t seemed to be of much help, either. Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter says they haven’t received a timeframe of when a fix for this problem would come. “We’re having to sideline brand new vehicles, losing out on their value and functionality… the citizens and taxpayers of Indiana are being shortchanged and deserve better,” he said to Fox 59.
Meanwhile Stellantis issued a statement regarding the situation. Reading between the lines, it almost seems as if the automaker is blaming the operating conditions that these Durangos are subjected to as a reason for the oil cooler failures.
The Dodge Durango Pursuit meets or exceeds all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards and is subject to severe operating conditions to which the standard, retail version of the Durango is immune. Further, certain oil-cooler issues are difficult to detect, which may lead to collateral damage and a highly complex remedy.
“We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused to the Indiana State Police and are working to expedite service for these vehicles. Since the model launched in 2018, it has been deployed with thousands of police agencies across North America, and overall feedback has been exemplary.