FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Indiana State Police say an oil cooler issue with Dodge Durangos is sidelining some of their patrol vehicles.
In 2023 ISP began the switch from Dodge Chargers to Dodge Durangos for its fleet. The agency has ordered over 500 of the vehicles, 219 have been issued so far to the field.
However, ISP said since that time 39 of the 219 have experienced mechanical failure due to a defective oil cooler.
Sgt. Matt Ames said his patrol vehicle was among the ones to experience the issue. He said the problem causes a lack of confidence in patrol vehicles and is a disservice to the community.
“It could be 2:30 here in Sullivan County or in Vigo County, and they may be responding to a call and think everything’s fine and then all of a sudden, their engine causes failure,” Ames said.
ISP Superintendent Doug Carter says he spoke with a Chrysler representative and was not given a timeline on the resolution.
Stellantis, which owns Chrysler sent WTWO the following statement;
“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.”
