ATLANTA — A lawsuit claims the engines in some of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep’s most popular muscle cars, trucks, and SUVs could have a defect that can lead to crashes.
Some drivers have been worried about what is called the “Hemi tick.”
Donna Goins fired up her 2016 RAM 1500 and Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Justin Gray heard it right away.
“It’s just like a knocking sound like a ‘tick, tick, tick, tick.’ It just keeps doing that,” Goins explained. “It’s all the time.”
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A lawsuit claims the Hemi tick can be dangerous.
The defect is in Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM models with certain Hemi V-8 engines from 2014 to 2022.
The lawsuit gives this partial list:
- 2014-2022 Chrysler 300
- 2014-2022 Dodge Challenger
- 2014-2022 Dodge Charger
- 2014-2021 Dodge Durango
- 2014-2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 2014-2020 RAM 1500
- 2014-2022 RAM 2500
- 2014-2022 RAM 3500
The plaintiffs want the suit to turn into a class-action lawsuit, which would end up including everyone in the same situation. However, it’s nowhere near that point yet.
They claim it’s a safety concern, which includes “loss of power … especially at highway speeds.”
That is what worries Goins the most.
“I’m always afraid it’s going to cut off and someone’s going to hit me, or I’m going to have a wreck or something,” she said. “Mad. Very mad.”
Those plaintiffs say it’s also a money issue.
They say the alleged “tick” substantially “decreases the value” of the vehicle and requires them to “spend significant money” on repairs. Even “thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket.”
Channel 2 Action News checked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database and found more than a hundred complaints dating back years with people describing the hemi tick.
On September 22 one worried truck owner wrote:
“Dealership claims that the “tick”, which is horrifically loud, is “normal” for these trucks. I am planning on having a 3rd party mechanic give a second opinion before paying to have the engine rebuilt.”
Chrysler sent out a bulletin to dealers describing the problem and the repair.
But there is no recall.
So, customers are currently on the hook for the cost.
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Goins says the dealer told her it would cost $4,500 to fix hers.
The company that makes the family of vehicles, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, says it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
If you have this issue:
• Take the vehicle to the dealer if for no other reason than to document the problem.
• If you spend any money because of the “tick,” save your receipts in case there’s a way to get reimbursed later.
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