Indiana State Police Plagued with Failing Oil Coolers from Dodge Durangos

Since ordering a fleet of Dodge Durango Pursuits, the Indiana State Police has been met with several headaches, according to Autoblog.

The Indiana State Police first ordered 519 of the Pursuits to replace their aging Dodge Chargers. Two hundred and nineteen of these vehicles were put into service May 2023, and since then, 39 have experienced failing oil coolers, representing a near 20% failure rate of the 219 cars in service.

According to police officials, the failing oil cooler can cause oil to leak into the coolant system and may lead to the engine shutting off. Drivers of the defective police force vehicles reported smelling a foul odor and seeing smoke coming from the exhaust before the vehicle broke down.

Police Superintendent Doug Carter said that the state police have used Dodge as their primary provider of vehicles for the past 15 years. The recent problems with the new fleet of Durangos is estimated to cost Indiana taxpayers nearly $4 million as state police wait weeks for vehicles to be repaired.

Stellantis will be paying for repairs on the vehicles, including those outside of warranty, but noted that the Durangos ordered by the state police are compliant with federal motor vehicle safety standards. It’s unknown what exactly is causing the issue, and other problems may crop up before it can be figured out, said Stellantis.