Merrillville police chief slams Stellantis over faulty Dodge Durangos, forced to sell at 'significant' loss

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. - The police chief of Merrillville, Indiana is slamming auto giant Stellantis after its fleet of recently purchased Dodge Durango pursuit vehicles encountered serious design flaws, rendering them useless to protect the northwest Indiana town.

In an open letter to the community on Friday, Merrillville police chief Konstantinos Nuses said the issue has left him with no choice but to sell the SUVs at a "significant financial loss" for the department and taxpayers.

"Our primary concern must always be the safety of our community," Nuses said in the letter. "It is heartbreaking to acknowledge that we cannot provide the reliable service you deserve when our vehicles are prone to unexpected breakdowns in the line of duty."

Nuses said Merrillville police had previously relied on Ford Police Interceptors as the backbone of its fleet. However, due to supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the department was unable to acquire them between 2020 and 2023.

Nuses said the department was forced to look at other options in order to maintain operational effectiveness, and turned to a local dealer who advertised the Durango as a "suitable alternative."

"Unfortunately, what began as a hopeful solution has turned into a profound disappointment," Nuses said in the letter.

In late 2022, Nuses said the SUVs began encountering "a significant and alarming issue" with their oil coolers, which led to engine failures. He said most of the Durangos had less than 15,000 miles on them.

As a result of the engine failures, Nuses said the Durangos were out of service and could not protect the community for "prolonged periods" on multiple occasions.

"We've tirelessly sought resolutions through our dealer and escalated the matter to Dodge/Stellantis. In May of this year, we were promised that in two weeks we'd have a revised part to remedy this issue. Yet here we are, months later, still awaiting promised repairs/revision," he said in the letter.

Merrillville Police Chief Konstantinos Nuses (Facebook)

Nuses said despite the police department's best efforts and the assurances they received from the dealer, he decided to sell the Durangos prematurely.

Nuses went on to blast Dodge for not taking responsibility for the problem, which he said left his department unable to fulfill their duty to protect and serve the community.

"All of us - taxpayers and police departments alike - have paid for a compromised product, and Dodge has failed to take responsibility or provide a viable solution. Nor have they offered any type of compensation for the down time of these vehicles," he wrote.

The police chief said his department is exploring every available option to ease the financial impact on taxpayers, and has sought help from the Indiana Attorney General's office.

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"I understand the burden this situation places on our community, and I am deeply regretful for the unnecessary financial strain it imposes," he concluded.

Stellantis issued this statement to FOX 32 in regard to the Durango issues: 

"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 our valued police-community customers and are working to expedite service for any affected 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."

In June, the Indiana State Police (ISP) issued a similar statement regarding issues with new Dodge Durango police vehicles. 

Since last May, at least 39 new Durangos experienced a mechanical failure due to a defective oil cooler. According to ISP, the average downtime for an engine replacement/repair is four to eight weeks. 

ISP Superintendent Doug Carter spoke with a Chrysler representative and was not given a timeline to resolve the issue, according to the statement released in June.  

"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," Carter said.

ISP ordered a total of 516 Durangos in May 2023. A fully equipped police vehicle costs approximately $50,000.