LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than three dozen Dodge Durangos purchased by Indiana State Police were taken out of service after experiencing problems with oil leaks. 

ISP said in a news release Monday that it began replacing its fleet of Dodge Chargers with 2023 Dodge Durangos last year. The agency ordered a total of 516 Durangos at an approximate cost of $25.8 million, with 219 issued to troopers for patrol duties.

Since then, 39 Durangos have experienced a mechanical failure due to a defective oil cooler, and ISP is now expecting the mechanical failure to surface in an additional 40 Durangos — for a total of 79 anticipated failures. 

ISP is estimating that approximately $3.9 million of equipment may not be available for its intended use, according to the news release.

ISP Superintendent Doug Carter has spoken with a Chrysler representative but wasn't given a timeline to resolve the matter.

A fully equipped ISP Dodge Durango costs approximately $50,000. During the month of May 2024, ISP had 15 Dodge Durangos experience this oil cooler failure, according to the release, with an average downtime for engine replacement/repair of four to eight weeks.

Now troopers are losing confidence in the vehicle as they are forced to swap out defective vehicles for a backup vehicle. 

"ISP has used Dodge as our primary police vehicle provider for the last decade-and-a-half, it is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this precarious position, Carter said in the release. "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."

Stellantis has released the following statement concerning the reliability of the Dodge Durango:

"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."

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