Dodge Reviews

This is very possibly caused by a problem with what’s called the blend door actuator. This – as the name suggests – is a small electric motor that controls the positions of a flap inside the car’s climate-control system that determines how much heat is allowed into the cabin. Over time, the little plastic gears inside the actuator become brittle and break off, and suddenly the door (or flap) doesn’t move, meaning you’re stuck with whatever temperature the climate was set on when the gears broke.

Replacement actuators are available online but before you buy a new one, try this trick which allegedly works sometimes. The problem could be that the actuator is simply out of step with the blend door. At that point, you can try to resynchronise the two and return the climate-control to normal.

To do that, the trade secret is to turn the ignition to on (but don’t start the engine) and then hold down the A/C and Recirc buttons on the dashboard simultaneously. These need to be held down for about 10 seconds, at which point the dashboard lights will flash and the car’s body computer will cycle the actuator to relearn its end points. This process takes a couple of minutes to complete. To be honest, though, it’s far more likely the gears inside the actuator have shattered. But it’s got to be worth a try, especially since it’s free.

Any time you have a dull, thudding or clunking noise inside an engine, it’s best to not drive it any farther and have that noise checked out. You may be right and the problem is an injector, but if it’s a serious mechanical problem inside the crankcase, you may find it suddenly lets go with catastrophic results.

Even if it doesn’t fail completely, you may be doing extra damage to the crankshaft, con-rods and bearings (and more) by continuing to drive the car. The problem could also be with the gudgeon pin(s) which secure the pistons to the con-rods. This is also something a mechanic would investigate.

The fact that the noise comes and goes with engine speed could be related to changes in the oil pressure masking the noise as engine revs rise. Bottom line? Have the car checked by a mechanic who should be able to pinpoint the noise. But be prepared for major expense if the engine has serous internal wear or damage.

The base curb weight of a 2023 Dodge Charger is 3841lbs, or approximately 1742kg.