2003 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON SECONDARY ROADS AT APPROX 30MPH, ENGINE SMOKED, SEIZED, OVER-HEATED, BUCKED AND FAILED. HAD IT TOWED AND MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SLUDGE AROUND TOP OF SOME GASKET. BEFORE FURTHER INSPECTION, HE SAID IMMEDIATELY THAT IT WAS NOT A GOOD SIGN AT ALL AND MOST LIKELY WOULD NEED NEW ENGINE. I WAS SHOCKED AS THIS TRUCK IS OUR SECONDARY VEHICLE AND HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN APPROX 20,000 MILES IN 3 YEARS WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER! NO INDICATION WAS GIVEN VIA WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY ISSUES NOR WAS THERE ANY CHANGE IN HOW IT DROVE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO SEIZING. AFTER A DAY, THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED IT NEEDED TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WE ASSUMED WE WERE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER REPAIR PLACE, WHO ONLY WENT ON TO SAY THE SAME: NEW ENGINE NEEDED! AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ON-LINE IT SEEMS THAT MANY OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THIS, YET THERE IS NO RECOURSE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. WE WERE OWNERS OF A 1999 DODGE DURANGO PRIOR TO THIS AND THAT VEHICLE ALSO NEEDED TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AFTER 60 DAYS BUT THANKFULLY IT WAS COVERED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY AND SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, WE FEEL THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS KNOWN ISSUE BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THERE IS REGARDING THIS! NOT ONLY WILL WE BE ABANDONING THIS VEHICLE, AS WE ARE TOLD THAT IF WE REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR APPROX $4000 IT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT WE WILL NEVER, EVER PURCHASE A VEHICLE THROUGH THIS MANUFACTURER AGAIN! SHAME ON DAIMLER/CHRYSLER FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR FAULT! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND RESUME DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO SLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE HEADLIGHT TIMING MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RECALLED AND DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

REPEATED FAILURE/BURNING OF BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR AND CONNECTOR. POTENTIAL FOR ELECTRICAL FIRE UNDER THE DASH ON PASSENGER SIDE. HAVE HAD BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE FROM THIS. *TR

THERE IS A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS ON THE 2003 DODGE DURANGO, BUT WHEN I CALLED DODGE MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. I AM HAVING MY BALL JOINTS REPLACED BY A REPAIR SHOP TODAY AS I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE IN VERY BAD SHAPE AND I AM RISKING HAVING THEM SEPARATE WHILE DRIVING WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE WHEEL FALLING OFF IN A HIGH SPEED SITUATION CAUSING A CRASH AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH. I FEEL THAT IF THIS RECALL IS ONLY FOR SOME OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL OF MY VEHICLE THEN THEY SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE THEM ALL CALLED IN TO HAVE THE DEALER INSPECT THEM FOR SAFETY. IT IS GOING TO COST ALMOST $1000 FOR ME TO HAVE THIS REPAIR MADE. BUT THAT IS SMALL PRICE TO PAY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE HEARD THIS COMPLAINT FROM MANY MANY OTHER OWNERS AND REPAIR SHOPS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND FEEL IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE HEATER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CONNECTING WIRES FOR THE FAN RESISTORS WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. IN ADDITION, THE LOCKS, ALARM SYSTEM AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH). THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,926 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR ENTERING THE VEHICLE AS THE BLOWER MOTOR STOP RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RESISTOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED BUT AND CAUSED THE WIRES TO BECOME COMPLETELY MELTED. THE CONTACT ADDED THAT THE WIRING BECAME SO HOT THAT IT BURNED TO THE TOUCH. A REPAIR KIT WAS INSTALLED BUT IT FAILED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 154,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND FUNCTION WITH RESISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A SLUSH LIKE OIL BUILD UP. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT HIS EXPENSE FOR $6500. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED DUE TO BODY DAMAGE AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WAS NOT WORKING. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS ALSO STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMING MODULE FAILED. RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V322000, EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS RELATED TOT HE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84000.