1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

I HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO A LOCAL GARAGE TO HAVE CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD MY LU BALL JOINT WAS VERY BAD AND ONE GOOD HIT TO A POT HOLE WAS ALL I NEEDED TO HAVE IT GO. IN 2000 HAD A PROBLEM WITH LOUD CLUNKING NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT. AT THAT TIME THE DEALER HAD REPLACED ALL THE BAD BALL JOINTS EXCEPT THE LU ONE WHICH STILL HAD "SOME PLAY IN IT." NOW I AM BEING CHARGED TO REPLACE THIS ONE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IS UP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT VEHICLE SHIMMIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. *AK

MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO WITH 65,000 MILES OF GENTLE ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING HAS JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COMPLETELY SHOT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. THE ONLY SYMPTOM OF ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS WAS EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE PORTION OF BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE FRONT END CAN NOT BE ALIGNED UNTIL ABOUT $500 WORTH OF REPAIRS ARE DONE. NO WAY SHOULD BALL JOINTS WEAR OUT AT ABOUT THE SAME PACE THAT TIRES WEAR OUT. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY A DESIGN OR MATERIALS DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE BALL JOINTS. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR THE RASH OF ACCIDENTS THAT IS SURE TO COME AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE TAKING MEANINGFUL ACTION. AT THE VERY LEAST DODGE DURANGO OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF A POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND BE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN PERFORM AN INSPECTION OF FRONT END SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING OUR DURANGO AT NIGHT AND SWITCHING THE LIGHTS FROM BRIGHT TO DIM I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. THE LAST TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, I HAD USED MY BRIGHTS WHILE TAKING COUNTRY ROADS, BUT WHEN I GOT ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY, I-35 MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN WHEN I WENT FROM BRIGHT TO DIM ONCE BEFORE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE, THIS LAST TIME WAS SCARY. I HAD BOTH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE ON THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 30, 2004. THIS IS DEFINATELY A HAZARD AND COULD CERTAINLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MY HUSBAND WORKS 35 MILES FROM HOME AND WHILE GETTING ONTO ANOTHER MAJOR HIGHWAY HE HAD THE FRONT BEARING FREEZE AND THE CV JOINT BREAK. HE WAS ONLY GETTING ONTO THE ON RAMP WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THANK GOD HE WAS NOT ON THE FREEWAY GOING 60 MPH WHEN IT SNAPPED. I HAD DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE JUST 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THIS MIGHT OCCUR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HEARD SOME NOISE. THE WHOLE UNDERSIDE OF THE DURANGO WAS COVERED IN GREASE FROM THE BEARING. THIS TO ME MEANS THAT IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AND THIS WAS A FAULTY PIECE OF METAL. WHILE WE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR WE WERE TOLD WE NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE FRONT END SUSPENSION. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT THAT OLD AND WE NEED TO HAVE IT REWIRED AND THE FRONT END RE-DONE. I WOULD RATHER PUT MY MONEY INTO A DIFFERENT VEHICLE BUT FEEL WE WOULD BE PUTTING LIVES AT RISK IF WE SOLD THIS DURANGO TO ANYONE. I THINK THAT DODGE NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR PARTS, BECAUSE EVERYTHING I HAVE MENTIONED COULD BE LIFE THREATENING. IF A WHEEL SNAPS WHILE GOING 10 MH A POERSON CAN HANDLE THE VEHICLE, IF IT SNAPS AT 60 MPH SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE HURT. THE LIGHT ISSUE IS HUGE! YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIGHTS, NOT ONLY ARE YOU ENDANGERING YOURSELF BUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD WITH YOU. I THINK IT IS TIME DODGE WAS HELD RESPONSIBLE AND FORCED TO FIX THESE OBVIOUSLY FAULTY PARTS. *AK

BALL JOINTS ON 1999 DOGE DURANGO. ODAY I AM REPLACING BAD UPPER AND LWOER JOINTS IN MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO FOR THE THIRD TIME. THEY WERE VERY LOOSE. AT SOME POINT SOMEONE IS GOING TO LOOSE THEIR LIFE WITH THIS ONGOING AND VERY OBVIOUS PROBLEM. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT BALL JOINTS SNAPPED, CAUSING THE FRONT DRIVERS' SIDE TIRE TO DISCONNECT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. *AK THE BALL JOINTS, NUTS, STRUTS, ROTOR, AND KNUCKLE(S) WERE REPLACED. AN ADDITIONAL TIRE AND CAP WERE PURCHASED FOR THE INSIDE TIRE WEAR AND ALL THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRE WEAR REMAINED ABNORMAL. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING WHEELS SHOOK ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS AND THE INNER TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 46,000 MILES. *AK

FOR ALMOST 1 YEAR, THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND IN FRONT OF SUV. WHEN STILL UNDER WARRANTY, ASK THE DODGE MECHANIC ABOUT IT, BUT COULD NEVER FIND IT. IN JULY AFTER HEARING ABOUT INVESTIGATION ABOUT FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION, CAUSED BY BALL JOINT WEAR, I WROTE THE DODGE COMPANY AND ASK IF THAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM. THEIR ANSWER WAS NO. NOW, MY VEHICLE IS IN SHOP, HAVING TO HAVE THE FRONT BALL JOINTS REPLACED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE......I BELIEVE WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS IT IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND REPAIRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS THIS OLD....WE ENJOY OUR DURANGO AND HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH IT. WE HAVE HAD WINDOW PROBLEMS, BUT JUST HAD THEM FIXED.....MY WIFE HAS BAD KNEES AND THIS SUV IS THE PERFECT HEIGHT TO GET IN AND OUT COMFORTABLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER INDICATED NOISE WAS DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED.*AK