1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND LURCH. SHORTLY AFTER, SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM CENTER CONSOLE AND HVAC DUCTS AS ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. VEHICLE WAS SAFELY MANEUVERED ONTO SHOULDER AND STOPPED; BY THEN HEAVY SMOKE WAS POURING FROM CENTER CONSOLE AREA AND HVAC VENTS. DRIVER BAILED OUT AND WATCHED FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS INTERIOR COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SMOKE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC, SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION DETERMINED UNDERBODY SOUND DAMPENING MAT HAD BEEN IGNITED BY OVERHEATED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. BURNING UNDERBODY MAT SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED EXTENSIVE THERMAL DAMAGE TO CENTER CONSOLE, CARPET, AND HVAC DUCTS INSIDE CONSOLE. ROOT CAUSE OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATING WAS ATTRIBUTED BY DEALER MECHANIC TO POSSIBLE INTERMITTENT CONNECTION OF COIL WIRE, ALLOWING EXCESSIVELY RICH FUEL/AIR MIXTURE TO BE PASSED TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND HEARD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GOOD YEAR TO PERFORM A FRONT ALIGNMENT. TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS, LOWER BALL JOINTS, AND THE CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE OF $1000.00.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GAS STATION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE WEARING PREMATURELY. *NM

THE SUBJECT VEHICLE PURCHASED USED WHEN APPROXIMATELY ONE (1) YEAR OLD, A 1999 DODGE DURANGO, 4-WHEEL DRIVE 5.2L ENGINE, HAS A FAILED POWER STEERING GEAR BOX. THE SYMPTOM OF FAILURE IS BEST CHARACTERIZED AS AN OVER BOOST. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON ICE, OR IS JACKED, ENGINE RUNNING AND THE STEERING IS TURNED WITH MODERATE FORCE 2 TO THREE INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENTIAL ROTATION THE STEERING WHEEL WILL CONTINUE TO TURN FOR UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF A REVOLUTION WITHOUT FURTHER INPUT. THE DEFECT IS MORE PRONOUNCED TO THE LEFT, THAN THE RIGHT. SHORTLY BEFORE VEHICLE REACHED THE END OF WARRANTY MILEAGE (36K MILES) VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP (PENSKE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE 4505 WEST 96TH STREET, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46268 PHONE: 317-872-6200). AMONG THE REQUESTED WORK ITEMS WAS THE SLIGHT RESISTANCE (OR POP) JUST RIGHT OF CENTER WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT. IN LATE 2003, AFTER THE REPORTS OF BALL JOINT FAILURES ON DODGE DURANGO'S I ELECTED TO CLOSELY INSPECT THE BALL JOINTS AND FOUND SOME WEAR. THE WEAR WAS NOT TO THE DODGE DURANGO MANUAL LIMIT, BUT I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE WEAR, AND THE WEAR PATTERN EVIDENT ON THE FRONT TIRES. ALL FOUR (4) BALL JOINTS REPLACED WITH MOOG PARTS JUST PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS 2003. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FIRESTONE FOR ALIGNMENT (FIRESTONE TIRE & SERVICE CENTERS 8583 MICHIGAN RD, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46268 317-876-3983) I WAS ADVISED THE STEERING GEAR WAS SUSPECT OF BEING FAILED DUE TO THE "SLOW ROLL" CONDITION NOTED ABOVE. DODGE DEALERSHIP QUREIED AS TOO PART AVAILABILITY. MY WIFE WAS TOLD THE STEERING GEAR WAS ON BACK ORDER. THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WOULD BE A NEW PART NUMBER, AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A MINIMUM TWO (2) WEEK WAIT. THE NHTSA IS ENCOURAGED TO INVESTIGATE STEERING GEAR BOX FAILURES ON DODGE DURANGO / DAKOTA VEHICLES AND CORRELATE ALL STEERING RELATED REPORTS TO ENSURE A SYSTEMIC DESIGN OR QUALITY CONTROL DEFECT IS NOT EVIDENT ON THESE VEHICLES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS SWAYING. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN DETERMINED FRONT BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. *AK

THE BEARINGS ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE FAILED AS A RESULT OF AN UNKNOWN BANGING NOISE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THE ALIGNMENT DIDN'T CHANGE THE CONDITION OF THE TRUCK AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE TRUCK NO MORE THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR. *JB

I REPORTED TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION THAT I HAD NEW TIRES INSTALLED ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO AND ALSO HAD THE SERVICE TECH INSPECT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE IN GOOD CONDITION, SINCE I HAD SEEN A REPORT ON TV THAT THESE WERE BECOMING A PROBLEM ON THIS TYPE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TECH CONFIRMED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE VERY LOOSE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER TO SEE IF DODGE WAS GOING TO MAKE THE REPAIR. HE SAID NO, THIS IS A JOB THAT WILL REQUIRE APPROX $600. TO COMPLETE. I AM REPORTING THIS TO YOUR OFFICE , TO MAKE RECORD THAT I HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND WHEN IT WAS REPORTED TO DODGE, WHICH I SENT A COMPLAINT VIA EMAIL TO THEM AS WELL. I HAVE HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND LUBRICATION ON THIS VEHICLE AND CAN PRESENT DOCUMENTATION AS WELL. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.. I HAVE NEVER , EVER HAD TO REPAIR FRONT BALL JOINTS ON ANY VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED.. I EXPECT THIS REPAIR TO MADE MY DODGE AND AN UPGRADE TO THE BALL JOINTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM TO MY VEHICLE .. ALTHOUGH MY DURANGO IS DRIVABLE AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME TO HELP ME GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF.*JB

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL COLLAPSED, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK *SC *JB

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

I TOOK THE CAR IN TO GET NEW TIRES AND HAVE STEERING CHECKED OUT. FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINTS. *LA