1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 1999 DODGE DURANGO AND HAVE FAITHFULLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE WITH OIL CHANGES, TUNE-UPS, ETC. I RECENTLY BROUGHT MY DURANGO INTO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, DUE TO THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRONT END BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ARM CONTROL, AND THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL COSTS OF REPAIR, INCLUDING NEW TIRES, ETC. TOTALED OVER $2000.00. NO ONE INFORMED ME OF A POTENTIAL RECALL OF THE BALL JOINTS, UNTIL I PICKED MY CAR UP, AND PAID THE BILL. NOW I FIND OUT THAT YOUR AGENCY HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO DATE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINTS AT EXTREME COST TO CAR OWNERS. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY ABOUT 48,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. IT IS MY HOPE THAT YOUR AGENCY WILL TAKE ACTION SOON, AS THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND COULD LEAD TO FATALITIES IF NOT ADDRESSED. *LA

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE DURANGO. I LEARNED TODAY THAT BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM, FRONT BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. I UNDERSTAND THAT PREMATURE WEARING OUT OF THESE IS NOT UNCOMMON. I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THESE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONSIDERATE, BUT NOT HELPFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THESE VEHICLES RECALLED AS I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM, BUT COULD BE VERY UNSAFE. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO EXPEDITE A RECALL WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *LA

THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHOOK, AND THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED OPERATING. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN. ALSO, TRANSMISSION PUMP STOPPED OPERATING. WITHOUT OIL THE TRANSMISSION GEARS SEIZED AND BURNED UP. *AK ACCORDING TO DODGE, FLUIDS WERE JET BLACK. CONSUMER HAD A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND BALL JOINTS INSTALLED. MECHANIC STATED FAILURE WASN'T ON THE CONSUMER'S PART. CONSUMER NOTED THE TRANSMISSION SHOULDN'T FAIL AT 55K MILES. *PH

THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION. UPON INSPECTION OF VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP, THEY NOTICED THAT THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS COLLAPSED. *AK *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *AK THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TO THE RIGHT. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE INNER TIE RODS WERE PREMATURELY WORN AND AN ALIGNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN OF NO HELP. THE SERVICE DEALER RECOMMENDED A REPLACEMENT OF THE WORN PARTS AS THE PROBLEM WOULD ONLY GET WORSE AND WOULD BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. *SCC THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED BRAKES. *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A HOST OF PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDED ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSOR REPLACEMENT ALONG WITH 2 WATER PUMPS, AND A BELT. ALSO,CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A SERIOUS SUSPENSION PROBLEM WHICH INVOLVED FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS.*AK

PE 03-032, FRONT SUSPENSION/BALL JOINT FAILURE: WHILE GETTING THE VEHICLE CHECKED FOR WHEEL ALIGNMENT MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT. *AK

VEHICLE FAILED VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION. TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE NEED TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE IN MIAMI, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE OIL PRESURE GAUGE DROPPED TO ZERO AND ALL POWER TO CAR WAS LOST. NO STEERING, BRAKING OR CONTROL OF ANY NATURE OVER THE VEHICLE WAS POSSILBE. THIS I MAY ADD OCCURRED WHILE HEADING FOR A TOLL BOOTH.WHILE STILL COASTING I TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. I TRIED TO APPLY BRAKES BUT COULD NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WAS AS IF I WERE PUSHING ON A CONCRETE WALL. AFTER GOING THROUGH THE TOLL BOOTH I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, I COULD ONLY MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL ABOUT 1/2 INCH, LUCKILY THIS WAS ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE CAR TO GRADUALLY MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER. I COASTED TO A STOP ABOUT 1/4 MILE OR MORE PAST THE TOLL BOOTH. FORTUNATELY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AS IT WAS A SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND I MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AGAIN AND IT WOULD NOT CRANK. I DID HAVE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE LIGHTS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS. I RAISED THE HOOD AND CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL, IT WAS FINE, THE MOTOR WAS NOT EXCESIVELY HOT, IN FACT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER WENT ABOVE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. THE CAR IS AT MY MECHANICS NOW BEING CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE PROBLEMS. I DID NOT TAKE TO THE DEALER AS I DO NOT TRUST THEIR HONESTY NOR WORK, AFTER ALL THEY BUILT THIS INFERIOR DEATH TRAP CALLED A DURANGO. I TRULY BELEIVE THIS CAR IS UNSAFE, NO CAR SHOULD LOOSE COMPLETE STEERAGE AND STOPPING ABILITY UNDER ANY CONDITIONS. I WAS TRAVELING AT 60MPH IN A HEAVILY CONGESTED CITY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STEER OR BRAKE A 2 TON HUNK OF STEEL. HOW LUCKY WAS I AND OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD TO BE ALIVE AND UNINJURED? *AK