1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

HAD TO REPLACE LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING DUE TO STRUCTURAL FAILURE; COULD HAVE CAUSED REAR AXLE TO DISENGAGE RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *LA

THE VEHICLE'S OIL DOES NOT DISTRIBUTE PROPERLY. AS A RESULT SLUDGE BUILDS UP IN THE ENGINE AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO FAIL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

1999 DODGE DURANGO OWNER - UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT - NOTICED TIRE WEARING ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH FRONT TIRES (TIRES ONLY HAD 17,000 MILES ON THEM). LOCAL MECHANIC NOTICE ALOT OF PLAY IN BALL JOINTS. REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND COST $750.00. *NLM

ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE FIRST AT 39933 MILES WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE OIL PUMP AND ADVISED US OF SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THE SAME PROBLEM AT 63025 MILES ALONG WITH A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL. THE DEALERSHIP AT WHICH WE PURCHASED THE TRUCK REPLACED THE OIL PUMP AGAIN, ADVISED OF SLUDGE BUILD UP AND OVERHAULED THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ALSO CHECKED ON THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE BUT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT COVER IT, SO THEY SIMPLY REPLACED THE OIL PUMP. SAME PROBLEM FOR THE 3RD TIME AT 73825 MILES, LESS THAN 12 MONTHS AND 12000 MILES LATER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP ADMITS THAT REPLACING THE OIL PUMP WILL NOT HELP. THEY NEED TO CLEAN THE SLUDGE OUT FOR IT TO RUN BETTER BUT EVEN THIS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. UNLESS THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS TAKEN APART AND SOAKED CLEAN OR CHRYSLER SUPPLIES A NEW ENGINE, WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. REGULAR OIL CHANGES WERE COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE. AFTER THE FIRST OIL PUMP THE DEALER ADVISED THAT I USING SYNTHETIC OIL, WHICH WAS DONE. AFTER THE 2ND OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED THE DEALER SAID THAT THE SYNTHETIC OIL WOULD NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. *NLM

WHILE CHANGING THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL CONSUMER NOTICED THAT UPPER BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH OIL PRESSURE DROPPED. ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE OIL PUMP AND THE PISTON ROD BEARINGS. ALSO, THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE SLACK IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH WOULD SUGGEST THAT UPPER BALL JOINT WORE OUT. *AK

1999 DODGE DURANGO HAS SEVERELY AND PREMATURELY WORN FRONT-END BALL JOINTS AT 65,000 MILES. *AK

1999 DODGE DURANGO HAS SEVERELY AND PREMATURELY WORN FRONT-END BALL JOINTS AT 65,000 MILES. *AK

WE HAVE BEEN DETECTING FRONTEND NOISES FOR SOME TIME NOW IN OUR 1999 DODGE DURANGO(VIN# [XXX]). ON FRIDAY MORNING, NOV 28,2003, THEY SUDDENLY BECAME MUCH WORSE. THE SUDDEN INCREASE CAME WHILE WE WERE VISITING FAMILY FOR THANKSGIVING SOME 350 MILES FROM HOME. I PROMPTLY TELEPHONED MY SERVICE PERSON AT HOME AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HE AND I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END AND HE HAS CONTINUALLY REASSURED ME THAT NO PROBLEM OF ANY SERIOUS NATURE IS DETECTABLE. ON THIS OCCASION, HE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD REFER ME TO ANOTHER DEALER IN NJ OR I COULD BRING IT IN TO HIM WHEN I GOT HOME WITH THE TRUCK. I DESCRIBED THE NOISE IN DETAIL, A METAL ON METAL GRATING NOISE WITH SQUEAKING THAT WORSENED OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR ON RIGHT TURNS. AT NO TIME DID THE SERVICE PERSON INFORM ME OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND DISCOURAGE ME FROM DRIVING THE TRUCK AT EITHER HIGH SPEED OR LOW SPEED. LATER IN THE DAY THE NOISE WORSENED EVEN TO A GREATER DEGREE. AT THIS POINT IT EVEN SEEMED THAT THERE WAS SOME DRAG ON THE TRUCK'S FORWARD PROGRESS. WE PHONED A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND BEGAN TO MAKE THE 5 MILE JOURNEY. APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM OUR STARTING POINT, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED. I HAD TO GET A TOW TO THE DEALER. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE COMPLETELY SPLAYED OUT AND I NO LONGER HAD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO HAS BEEN INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANY TIMES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, CONSTANT GRINDING AT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, THE GRINDING CONTINUES WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND ON RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS...THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUALLY CLAIMS THAT THEY "CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF I CAN GET THIS VEHICLE DECLARED A LEMON. THANK YOU. FELECIA C. LEAK. *AK