1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON THE ROAD. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. VEHILCE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

TOOK MY 1999 DURANGO IN FOR AN ALIGNMENT AT 63000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON DURANGOS AND THAT DODGE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION AND HE PASSED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS BUT ADMITTED THE TIE RODS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. TOOK THE CAR FOR A 3RD OPINION TODAY. HE AGREED WITH THE FIRST ONE , THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE REAL BAD AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. HOW DID THE DEALER MISS THAT???? WAS IT INTENTIONAL? THE OTHER TWO WERE NOT DODGE AFFILIATED GARAGES. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS NEEDED--$1000. *AK

HAD TO REPLACE CONTROL ARMS/BALL JOINTS ON 1999 DODGE DURANGO ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 85000 MILES. COST ~$2,000.*AK

I BOUGHT A 1999 DODGE DURANGO ON 9/19/03. SOON AFTER PURCHASE I TOOK MY FAMILY TO TAMPA, FLORIDA FOR VACATION, WHEN UPON ARRIVAL THE CAR WAS MAKING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. WE HAD IT LOOKED IN TAMPA AND THE MECHANIC AT" ALLIED" TOLD US THE HUB AND BEARING OF THE LEFT FRONT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, TRASMISSION WAS LEAKING AND POWER STEERING PRESSURE PUMP WAS ALSO LEAKING. I DROVE VERY SLOW HOME PRAYING THAT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEND TO US ON THE WAY. WHEN I ARRIVED I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE HAD MADE IT HOME BECAUSE THE WHEEL COULD HAVE COME OFF.I HAVE SPEND OVER $400.00 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. NOW THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING IS ALSO BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS WELL.THE DEALER I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM (KENDAL KIA) TOLD ME I BOUGHT THE CAR "AS IS" AND THEY DON'T GIVE ANY WARRANTY. THEY ALSO NEVER OFFERED ME EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR. *AK

1999 DODGE DURANGO - LOST BOTH UPPER BALLS JOINTS @ 55, 870 MILES. HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS ON REAR ABS SYSTEM, REPLACED 2 ABS SENSORS AND CONTROL MODULE.*AK

AFTER SEEING A REPORT ON CBSNEWS.COM REGARDING PREMATURE BALL JOINT FAILURES ON DODGE DURANGOS I THOUGHT I'D ALSO ADD MY INFORMATION TO YOUR DATABASE. I HAD TO HAVE ALL 4 BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO AT APPROX 53,000 MILES. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE PREMATURE. I'VE NEVER REPLACED BALL JOINTS ON ANY VEHICLE I OWN UNTIL "WELL" AFTER 100K MILES. (PLEASE NOTE THAT THE "DAY" LISTED IS MY BEST GUESS, IT WAS AT THE END OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AND THE VEHICLE FAILED THE MASSACHUSETTS SAFTEY INSPECTION. (MY MECHANIC SAID HE SEES DURANGO BALL JOINT FAILURES "ALL THE TIME".)*AK I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT LESS THAN 2 YEARS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 91 MILES ON IT), THAT I HAD TO REPLACE FRONT ROTORS AND DISC BRAKE PADS DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROTOR WARPPING. I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC DATES BUT I DO KNOW IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY WAS STILL IN EFFECT, (APPROX 30K MILES AS I RECALL). THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS HIGHWAY MILES ON IT AND WAS USED DAILY BY MY WIFE FOR HER COMMUTE TO WORK, (A MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WORCESTER MA).

I BOUGHT MY DOD DURANGO IN 99 WITH 18,000 MILES FROM POWAY DODGE (SAN DIEGO, CA). I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN THIRD MONTH AFTER BUYING IT AS IT WAS ALMOST ABOUT TO ROLL OVER WHEN TURNING IN A TURN. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS OKAY, NOT TO WORRY. SO I KEPT ON DRIVING THEN IT STARTED ANNOYING CLICKING NOISE THAT HAD BEEN GETTING WORSE FOR OVER A YEAR BUT THE DODGE IN CARLSBAD HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN MOST RECENTLY, THEY WERE EMPHATIC THAT IT WAS MY BALL JOINT AND THAT MY LIFE HAD BEEN ON THE LINE FOR MONTHS! BUT NO ONE EVER NOTICED EVERY TIME I BROUGHT IT IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER I USE TO GO NOW SOLD THE DEALERSHIP IN POWAY AND THATS WHY NOW NO ONE WANTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. THE CLICKING NOISE STILL CONTINUES AND IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS IN THE REAR OF THE TRUCK AND IS DESCRIBED LIKE A GEAR SLIPPING UPON DEAD STOP AND START NOT TO MENTION EVEN SLOW DRIVE NOW. THEY TOLD ME THEY HEAR CLEAR AS A BELL BUT CANT DIAGNOSE W/O LITERALLY TAKING THE ENTIRE REAR OF THE TRUCK APART AND ALWAYS TELL ME THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I DRIVE IT WITH MY KIDS IN IT. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST CHRYSLER AND AGAINST MY DEALER POWAY DODGE FOR NEGLIGENCE.*AK

POOR STEERING, DOES NOT TRAIL OR DRIVE WITHOUT CONSTANT CORRECTION. REPLACED NEW TIRES AND NEW ALIGNMENT. ALSO FOUND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHEN PURCHASED FROM THE FACTORY AND THAT IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON. THIS IS A VERY HARD VEHICLE TO DRIVE. *AK VERY POOR QUALITY STEERING. WE HAVE MOSTLY PURCHASED FORD IN THE PAST AND HAVE AN OLD 91 F150 THAT DRIVES LIKE A DREAM. WE HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS SUV. THE SUV IS A 4X4 SLT. EVERYTHING ELSE I HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH. BUT WHEN YOU WORK THIS HARD TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY FREEWAY MILES OR OPEN ROAD, IT'S TOO MUCH. WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT AT FIRST, AND THEN THOUGHT IT WAS POOR TIRES, AND THEN ALIGNMENT, FINALLY WE REPLACED EVERYTHING AND IT IS STILL POOR. *AK

HAVE A 1999 DURANGO WITH 33,000 MILES UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE BADLY WORN, AND NEED OF REPLACEMENT. IS THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL. *AK

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 DODGE DURANGO. IT CURRENTLY HAS 77,000 MILES ON IT. I JUST WATCHED A REPORT ON CBS EYE ON AMERICA ABOUT THE NHTSA'S INVESTIGATION INTO FAULTY UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE DODGE DURANGOS. *AK I'M WRITING BECAUSE IN THE REPORT A GENTLEMAN DESCRIBED THE SYMPTOMS HE FOUND, THAT WHEN CHECKED CONFIRMED THE BALL JOIN FAILURE. I HAVE BEEN CHASING THOSE EXACT SYMPTOMS FOR THE BETTER PART OF 2003. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN FOLLOW THIS ISSUE AND THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR ME TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY. I AM ONE OF THOSE WHO LOST A TECH JOB 21 MONTHS AGO, I AM FIGHTING TO KEEP MY FAMILY AFLOAT FINANCIALLY WHILE I SECURE ANOTHER JOB - I CANNOT AFFORD TO PERFORM PREVENTIVELY MAINTENANCE ON MY DURANGO - AND IT IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, NOR IS IT MY FAULT. IF DODGE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, I NEED THEM TO DO SO QUICKLY...MY FAMILY'S SAFETY IS NOW AT RISK.*AK