1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

CONCERNS OVER THE BALL JOINT EXCESSIVE WEAR AND FAILURE. I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE A SAFETY INSPECTION TO VALIDATE THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO ALL OF THE RECENT FAILURES. I HOPE THAT THIS DOES NOT TURN OUT TO BE A FIRESTONE TIRE FORD EXPLORER FIASCO!*AK

ON FEB 20, 2003 WHEN I BROUGHT MY DODGE DURANGO IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE (49,070 MILES) I WAS INFORMED THAT, "THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS WERE WORN OUT AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT OR THE STEERING COULD SUDDENLY FAIL." I WAS CHARGE $865.28 FOR THIS REPAIR WHICH WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I PROTESTED THAT IT WAS PREMATURE FOR THIS SORT OF WEAR AFTER ONLY 49000 MILES BUT THE MECHANIC INSISTED THE WORK NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR "SAFELY REASONS" AND THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT COVER THE COST. I HAVE THE RECEIPT FOR THE WORK.*AK

I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT A DEFECT IN THE DODGE DURANGO BALL JOINTS. IN USA TODAY, DATED: JULY 22, 2003, THERE WAS A ARTICLE INDICATING THAT FEDERAL REGULATORS ARE INVESTIGATING THE DODGE DURANGO SUV FOR A DEFECT THAT COULD CAUSE THE FRONT WHEELS TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS HAD WORN OUT AND THE VEHICLE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. I HAVE AN 1999 DURANGO WITH ROUGHLY 30K MILES. IN MAY 03, I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR 30K MILE MAINTENANCE AND BECAUSE IT WAS RUNNING ROUGH. I ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE THE BALL JOINT AND SUSPENSION FOR THE FRONT WHEEL REPLACED BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS HAD DISINTEGRATED AND THE SUSPENSION HAD SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN DAMAGED. I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN MY DURANGO ON THE HIGHWAY AND I HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT OFF THE ROAD. THEREFORE, I THOUGHT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WAS VERY ODD AT ONLY 30000 MILES. AFTER READING THE ARTICLE IN USA TODAY, IT IS CLEAR TO ME THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS DUE TO THIS DEFECT. THIS COMPLAINT IS TO FURTHER COLLOBRATE THE 81 COMPLAINTS ALREADY FILED.*AK

TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT UPPER CONTROL ARMS ARE GOING OUT ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000 MILES. ALSO INDICATED THAT RACK & PINION WAS LEAKING.*AK

1999 DURANGO, AM BEING TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT BALL JOINTS ARE BAD AND NEED REPLACING AT 60,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE GETS ONLY HIGHWAY MILES, NO ROUGH STUFF AT ALL. MECHANIC SAYS FRONT END SHIMMY (EXPERIENCED FOR PAST 10,000 MILES) IS RESULT OF BALL JOINT AND TIE RODS FAILING. THERE IS NO WAY A CORRECTLY DESIGNED SUSPENSION SYSTEM WILL FAIL IN 50-60,000 HIGHWAY MILES. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO FIX THEIR ERROR.*AK

1999 DODGE DURANGO - REGARDING SUSPENSION AND STEERING. AT 42,000 MILES HAD TO HAVE LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED, LEFT AND RIGHT UPPER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. CHRYSLER WOULD NOT COVER TOTAL COST. MY OUT OF POCKET COST WAS $728.45. *AK ALSO DEALER REPLACED LEAKING TRANSFER CASE (A DEFECT) NO COST TO ME.

I RECENTLY HAD TO GET THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SUSPENSION OF MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD 65,000 MILES AND IS DRIVEN PRIMARILY FOR HIGHWAY USE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS VERY UNCOMMON FOR THIS SHORT USE TIME PERIOD. THE REPAIRS WERE COSTLY AND DODGE CLAIMED THAT THIS IS SOMETIMES COMMON. IS NHTSA LOOKING INTO SAFETY ISSUES RELATED TO THIS?*AK

BALL JOINTS WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. HAD TO REPLACE WITH AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS.*AK

THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO WORE OUT PREMATURELY. *AK

I HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DURANGO. MY VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR HAD 48,672 MILES ON IT. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT MAY CAUSE WHEEL SEPARATION AS WELL AS MORE SUSPENSION TROUBLE, IF NOT REPAIRED.*AK