2003 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

WIFE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK HEAD LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF AND WIPERS FRONT STOP WORKING ON LOW JUST ON HIGH AND BACK STOP ALL TOGETHER LIGHTS JUST WORK IF DRIVERS DOOR IS OPEN TOOK TO DEALER SHIP WAS TOLD THAT THE CTM WAS BAD INFORMED DEALER SHIP THAT I SAY A RECALL ON THIS WAS TOLD NOT FOR MY DURANGO. *TR

HAVE A 2003 DODGE DURANGO 79,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO. CHECK GAUGE LIGHT CAME ON AFTERWARDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS BOTH STATED WE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THEY SAID WE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. LOOKED ONLINE ONLY TO FIND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON DODGE DURANGOS WITH LOW MILEAGE. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO MADE AWARE OF AND DODGE SHOULD BE THE ONES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

AFTER REMOVING IGNITION KEY FROM VEHICLE, OWNER RETURNS TO VEHICLE TO FIND THAT IGNITION KEY WILL NOT STAY IN KEY SLOT OR TURN. VEHICLE IS IN PARK, BUT STEERING WHEEL LOCK DOESN'T ENGAGE PROPERLY, SO STEERING WHEEL CAN BE TURNED MULTIPLE COMPLETE REVOLUTIONS (IF YOU'RE STRONG ENOUGH, THINK NON-POWER STEERING). AT THIS POINT, VEHICLE IS EFFECTIVELY DISABLED. STRIKING THE STEERING COLUMN WITH A RUBBER MALLET DIRECTLY ON IGNITION KEY SLOT RESOLVES PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. BASED ON MY RESEARCH (EXAMPLE HERE: HTTP://FORUMS.AUTOMOTIVE.COM/70/16154/DODGE/1999-DODGE-1500-VAN-KEY-WONT-TURN-IN-IGNITION/INDEX.HTML) THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT OCCURS ON ALL DODGE VANS AND SUVS FROM 1999 TO AT LEAST 2003 MODEL YEAR. THIS TYPE OF DEFECT CAN RESULT IN DRIVER BEING STRANDED IN REMOTE LOCATIONS UNEXPECTEDLY. WHILE THIS MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUE, IT IS CERTAINLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT DODGE SHOULD BE REPAIRING FOR FREE. DESPITE THE FACT THAT I CAN FIND HUNDREDS OF INCIDENTS OF THIS DEFECT OCCURRING (SOMETIMES UP THE 6-7 TIMES ON THE SAME VEHICLE OVER THE COURSE OF A SINGLE YEAR) THERE IS NOT A SINGLE TSB. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE FORCED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE AND REPAIR FOR FREE. *TR

POWER STEERING RACK FAILED AT 73,000 MILES. UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE STEERING WOULD FAIL WITH ONLY 73,000 MILES!! PAID $900 TO HAVE REPAIRED. THIS WAS 6 MONTHS AGO. NOW THEY ARE SAYING OUR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE FAILING AND ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BACK IN 2004. EVEN THOUGH THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT OUR WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FIXED. THAT SHOULD FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF THE RECALL FOR THE WHEEL HUB. *TR

I NOTICED MY TIRES WERE NOT WEARING EVENLY AND I FELT AND HEARD A "CLUNK" NOISE EVERY TIME I BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT AT WORK. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND SAID THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT WHEELS OF MY 2003 DODGE DURANGO MUST BE REPLACED. I SEE THERE ARE RECALLS FOR ALL PREVIOUS YEAR DURANGOS BUT NOT THE 2003??? THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PAY FOR MY REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE LEFT SIDE AS THEY WERE ACTUALLY BROKE, MY RIGHT SIDE STILL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND ARE LOOSE AND NEAR FAILURE. I REQUEST THAT DODGE REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR AS WELL AS REPLACE FOR FREE THE RIGHT SIDE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TWO NEW TIRES AS THEY NOW NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR. *TR

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR ONCE A YEAR FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS IN MY 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THIS TIME THE HEATER WIRING HARNESS PIGTAIL CONNECTION WAS CORRODED AND MELTED AND BURNT, IT WAS MELTED TO THE RESISTOR MODULE. AFTER REPLACING IT NOW THE ABS LIGHT ,THE BRAKE LIGHT ARE ON, THE CLOCK WONT WORK,THE SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT WORK. THIS DURANGO ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT. THE DODGE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. SAID THEY SELL ALOT OF THESE RESISTORS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE THERE ARE FIRES IN THIS RESISTOR OR HEATER WIRING HARNESS. I SAW LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS ON ONLINE AUTO CHAT BOARDS. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REPLACED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V596000 (SUSPENSION,FRONT,CONTROL ARM,UPPER BALL JOINT), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. HE WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. UPDATED 12/15/08.*LJ UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR MULTIPLE TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION THE WHEN THE RESISTOR FAILED, THE WIRING HARNESS AND RESISTOR GOT SO HOT THEY FUSED TOGETHER, INCLUDING THE ACCOMPANYING WIRING. THE LAST TIME I PURCHASED ON AND REPLACED IT I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD BEEN REDESIGNED AND WOULD HOLD UP BETTER. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY A DODGE EMPLOYEE NOT TO RUN THE SYSTEM ON THE LOWEST SETTING. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS COOLED BY THE AIR MOVEMENT INSIDE THE HVAC DUCT WORK, BUT AT WHAT POINT WILL DODGE ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A POOR DESIGN AND LACK OF QUALITY REPLACEMENT PARTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE REAR TIRES TURNED OVER AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. THE CONTACT TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER. HE SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06E024000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), WHICH HE BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED, JUST HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

2003 DODGE DURANGO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE LUG NUTS STAMPED STAINLESS COVER. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SHREDDED. ALL OF THE LUG NUTS CAME OFF, EXCEPT ONE. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE LUG WRENCH, TO BREAK IT LOOSE, THE STAMPED STAINLESS DECORATIVE CAP TWISTED OFF. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET IT BACK INTO PLACE, SO THAT THE 19MM LUG WRENCH WOULD WORK. THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL OF THE LUG NUTS. *JB