1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

PROBLEM: REAR AXLE PINION BEARING FAILS, CAUSING DAMAGE TO PINION GEAR AND RING GEAR. AT EACH REPAIR ATTEMPT, BEARINGS, CUPS AND SEALS ARE REPLACED, REPAIRS HAVE LASTED ABOUT 2000 MILES, 500MILES AND TWICE AT UNDER 100 MILES. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED 4 TIMES, ONCE AT A DODGE DEARLERSHIP OTHER THAN THE ONE WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND 3 TIMES AT THE PURCHASING DEALERSHIP. THE LAST REPAIRS INCLUDED REPLACING THE REAREND HOUSING, NOW THOUGH, WITHIN 100 MILES, THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. AT LAST TEAR DOWN OF THE REAREND, THE PINION GEAR'S TEETH WERE CHIPPED. THIS FACT IS WHAT SCARES MYSELF AND MY WIFE, A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE PINION GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD BE DISASTROUS. WE HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE ABOUT THE NUMEROUS REPAIRS AND FAILURES THROUGH CERTIFIED MAIL, MY ONLY CONTACT WITH THEM IS TO SAY THEY RECEIVED THE NOTICE AND THEN THE PURCHASING DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TO VOICE HIS HOSTILITIES TO US AS TO WHY WE WENT OVER HIS HEAD WITH THIS! I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, WE ARE HAVING TO DRIVE THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE BECAUSE WE HAVE NO OTHER AVAILABLE VEHICLE.....IT IS SCARY.

THE DURANGO BROADSIDED A VEHICLE THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF IT, HITTING THE FRONT BUMPER SQUARELY AND SMASHING FRONT END UNIFORMLY. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 01V119000 FOR SEATBELT RETRACTOR DUE TO PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.*AK *SLC

THIS VEHICLE LOSES OIL PRESSURE, HAS LARGE SLUDGE BUILD UP NO MATTER HOW MANY OIL CHANGES IT GETS. THE PROBLEM STARTED OUT WITH A LACK OF OIL KNOCK. NOT THE SO CALLED SPARK KNOCK, BUT LIFTER KNOCK. OIL GETS CHANGER IN SPRING AND FALL. YOU CAN CHANGE OIL EVERY WEEK AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL STILL SAY IT'S A LACK OF MAINTENANCE.*AK

PINION SHAFT SNAPPED OFF, CAUSING REAR TIRES TO LOCK UP AND CAUSE A SKID. ALSO DRIVE SHAFT SEPERATED FROM THE REAR END AND SLAMMED ON THE GROUND. THE CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 20 MPH. IF WE WERE GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CAR PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNCONTROLLABLE AS THE REAR TIRES WERE INSTANTLY LOCKED. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION..

VEHICLE IS VIBRATING. IT MAKES A NOISE WHEN CHANGING GEARS GOING INTO REVERSE. ALSO, GEARS ARE NOT CATCHING WHEN ACCELERATING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER HAD NO RESPONSE.*AK

THE CAR IMPACTED HEAD ON WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF, WITH THIS TYPE OF IMPACT I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD OF BOTH GONE OFF. *AK

FAILED VEHICLE INSPECTION 9/20/01 FOR LOW BALL JOINTS, (MILEAGE=15,730), VEHICLE TO HARR DODGE 9/22/01 TO 9/28/01 FOR REPAIR, HARR DODGE STATED REPAIR NOT NEEDED BECAUSE "BALL JOINT PLAY WITH-IN SPECS" PER SERVICE MANUAL (MILEAGE=15,746). VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION (RETEST) 10/11/01 FOR "BAD BALL JOINTS" (MILEAGE=15,953). VEHICLE TO SUMNER'S GETTY/AUTO REPAIR STATION, LEICESTER, MA. ON 11/18/01 (MILEAGE=16,614) STATED "NEEDS TWO TIRES (FEATHERING), AND BALL JOINTS, UPPER AND LOWER".. *AK

THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THAT THE STUDS HAVE BROKEN OFF. TWO STUDS BROKE WHILE CHANGING A FLAT TIRE IN AUGUST 2000, AND WHEN THE DEALER WENT TO REPLACE THEM (AT MY COST) A THIRD STUD BROKE OFF. LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS HAVING THE WHEELS ALIGNED A FOURTH STUD BROKE AND AGAIN I AM HAVING TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. AS THERE IS ONE OTHER REPORT SIMILAR TO THIS ONE POSTED ON THIS WEB SITE I AM WONDERING IF NHTSA IS LOOKING INTO THIS? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT DEFECTIVE WHEEL STUDS/LUG NUTS CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT BOTH NHTSA AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD WANT TO SEE REMEDIED.*AK

CHILD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT VEHICLE INTO DRIVE WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK