2002 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND THE HEATER BLOWS OUT COLD AIR. THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT TWICE AND THE RADIATOR CAP. THE CHECK ENGINE, ABS LIGHT AND CHECK GAUGES LIGHT HAVE TURNED ON. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CONTACT HAS REPAIR INVOICES.

OCCASIONALLY UNDER NORMAL OR SLIGHTLY HEAVY BREAKING THE ANTI-LOCK BREAK SYSTEM WILL KICK IN WITH A NOTICEABLY LONG PAUSE BETWEEN BREAKING AND ROLLING. THIS CAUSES OUR DURANGO TO TAKE LONGER TO STOP THAN NORMAL. I HAVE HAD A COUPLE INSTANCES WHERE I STOPPED TOO CLOSE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME OR TOO CLOSE TO THE CROSS WALK BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S BREAKING SYSTEM FAILED. MY WIFE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE DURANGO WOULD NOT STOP SOON ENOUGH BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 07/08/05 THE 2002 DODGE DURANGO SPORT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE UNUSED WIRE CONNECTOR AS MENTIONED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN# 06V339000 WHICH STATED THAT ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT BENCH SEATS ONLY, IF FLUID WAS SPILLED FROM THE FLOOR MOUNTED CUP HOLDER AN UNUSED CONSOLE POWER OUTLET CONNECTOR LOCATED UNDER THE SEAT MAY BECOME CONTAMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN 11/06 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER ,AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE INSURANCE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY SOMEONE ELSE OTHER THAN A DODGE DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIRS DONE ON THE VEHICLE SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THE WIRE CONNECTOR. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE MANUFACTURER HANDLED THIS MATTER UNPROFESSIONAL, AND FELT THEY SHOULD GIVE HER SOME TYPE OF REIMBURSEMENT. THE RECALL CAME TOO LATE, AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTACTS LOSS. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE POINT OF ORIGIN OF THE FIRE SEEMED TO HAVE STARTED AT THE PLUG FOR A POWER SEAT OR HEATED SEAT. THE CONTACT HAS PROVIDED THE INVOICE FOR THE REPAIRS AND PICTURES OF THE FIRE. UPDATE 4/25/07 *TR

DODGE DURANGO JUST STOPS RUNNING AT RANDOM TIMES. THIS OCCURS AT SPEEDS OF 10-60 MPH OR EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS BEING STARTED. THE ODOMETER BLINKS AND READS NO BUS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS ON DODGE INTERNET FORUMS. THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE AND/OR CRANKSHAFT SENSORS END UP BEING REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM IS HARD TO DIAGNOSE AND DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND WHILE DRIVING. WITH SO MANY REPORTS ON 1999-2002 DODGE DURANGOS HAVING THIS PROBLEM (SEARCH DURANGO PCM "NO BUS") SOMETHING MUST BE DEFECTIVE. MY DURANGO BEGAN DOING THIS ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THE DEALER DOESN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. I WAS MILDLY INJURED DURING ONE OF THE FAILURES, WHEN MY DURANGO 'SHUT OFF' WHILE I WAS COMING DOWN A HIGHWAY RAMP AND I BUMPED MY HEAD AGAINST THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHILE TRYING TO STABILIZE THE CAR, WHICH SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING HAD NO POWERTRAIN CONTROL. *JB

2002 DODGE DURANGO. CAR ENGINE "SURGES" WHEN STARTING TO DRIVE, THEN RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER A FEW HUNDRED YARDS. OCCURS AT SPEEDS OF 10-20 MPH. REPORTED TO DEALER. DEALER UNABLE TO REPRODUCE PROBLEM. OCCURS RANDOMLY, BUT ABOUT 1-2 A MONTH. CAR ALSO STOPS AND WILL NOT RESTART. RECURS RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. LOCAL MECHANIC FEELS PROBLEM COULD BE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE RELATED. OCCURS AT SPEEDS OF 0-60 MPH. *JB

CENTRAL TIMER MODULE FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY AT NIGHT, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, SECURITY INDICATOR AND HORN TO ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE IN THIS CONDITION. OUT OF WARRANTY, DEALER CHARGES $421.00 TO FIX. THIS FOLLOWS SEVERAL IN-WARRANTY ELECTRICAL REPAIRS - REMOTE LOCKING MECHANISM, REAR AXLE SPEED SENSOR AND POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. DEFECT COULD EASILY CAUSE A WRECK AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

REAR LEAF SPRING (DRIVER'S SIDE) BROKE OFF FROM THE SHACKLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT! *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES HAVE RESULTED IN TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OVER THE COURSE OF 5 YEARS. THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER DASH HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, REPLACED NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND REPAIRED AGAIN NOT UNDER WARRANTY. 4TH FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN ADDRESSED. RIGHT TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT FUNCTION. FLASHER, BULBS AND FUSES ARE WORKING. OVER $1,600 INVESTED IN TURN SIGNAL PROBLEMS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVE WAY AT 5 MPH, THE STEERING WAS TOO HARD TO OPERATE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY SUBJECT TO A NHTSA RECALL #04V596000 REPAIR WHERE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WERE NO GREASERS TO MAINTAIN THE BALL JOINT LUBRICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE BALL JOINT SHOULD BE REPLACED AGAIN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO COINCIDED WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 50,000 MILES SINCE THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED AND ANOTHER REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THE BALL JOINT'S ENDURANCE.

1-ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON OVERHEAD DIGITAL COMPASS SYSTEM BECAME VERY HOT. THIS ELECTRICAL COMPONENT SYSTEM DID NOT WORK FOR A PERIOD OF A FEW DAYS. IT HAS INTERMITTENTLY WORKED NOW. 2-WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A HORRIBLE NOISE COMING FROM ONE OF THE REAR WHEELS. IT MAKES A "WOO-WOO" SOUND EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS TURNED, PRIMARILY TURNING RIGHT. A "HONEST" MECHANIC, WHO IS A FRIEND, TOLD ME THAT DODGE (CHRYSLER) WAS INFAMOUS FOR THIS TYPE OF WHEEL PROBLEM. 3-THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE A HARD TIME SHIFTING, WHICH INVOLVES THE ABOVE WHEEL PROBLEM. 4-THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DOES NOT COOL AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. 5-THE LEATHER COVERED DASH IS PEELING UP AND BEGAN LAST SUMMER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. CONTACTED CHRYSLER/DODGE HQ AND DEALERSHIP AND BOTH HAVE REFUSED TO REPAIR PROBLEM.