1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

1998 DURANGOS SHOULD BE RECALLED ALSO THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME BALL JOINTS AS THE OTHERS IN THE RECALL

1998 DODGE DURANGO WITH LEFT TURN STEERING PROBLEMS. SHOP GREASED THE CV JOINTS BUT NOW IS TELLING ME BECAUSE OF BAD DESIGN THAT IS THE SAME AS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH 2000-2003 I HAVE TO SPEND $1,150 ON NEW UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *JB

I OWN AN 1998 DURANGO THAT REQUIRED ALL THE BALL JOINTS TO BE REPLACED AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. THE MECHANIC FELT THEY WERE READY TO COLLAPSE. ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER THE BALL JOINTS ARE THE SAME DESIGN AS THOSE CURRENTLY BEING RECALLED ON LATER MODELS. WHY AREN'T 98 AND 99 MODEL YEAR DURANGOS BEING RECALLED? *JB

DODGE DEALER REPORTED THAT BALL JOINTS ON 1998 DODGE DURANGO HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE QUOTE TO REPLACE EXCEEDED $2000 AND I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THE RECALL WAS PENDING. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, VEHICLE MILEAGE IS 76,898. VIN IS [XXX]. I SEE THAT THE RECALL IS FOR 2000 THROUGH 2003 AND THAT WARRANTY ON 2000 THRU 2003 MODELS WAS EXTENDED TO 100,000 MILES FOR BALL JOINTS. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE? ISN'T THIS THE SAME SUSPENSION DESIGN AS THE 2000 MODEL? I ALSO REPLACED THE REAR AXLE IN 2003 FOLLOWING A TOTAL FAILURE RESULTING IN REAR LOCKING UP AND SHEARING THE U-JOINT AND DROPPING THE DRIVE SHAFT WHILE DRIVING. REPLACEMENT COST EXCEEDED $3000 AND I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH DURANGO'S AS WELL. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012* JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE MADE A CLANKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS . VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, WHO INDICATED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THEY WERE REPLACED. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE OUTER AND INNER TIE ROD ENDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE MAKING GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE TURNED AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSING THE TIRES TO SHAKE. DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE TWICE, BUT CONSUMER WILL WAIT FOR REPAIRS FOR THE THIRD TIME.*AK

VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT AND PERFORMING INADEQUATELY WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK

FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS I HAVE NOTICED A POPPING SOUND COMING FORM MY FRONT END WHEN I AM GOING SLOW OR TURNING. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS MY UPPER BALL JOINTS. I LOOKED AND I COULD SEE THAT THE RUBBER BUSHING HAS WORN OUT AROUND THE BALL JOINT. THE CONDITION SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE, WITH MY FRONT END VIBRATING AND THE POPPING AND CRACKING SOUND INCREASING. I KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL FOR YEARS 2000+ DODGE DURANGO'S, AND NOW I THINK THAT MINE SHOULD BE INCLUDED ALSO.*AK

I BOUGHT A NEW SET OF TIRES AT A LOCAL TIRE STORE, AND WAS INFORMED BY THE FRONT END ALIGHNMENT MECHANIC THAT I HAD (3) BALL JOINTS THAT WERE BAD. THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE WAS AT THE POINT OF SEPERATION AT ANY TIME. HE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP, WHICH I DID AND THEY SAID THAT ALL (4) BALLJOINTS WERE BAD. I ASKED IF IT WAS A RECALL, THEY SAID IT WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION THE COST TO REPAIR WAS TO BE $ 825.00, AND TO HOLD THE BILL FOR POSSIBLE REIMBURMENT. I COULD NOT AFFORD FOR THEM TO DO THE REPAIRS, I WENT BACK TO THE TIRE STORE AND HAD THE REPAIRS MADE BY THEM. SEE NOW THAT THE 1998 UP DURANGOS ARE IN QUESTION, MINE IS A 1998 YEAR MODEL. I EXPECT TO BE REPAID THE $$$ SPENT FOR THESE REPAIRS.*AK THANK YOU, LARRY ISLEY