1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THE NHTSA RECENTLY ADVISED DAIMLERCHRYSLER TO ISSUE A RECALL ON 2000-2003 DODGE DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS CONCERNING THE BALL JOINT(S) SEPARATING, RESULTING IN THE WHEEL FALLING OFF. PLEASE CONSIDER EXPANDING THIS SUGGESTED RECALL TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS. I OWN A 1998 DURANGO THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH I CAUGHT IT BEFORE SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAPPENED. TO SAY THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD WOULD BE THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR - I HAVE WORKED ON VEHICLES FOR YEARS, PICKUP TRUCKS IN PARTICULAR. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS - THE BALL JOINT FELL OUT OF THE HOUSING.*AK

1) ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON, WHINING NOISE FROM FRONT END 2) DEALER DETERMINED BALL JOINTS IN FRONT AND WHEEL BEARINGS IN SERIOUS SHAPED, LAUGHED AT HOW I WAS JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SINCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE WHEELS FALLING OFF WAS SO HIGH.*AK 3. DEALER INSTALLED 2 HUB BRAKES, BEARINGS IN FRONT ($1025.30 COST) AND OVERHAULED REAR DIFFERENTIAL, BEARINGS WORN AND EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN PINION ($924.48). * NOW I HEAR NHTSA HAS DISCOVERED THIS ON 00-03 DURANGOS (MINE IS A 98) AND WANTS CHRYSLER TO RECALL THEM. I PAID ALL THIS MONEY TO CORRECT A PROBLEM EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS IS CHRYSLER'S FAULT. THEY SHOULD GIVE ME AT LEAST A CREDIT FOR FUTURE REPAIRS.

WITH REGARD TO THE POTENTIAL RECALL OF DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS IN MODEL YEARS 2000-2003, I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER STARTING THE RECALL IN THE 1998 MODEL YEAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY BALL JOINTS, AND I'VE READ ABOUT NUMEROUS OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD TO DOTHE SAME ON THE DOC (DURANGO OWNERS CLUB) FORUM (WWW.DURANGOCLUB.COM). FYI - THE DATE OF INCIDENT IS THE ESTIMATED DATE OF REPLACEMENT OF THE BALL JOINTS.*AK

I PURCHASE MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO IN FEBRUARY OF 2004. AFTER TWO MONTHS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AND UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS BEGAN (BOTH FRONT TIRES) WITH THE DRIVER SIDE BEING THE WORST. I HEARD CLICKING WHEN I WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND THOUGHT IT COULD BE THE CV JOINT. I TOO K THE VEHICLE TO BRAUNING AUTOMOTIVE AND THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND GAVE AN ESTIMATE OF $1500.00 IN REPAIR COSTS. I PURCHASED THE PARTS MYSELF AND MY FATHER REPLACED BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS THE FOLLOWING DAY. ( I AM DOUBTFUL HE STILL HAS THE OLD PARTS - BUT I WILL ASK) THIS WAS BACK IN APRIL 2004 AND I AM HEARING THE CLICKING YET AGAIN. WHEN MY FATHER WORKED ON MY CAR HE TOLD ME THERE WAS A BOLT THAT WAS PARTIAL SCREWED IN AND THE THEADS HAD ACTUALLY BEEN STRIPPED OFF. HE HAD TO CHANGE THE BOLT AS WELL. THE CLICKING SOUND IS ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE TWO PIECES OF METAL ARE SLAMMING TOGETHER. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN I AM DRIVING STAIGHT . I ONLY HEAR IT WHEN I TURN. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HEARD ON THE RADIO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. I DON;T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ACTUAL RECALL OR IF IT MAY BECOME A RECALL. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT LIKE THE OTHERS BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS.*AK

PE 03 032/FRONT SUSPENSION/UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE: WHILE THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS WAS BEING ALIGNED MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE LACK OF LUBRICATION AND NO GREASE FIXING. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THERE WAS BRAKE FAILURE. THE FRONT DISC BRAKES REPLACED SEPTEMBER 2004. OCTOBER 27, 2004 THE CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT 30 MPH AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AND ENDED UP IN THE STREET WITH THE SEMI BEARING DOWN ON ME. THE TRUCK DRIVER SWERVED BARELY MISSING ME AND MY VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT VEHICLE USED. THEY WERE THE ONES THAT KNEW THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, THAT WAS WHY THEY SENT ME TO COX AUTOMOTIVE TO HAVE BRAKES REPLACED. COX INDICATED THAT PISTON ON ROTORS BLEW OUT, AND ONE BRAKE LINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I PAID FOR REPAIRS AND TOWING OUT OF POCKET. I SURELY FELT LIKE I WAS DEAD FOR A MOMENT. I GOT CHEST PAINS AND TOOK MEDICATION. *AK *SC *JB

CONSUMER HAD A CHILD SEAT WHERE CHILD COULD EASILY GET OUT FROM BEING RESTRAINED. THIS WAS DUE TO THE CHILD SEAT'S TETHER HARNESS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING MY1998 DURANGO THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE SUDDENLY STARTED TO GO UP AND DOWN .WITH IN A MINUTE OR TWO TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE I CALLED A MECHANIC HE STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DURANGOS SAID IT WOULD COST OVER 3000 TO FIX I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE 1 YR AND HAVE REPLACED BRAKES AC COMPRESSOR BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS KIND OF REPAIRS I AM A SINGLE MOM AND RECENTLY LOST MY JOB. *AK

BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT 60K MILES. *PH AT 45000 THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT EH VEHICLE'S RIDE WAS NOT SMOOTH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. AT ABOUT 60000 MILES THE CONSUMER HEARD A SCREECHING SOUND IN THE FRONT END WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY AROUND CURVES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE TIE RODS AND UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM

THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 DURANGO HAVE NEEDED REPAIR FOR QUITE A WHILE. I HAVE 97000 MILES ON IT, BUT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AROUND 60000 MILES. *AK