2002 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

NO SPECIFIC EVENTS LEAD UP TO THIS FAILURE. THIS IS SIMPLY A DEFECTIVE, POORLY MANUFACTURER'S PART. I WAS LUCKY TO AVOID A SERIOUS INCIDENT IN THIS CASE, OTHERS MAY NOT BE. THE MAIN LEAF OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BREAK AT THE FRONT EYE WHICH IS WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE FRAME. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE REAR END IS FREE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH AS MUCH AS THE SHACKLE WILL LET IT, EFFECTIVELY ALLOWING YOUR REAR AXLE TO STEER THE REAR OF YOUR VEHICLE WHEREVER IT MAY CHOOSE (READ: VERY DANGEROUS.) I REPLACED THE LEAF SPRING WITH THE ISSUE (THE DRIVER'S SIDE) WITH A DODGE OEM PART ($175 FOR THE PART, 1.9 LABOR HOURS ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP IF I WERE TO HAVE THEM REPLACE IT.) I'M A VERY COMPETENT MECHANIC, SO THE LABOR HOUR INQUIRY WAS JUST FOR MY RECORDS. UPON COMPLETING THE CORRECTION TO THE SIDE WITH THE FAILURE, AND DURING THE TEST DRIVE, I EXPERIENCED LITERALLY AN IDENTICAL FAILURE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. AGAIN, I WAS LUCKY TO BE DRIVING SLOW AND PAYING ATTENTION ENOUGH TO NOTICE THE ISSUE BEFORE IT TURNED INTO A SERIOUS INCIDENT. I HAVE BOTH DEFECTIVE LEAF SPRINGS IN MY POSSESSION. THEY ARE BOTH OFF OF THE SAME VEHICLE, A 2002 DODGE DURANGO WITH JUST 60,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USED TO TOW, HAUL, OR COMPLETE ANY OTHER STRENUOUS ACTIVITY. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, WHEN JUST ONE BREAKS, THE REAR END HAS ENOUGH MOVEMENT TO STEER INTO THE CAR NEXT TO YOU. IF BOTH WERE TO BREAK, THIS COULD VERY POSSIBLY LEAD TO A CHAIN OF FAILURES RESULTING IN A SERIOUS INCIDENT. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE DURANGO USED WITH 60K I HAVE ACCUMULATED LESS THAN 3K FROM SEPTEMBER UNTIL JANUARY AND I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY ENTIRE ENGINE. REASON MECHANIC STATES THERE IS SLUDGE THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 55 MPH, 6 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED ABRUPTLY (A DISABLE VEHICLE WAS IN THE LANE) AND WHEN I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING AS IF NO BRAKES WERE APPLIED. MY FOOT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO VIBRATIONS FROM THE ABS AS WELL AS NO LOWERING OF THE FRONT END, TYPICAL FROM BRAKING. I ENDED UP COLLIDING INTO THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAD PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO MY DEALER THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAULTY IN A PANIC SITUATION. I COMPLAINED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND UP UNTIL A YEAR AGO. IN ALL INSTANCES, I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES AS NO CODE WAS DETECTED. *NM

OWNER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 7/3/03 WITH 1300 MILES ON ODOMETER. OWNER HAD PROBLEMS WITH NOISES UNDER THE HOOD AND IN THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE WOULD SLIP OUT OF PARK INTO NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON 11/1/03 THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. FIRE STARTED UNDER HOOD IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, BUT DAMAGE TOO SEVERE TO DETERMINE EXACT CAUSE. *NM

BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO XLT PLUS. AT HIGH OR LOW SPEEDS WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP AND HIT THE BRAKES, THEY ATTEMPT TO GRAB BUT THEN LET GO, AND YOUR ONLY HOPE IS TO STOP IN TIME. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES LOOKED AT BY 2 MECHANICS OTHER THAN THE DODGE DEALERSHIP(TIM PARKER OF HOT SPRINGS) AND BOTH SAY THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, AFTER SPENDING $300 FOR BRAKE PADS AND SEVERAL OTHER VISITS TO TIM PARKERS, THEY KEEP DENYING A PROBLEM AND TELL ME THAT IS JUST HOW THE BRAKES ARE ON THE DODGE. I ASKED THEM IF WHEN THAT 1 SMALL CHILD RUNS OUT IN THE STREET TO CATCH HIS BALL AND I AM THE UNLUCKY PERSON TO BE TRAVELING DOWN THAT STREET AND I APPLY THE BRAKES BUT CAN NOT STOP, IF THEY WOULD BE READY TO ACCEPT THEIR RESPONSIBLILITY. I HAVE COPIES OF ALL REPORTS FROM THEM STATING THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AT ALL BUT TRAVELEING 64 MILES A DAY IT IS NECESSARY. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME? SURELY I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON COMPLAINING OF THE BRAKES! *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAGS TO INDICATE A FAILURE. NO REPAIRS COULD BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK UPDATED 12/14/05. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT'S WIFE HAD AN ACCIDENT. SHE LOST CONTROL WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CURVE IN THE ROAD. SHE HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. SHE WENT OFF THE ROAD, HITTING THE SIDE WALK, BLEW THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, AND THEN HIT A SMALL EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE MECHANIC TOOK THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE OFF, AND THE BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 04V596000 ON THE BALL JOINT, AND IT WAS REPLACED ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER A BUMP THE MECHANIC LOST CONTROL. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER HAD TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE GOING OVER BUMPS. IT HAD OCCURRED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND KEPT GETTING WORSE. *AK

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER PERTAINING TO THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO. I TRIED TO SCHEDULE THIS 3 TIMES WITH MY DEALER. BRENNER MOTORS 1812-30 PAXTON ST HARRISBURG PA,17104 717-232-4271. IT HAS BEEN 9 MONTHS SINCE MY FIRST CONTACT AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY ARE WAITING FOR PARTS. *NM

WE WERE DRIVING APPROX. 70MPH ON INTERSTATE 20 IN GEORGIA NEAR GREENSBORO EXIT. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM OUR LEFT REAR TIRE AND SENT US OUT OF CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS AT 5:30 P.M. ON FRIDAY AUGUST 19, 2005 IN BUSY TRAFFIC.WE WERE HEADED ACROSS THE MEDIAN WHEN MY HUSBAND JERKED THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND WE HIT THE GUARD RAIL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WE BOUNCED BACK INTO TRAFFIC AND HE SWERVED AGAIN TO THE RIGHT AND WE HIT THE GUARD RAIL AGAIN AND CAME TO A STOP. THIS IS THE MOST HORRIFIC EXPERIENCE OF OUR LIVES. MY 11 YEAR OLD HAS WHIPLASH AND BAD HEADACHES. I HAVE KNEE PROBLEMS AND ALL OF US HAVE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA ISSUES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS VERY CLOSELY. I NOTICED OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE IN THIS WEBSITE. THEY ARE P245/75R16 LONG TRAIL TA.