2001 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

DT: ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2001 UNDERNEATH THE CONSOLE IN THE FRONT SEAT ROW THE WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. ONE COULD SEE THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE PLASTIC PIECE. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS OFF, AND THERE WERE NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING FOR THIRTY MINUTES. CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID INSURANCE COMPANY SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. *AK

ON THE EVENING OF AUGUST 28, 2005 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INDIANA TOLL ROAD NEAR MICHIGAN CITY, IN., MY 2001 DODGE DURANGO SUDDENLY STARTED TO LOOSE POWER, SHORTLY AFTER THAT WE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. IT WAS AT THAT POINT WE DISCOVERED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD BEEN SMOKING AND AS WE WERE SLOWING DOWN WE COULD HEAR CLUNKING COMING FROM THE REAR-END. THAT NIGHT THE DURANGO WAS TOWED TO MICHIGAN CITY, AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS TOWED TO MY LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP LOCHMANDY MOTORS IN ELKHART, IN FOR REPAIR. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS AND INSPECTION FROM AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR FROM HIRED BY INSURANCE COMPANY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CARRIER BEARING IN THE REAR-END FAILED AND CAUSED THE REAR AXLE TO BE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A TOTAL COST OF $1795.60. MY 2001 DODGE DURANGO ONLY HAS 59736 MILES ON IT, BUT NONE THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY NOT TO MENTION THE TOWING COSTS. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND THE INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR AGREED THAT THE CARRIER BEARING BREAKING WAS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT. I FEEL ALL COSTS FOR THE REPAIR AND TOWING OF MY DODGE DURANGO SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER. *NM

TIRE SEPARATION AFTER ONLY ABOUT 10,000 MILES. WAS DRIVING AROUND 65 MILES AN HOUR AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END. *NM

2001 DODGE DURANGO DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE VEHICLE SHIFTED ROUGH AND THE TRANSMISSION SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR FACILITY WERE IT WAS SCANNED FOR CODES. THE CODES INDICATED THAT THE GOVERNOR SOLENOID WAS THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH IT WAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION STILL PERFORMED POORLY. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 8-17-05 REGARDING THE UPPER BALL JOINT ON 2001 DODGE DURANGO. SHE CALLED AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, AND THEY TOLD HER THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY PARTS BECAUSE THERE IS A BACKORDER. SHE THINKS THE RECALL SHOULD BE FIXED IN A TIMELY MANNER. SHE REPORTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, AND HER HUSBAND TOLD HER THIS MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL BECAUSE THE FRONT END MAY BE WEARING OUT THE BRAKES. THE STEERING WHEEL JUMPED AROUND IN HER HAND WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES.*AK

MY SON SHIFTED THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE BRAKE NOT PRESSED. THE CAR ROLLED BUT WE WERE ABLE TO STOP IT. *JB

DT: DODGE, DURANGO: THE BRAKE DO NOT HAVE TO BE APPLIED TO PLACE VEHICLE INTO GEAR OR SWITCH GEAR POSITIONS. THERE IS SIMILAR TO A RECALL. BUT THIS IS CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY BUT NOT DURANGO. NO REPAIRS OR CORRECTIONS AT THIS TIME. HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIR SERVICE AT THIS TIME. HAS NOT CONTACTED DAIMLER/CHRYSLER. CONSUMER WANTED TO FILE COMPLAINT BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*AK

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DURANGO R/T THAT HAS HAD SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END. I KNOW THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST THREE TIMES. TWO OF WHICH ARE FROM MY LOCAL DEALER AND I JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT THEY WANT IT DONE AGAIN. I ALSO KNOW THAT MY LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE SHOT AND IS DEFINITELY A COMPLICATION OF THE UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEMS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ON THE SAME PIVOT POINT. ALSO MY UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS ARE SEIZING UP AND CAUSING NOT ONLY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF NOISE BUT A SEVERE AMOUNT OF WHEEL HOP WHILE AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE CORNERING AND HITTING THE EXPANSION JOINT OF A BRIDGE OR OTHER HIGHWAY BUMP THE TRUCK SEEMS TO WANT TO BOUNCE FROM LANE TO LANE. I ALSO HAD A DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SHOCK BREAK IN HALF WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY LAST WEEK. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM THE BIT LEAST WORRIED ABOUT IT. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY CONSUMER COMPLAINT PROGRAM OR ANY FOLLOW UP PROCEDURE THAT I COULD BE INVOLVED WITH AND HE WAS QUICK TO SAY NO. HE ALSO INSTRUCTED ME THAT I COULD DO ONE OF TWO THINGS, I COULD HAVE THE BALL JOINTS CHANGED FOR THE FOURTH TIME OR GET RIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I ASKED HIM IF THIS WAS DODGES SINCE ON THE WHOLE PROBLEM BY OFF LOADING THE VEHICLE ONTO ANOTHER UNSUSPECTING PERSON AND HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. HE JUST REPEATED HIMSELF. I AM A AIRCRAFT MECHANIC BY TRADE AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THE FAA AND THE NTSB WOULD HAVE GROUNDED EVERY AIRCRAFT THAT WAS AFFECTED IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS SUCH A DOUBLE STANDARD WITH THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY. I DRIVE AROUND MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE TO INCLUDE MY 5 MONTH OLD SON AND IT SCARES ME TO DEATH JUST READING THE STORIES ONLINE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH. I HOPE IT HASN'T HAPPENED BUT WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET THIS RESOLVED WITH DODGE, (MULTIPLE DEATHS WITH THIS $30,000 LEMON) THANK YOU MIKE AUDAS. *NM

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DURANGO RT I PURCHASED FROM A DEALER OFF LEASE WITH 26K MILES AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS W/THE TRANSMISSION. WAS TOLD SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THEM HOOKING IT UP TO A COMPUTER NOTHING IS WRONG W/IT HOWEVER THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO SLIP MOSTLY ON THE HIGHWAY IN CRUISE. THE RPMS SURGE FROM 1 1/2 TO ALMOST 3 RPMS AND YOU CAN FEEL IT SLIPPING. IT HAS SINCE BEEN IN THE TRANSMISSION SHOP 5 TIMES AND IS STILL NOT FIXED FIRST THEY SAID THEY REPLACED ALL THE SOLENOIDS THEN THIS LAST TIME VALVES BUT IT IS STILL DOING IT. I FEEL WHEN YOU PAY 20K FOR A VEHICLE W/ONLY 26K MILES YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. I HOPE IF MORE PEOPLE VOICE THEIR CONCERNS MAYBE A RECALL WILL BE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND IT TOOK DAIMLER CHRYSLER YEARS TO RECALL THE BALL JOINTS I HOPE SOMETHING HAPPENS W/THE TRANSMISSIONS. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A HUGE PROBLEM HERE!!!!!*JB

DT: WHEN PUT FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO SHIFT VEHICLE INTO GEAR IT DOESN'T GO INTO GEAR, IT JUST ROLLS AND WILL STOP. HAS TO PLAY WITH IT UNTIL IT CATCHES OR PULLS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. STARTED OUT SLOWLY THEN IT BECAME WORSE. THIS STARTED ON JUNE 30, 2005. IT MAKES A CLUMP WHEN PUTTING IT INTO REVERSE. *AK