2004 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

I RECEIVED TWO SAFETY RECALL NOTICES FROM CHRYSLER FOR MY VEHICLE - RECALL NOTICES ARE P40/NHTSA 14V-354 AND P78/NHTSA 14V-770, BOTH DEALING WITH AN APPARENT DEFECT TO THE AIRBAG INFLATORS. WE HAVE NOW CHECKED WITH THREE DODGE DEALERS IN THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO AREA TO GET THIS SAFETY RECALL HANDLED. EVERY DEALER HAS INDICATED THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS IN STOCK, CHRYSLER HAS NOT RELEASED THE PARTS AND/OR CHRYSLER WILL NOT ALLOW THE DEALERS TO SPECIAL ORDER THE PARTS. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THEREFORE, I AM FILING A COMPLAINT AT THIS TIME. IT SEEMS TO LACK COMMON SENSE FOR A VEHICLE MANUFACTURER TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE, THEN FAIL TO PROVIDE THE PARTS REQUIRED TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY DEFECT. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT ACTION, IF ANY, CAN BE TAKEN TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE AT A CAR WASH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AFTER A RAINSTORM, I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE. I HEARD A BIG BANG. NOW MOTOR RAPS AND TICKS LOUDLY AND LEAKS ENGINE OIL. MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID MOTOR WAS BLOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DISENGAGED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AFTER APPROXIMATELY FOUR MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME IT WAS DRIVEN IN THE RAIN AS WELL AS WHEN DRIVEN THROUGH A CAR WASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS AGO NOTED SEVERE RUST THROUGH BEGINNING ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE ROCKER PANELS AND REAR QUARTER PANELS/WHEEL WELLS. ESTIMATE AT THAT TIME FOR FULL REPAIR WAS OVER $4000 DUE TO EXTENT OF RUST. RUST AFFECTS ROCKER PANELS, DRIVER COMPARTMENT FLOOR AT DOOR ENTRY POINTS AND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER QUARTER PANELS. DEALERSHIP BODY SHOT PERSONNEL NOTED THAT 'THESE DURANGO'S AND DAKOTAS ALL RUST OUT BAD - AND IT HAPPENS FAST'. VERY TELLING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN FULLY MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT OWNERSHIP AND HAS BEEN GARAGED CONTINUALLY. WE DO LIVE IN THE 'RUST-BELT' AREA - BUT WE ARE IN NO WAY PLEASED WITH THE CONDITION OF THIS VEHICLE. TO DATE - THE RUST IS EXPANDING TO MOST LOWER BODY PARTS EXPOSED TO WEATHER AND THE SPEED AT WHICH ITS - LITERALLY - DISINTEGRATING IS RIDICULOUS. THE REPAIR NOW WILL COST NEARLY $6000 AND WE SIMPLY DO NOT FEEL IT IS WORTH DOING. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT (REFERRING TO THE DEALERSHIP DODGE REPRESENTATIVE'S COMMENTS AS WELL AS OBSERVING OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES IN OUR REGION. SHAMEFUL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V770000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V817000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED INDICATING A MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V817000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V770000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V092000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT DID NOT RECALL RECEIVING A NOTIFICATION LETTER AND WAS NOT SURE WHEN THE DEALER WOULD REMEDY THIS RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

OUR 2004 DODGE DURANGO WAS PURCHASE USED, FROM ORIGINAL OWNER. ALL SERVICE RECORDS WERE GIVEN TO US, SHOWING PROPER MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLE. I TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A HORRIBLE SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED, I LEARNED THE ENGINE THREW 2 RODS AND PUT HOLES IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS IS A COMPLETE FAILURE TO THE ENGINE, WITH THE ONLY SOLUTION BEING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. BASED ON MY MECHANICS OBSERVATION, THIS IS A RESULT OF WATER BEING DIRECTED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THEREFORE RUSTING AND DESTROYING NECESSARY COMPONENTS. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS PULLED FROM MY VEHICLE, IT HAD BEEN SITTING IN A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER, EVEN AFTER HAVING BEEN GARAGE KEPT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. AFTER READING ONLINE, THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THESE 2004 DURANGOS. AT THAT, DODGE HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL. I AM NOW OUT $7900 FOR A NEW ENGINE. ALL I CAN SAY, IS THANK GOD I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I AM SO FEARFUL THIS WILL HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING, RESULTING IN SOMETHING TRAGIC. DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF THIS FAILURE AND DODGE IGNORING IT, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT WILL TAKE SOMEONE TO BE KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE DODGE ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V770000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.