1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

I PURCHASED MY DURANGO IN 1998, I HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF STEERING COLUMN NOISE, WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. MY FRONT RIGHT BRAKE SQUEALS AND I GET GREASE ON MY WHEELS, HAD REPLACED, STILL MAKES THE NOISE. MY FUEL STRAP WAS REPLACED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL. NOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REDONE, THEY ARE SEPARATING. WAS TOLD VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, WHEEL WILL FALL OFF. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM. WE ALSO HAVE A FRIEND THAT HAS A 2000 THAT NEEDS TO REPLACE HIS BECAUSE OF THE SAME SITUATION. WILL THERE BE A RECALL? *AK

VEHICLE ACQUIRED IN JULY OF 2004. ALL COMPONENT SYSTEM FAILURES LISTED HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THAT TIMEFRAME. ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO TWO (2) FREEZE PLUGS THAT FAILED BETWEEN THE REAR OF THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING. REVERSE LIGHTS NO LONGER FUNCTION AND CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. FRONT TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED AS WERE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A REPAIR FACILITY REQUIRING UPPER BALL JOINT AND TIE-ROD END REPLACEMENT.*AK

TIE ROD ENDS AND BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK PRIOR TO THE BALL JOINT FAILURE THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE BALANCED OR ALIGNED PROPERLY. *NM

PE 03-032, FRONT SUSPENSION/UPPER BALL JOINTS: CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A NEW LIGHT SWITCH AND FOUND THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT. ALSO, THE INNER TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE.*AK

WHILE REPLACING THE FRONT TIRES,THE DEALER NOTICED THAT THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DO THE FRONT ALIGNMENT DUE TO BALL JOINT PROBLEM. *AK *SC *JB

THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE WORN AND LOOSE ON MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO. WHEN I DISCOVERED THIS DEFECT I WENT TO 15 USED CAR LOTS THAT ALSO HAD DODGE DURANGOS IN THEIR INVENTORY AND EVERY ONE EITHER HAD THE SAME CONDITION OR THE BALL JOINTS WERE ALREADY REPLACED.*AK

ON APRIL 8, 2004, WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE STATION FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION. AT THIS TIME OUR VECHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES ON IT. DURING THE SAFETY INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT ALL 4 FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE BAD. OUR MECHANIC BELIEVED THIS TO BE PREMATURE WEAR FOR THESE PARTS. AS WE WERE LEAVING ON VACATION THE NEXT DAY, WE TOOK IT TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER AND PAID CLOSE TO $1,000 TO HAVE THIS DEFECT REPAIRED TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILY. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, WE SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS AND AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DEFECT.*AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR AN ALIGNMENT, AND WAS TOLD THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE VEHICLE NEEDED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER STATED THAT TIE ROD IN UPPER LEFT ARM WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER HAD NOT YET HAD A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE 1999 MODEL WAS BEING RECALLED FOR BALL JOINTS. *AK

UPON INSPECTION, LOWER BALL JOINTS ON 1998 DODGE DURANGO WERE FOUND TO BE RUSTED, LOOSE, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. INSPECTION FACILITY INDICATED THEY HAD 4 OR 5 OTHER DURANGOS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, SOME WHICH RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, AND THERE'S A GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE UPPER RIGHT BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE.*AK