2001 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THE STEERING IN MY 2001 DURANGO HAS BEEN VERY LOOSE AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ESPECIALLY OVER ROUGH ROADS SINCE ABOUT 30,000 MILES. ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES ON IT, THERE STARTED TO BE VERY LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS BUT NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE BALL JOINTS. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE BRAKES AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE FINE, BUT THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS SEEMED UNUSUALLY WORN. WHEN I HEARD OF THE RECALL DECEMBER 10, 2004 FOR THE UPPER BALL JOINTS, I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO BE CHECKED. THEY VERIFIED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE "ALMOST GONE" AND REPLACED THEM ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THEY THEN INFORMED ME THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE JUST AS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED "VERY SOON". I ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS STILL JUST AS UNSAFE AS WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, AND WAS TOLD "YES". MY CONCERN AND QUESTION THEN IS WHY ARE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? DOES IT NOT MAKE SENSE THAT WHEN ONE HALF OF A SUSPENSION'S MOVING PART FAILS, THAT IT PUTS UNDUE STRESS ON THE OPPOSING PART, CAUSING IT TO FAIL AS WELL? ALSO, IF THE REPAIR OF THE UPPER BALL JOINT DID NOT MAKE MY VEHICLE SAFE, THEN WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RECALL?*AK

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY OFFRAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED FOR APPROX 3 SECONDS. IT THEN UNLOCKED ALLOWING ME TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING CONTINUED TO LOCK AND UNLOCK PERIODICALLY. THE CAUSE WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP. HOWEVER, THIS INCIDENT WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMAL SITUATION WHERE POWER STEERING FAILS BECAUSE THE STEERING WAS ALSO SUBSTANTIALLY AFFECTED AT SPEED AND NOT JUST WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT A VIRTUAL STANDSTILL. MY MILEAGE IS APPROX 65000.*AK

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DURANGO. IT WAS MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE AROUND THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRES. I TOOK IN TO MY LOCAL DEALER. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 4 DAYS AND REPLACED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS AND THE SUSPENSION. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT IT DIDN'T RECTIFY THE PROBLEM; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD KEEP AN OPEN TICKET ON THIS AND IF ANYTHING CAME UP SIMILAR TO MY PROBLEM THEY WOULD NOTIFY ME. WELL, THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE, AND WE HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS THINGS ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. MY HUSBAND THEN CALLED THEM, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO SUCH PROBLEM, AND NO OPEN TICKETS OR RECORD OF MY BRINING IN THE CAR. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS WHO ARE WITH ME. I AM AFRAID THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN. I DON'T FEEL THIS IS RIGHT WHEN YOU PAY A FORTUNE FOR A CAR. I THINK IT SHOULD BE SAFE. *JB

VEHICLE KEPT PULLING TO THE RIGHT, AND THE TIRES KEPT WEARING FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK....CONSUMER CLAIMED DEALER MEVER CHECKED THE ALIGNMENT. INSISTED THAT CONSUME RHAD TO BUY NEW TIRES BEFORE DEALER WOULD ALIGN THE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND EXPERIENCED A SHAKING STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS AND TURNS, MAKING THE ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE UNEASY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED.*AK

I RECENTLY HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON MY DURANGO AND WAS GOING TO HAVE A ALIGNMENT DONE. AT THAT TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT MY RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINT AND RIGHT TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO MOST OF THE DODGE LIGHT TRUCKS AND SUV'S AND IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT. I DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE AT THE TIME. IT IS TO COSTLY TO BUY BOTH TIRES AND HAVE TO DO THE REPAIRS AT THE SAME TIME ESPECIALLY AROUND CHRISTMAS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DODGE TO CORRECT THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT.*AK

I HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT DODGE DURRANGO RECALLS FOR YEARS 00-03 AND I HAVE A 2001. I HAVE RECENTLY ON DECEMBER 2 WENT TO GET NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT WHEN I WAS NOTIFIED THAT MY BALL JOINTS ON ALL 4 WHEELS WERE BAD, ALONG WITH A LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I DON'T FEEL THAT CUSTOMERS OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. I, FOR ONE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE OUT TO REPLACE THIS PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY ESPECIALLY AROUND CHRISTMAS. DAIMLER CHRYSLER SHOULD REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.

THE CONSUMER STATED THE ROTORS FAILED PREMATURELY. DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY AND THE FAILED TO STOP COMPLETELY. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

DODGE DEALER INDICATED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH FRONT TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. HE STATED THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE WHEELS COULD FALL OFF. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH ITS WHEELS. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS TWICE AND HAD TO BY TIRES SOONER THAN I SHOULD HAVE DUE TO PREMATURE AND UNEVEN WEAR EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED AND REALIGNED FREQUENTLY. WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR IN MADE REALLY STRANGE NOISES AT THE FRONT WHEELS. WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET FIXED. THE CAR JUMPY WHEN I GO OVER ROUGH AREAS OF A ROAD. IT SEEMS TO BOUNCE IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. I HAVE TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS WHEN GOING OVER UNEVEN ROADS OR I MIGHT LOSS CONTROL OF THE STEERING. I FEEL THAT DODGE SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THE BALL JOINTS. I FEEL IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. NONE OF MY OTHER CARS HAVE EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM AND I HAVE A FORD RANGER WITH 210,000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS USED FOR OFF ROAD DRIVING.*AK