2001 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

PE 03 032/ FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE: WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE. THE CONDITION CAUSED A VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE VEHICLE STRUCK A SPEED SIGN AND A TELEPHONE POLE. THE CONSUMER WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR A CONCUSSION AND MINOR BRUISES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND OUT AN INVESTIGATOR CONCERNING THESE ISSUES. *JB *SC *JB

FAILED TRANSMISSION ON 2001 DODGE DURANGO.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND FELT THAT THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO INSTALLED A RECONDITIONED TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER. THE CONSUMER HAS ANOTHER DODGE TRUCK WHICH ALSO EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION. *NM *JB

(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING ON A 20 MILE DIRT MOUNTAIN ROAD WITH VERY LITTLE GRADE AT A SLOW SPEED OF 10 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. AC WAS NOT ON!. 2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES, OVERHEATING FOR UNKNOWN REASON. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT STAY COOL AND ENDED UP USING OUR 4 GALLONS DRINKING WATER TO KEEP IT COOL. CONSEQUENCE, THE HEADS ON THE TRUCK WARPED DUE TO FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. *AK (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) A DEALER SERVICE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY. EXHAUST GASES WERE DETECTED IN THE COOLANT WATER. THIS WAS DUE TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AFTER THE HEADS WERE REMOVED AND SENT TO A HEAD SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND REMOVAL OF COMPONENTS IT WAS DISCOVERED THE HEADS WERE WARPED. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED A DODGE DEALER AND HE WAS ADVISED THE HEAD PART NUMBERS WERE CHANGED DUE TO A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CURRENT HEADS. NEW HEADS ARE ON ORDER AT THIS TIME AND OTHER COMPONENTS WILL BE INSPECTED OVER THE NEXT 2 DAYS. THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE OF THIS FAILURE IS COSTING ME APPROXIMATELY $5000.00 OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS OF NOT HAVING A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER DRIVEN TO EXCUSIVE HEATING. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY RUNNING .25% HOTTER THAN NORMAL WITH LOSS OF POWER AND WATER OVER FLOWING FROM OVER FLOW BOTTLE. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE WAS ONLY SHOWING JUST BELOW SCALE AND NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE IS JUST BELOW OF THE GAGE. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED APPROXIMATELY 32 TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET HELP ON THE OTHER END OF THE DIRT ROAD. OUT SIDE TEMP IN THE CANYON WAS NO MORE THAN 85 DEGREES.

THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WHEEL WOULD SEPARATE WHILE DRIVING. *NM *SC *JB

WINDOW REGULATOR, PLASTIC PIECE THAT ALLOWS THE WINDOW TO MOVE UP AND DOWN, HAS BROKEN TWICE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE PULSATED/VIBRATED. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK *NM

MY 2001 DURANGO HAS HAD THE ROTORS GO BAD AND THE BALL JOINTS (BOTH OF WHICH COST ME MONEY). THE VEHICLE HAS 55000 MILES ON IT AND IS DRIVEN 95% OF THE TIME ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH I LIKE THE VEHICLE, I THINK THE MFT SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I ALSO, THINK IT IS TIME FOR A RECALL. I AM HARD PRESSED TO BUY ANOTHER DODGE ( I OWN TWO) KNOWING THAT THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT MY SAFETY!*AK

A/C FAILED - EVAPORATOR BOX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED - LABOR COSTS ARE ASTRONOMICAL!! I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL AS WELL AS THE DODGE INTREPID. *AK

LOUD SQUEAKING UNDER THE FRONT END, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME VERY UNSTABLE AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WOULD ACTUALLY BOUNCE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP. TURNING THE WHEEL THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE IN THE WHEEL AND STEERING WHEEL. AT 41,000 MILES, BOTH OF THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR "EXCESSIVE WEAR". THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MOST BALL JOINTS DON'T LOOK THIS BAD UNTIL YOU'VE HIT WELL OVER 100K. WE DO NOT GO 4-WHEELING IN OUR DURANGO, WE DO NOT DRIVE RECKLESSLY. THIS VEHICLE IS OWNED BY AN AMPUTEE WHO USUALLY ONLY DRIVES IT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS COST US OVER $1,000 TO FIX, AS CHRYSLER WOULD NOT HELP. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND CHRYSLER HAS NOT ISSUED A TSB OR RECALL ON IT BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED. *AK