1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

WHEN TRAVELING ON HWY 70 CHICO CA. TO QUINCY CA WHEN SWITCHING HEAD LIGHTS FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM LIGHTS WENT OFF. *JB

PE 03-032, FRONT SUSPENSION/UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE: CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. MECHANIC DETERMINED UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR WAS OFF CENTER. WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE INDICATOR WAS BETWEEN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL. CONSUMER HAD ONE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, AND ANOTHER ONE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK

1998 DURANGO. AT ABOUT 53K MILES THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED AND AT ABOUT 95K THE UPPERS NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE FIRST REPALACEMENT PARTS WERE FROM DODGE AND THE SECOND SET OF LOWERS WERE REPLACED BY SEARS WITH A LIFETIME WARRANTY. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE MGR AT THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND HE HAD A TECH. LOOK AT THE BALL JOINTS AND THEY AGREED THEY WERE BAD. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I CONTACTED DODGE VIA EMAIL AND THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I FEEL THAT BALL JOINTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 55K MILES. IT IS INTERESTING THAT SEARS GAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY AND DODEGE ONLY IS CONCERNED WITH THE FIRST 36K. TKS RON

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC INFORM THE CONSUMER THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE WORN FRONT UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS. *NM

I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ON ITS OWN AND THE 4X4 SELECTOR WOULD SLIP AND MAKE AN AWFUL NOISE WHEN YOU PUT IT IN GEAR. ON 31 JANUARY 2004, MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND LEFT MY 2-TODDLERS AND I STRANDED APPROXIMATELY 2-HOURS AWAY FROM HOME. IT IS A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. IT IS IRONIC THAT AN OLDER GENTLEMEN HAD ASKED ME IF I HAD PROBLEMS A MONTH EARLIER WITH MY TRANSMISSION. WHEN I SPOKE WITH A COUPLE REPAIR SHOPS (EVEN A TECHNICIAN AT HILIKELLY DODGE IN DAPHNE, AL), ALL OF THEM STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE TRANSMISSIONS. *JB

TODAY I REPLACE THE 6TH...YES 6TH BALL JOINT IN MY DODGE DURANGO. ONE FELL UNDER WARENTY WHEN I BROUNG IT BACK FOR OTHER WARRENT WORK AND IT WAS FIXED. THAT WAS AROUND 20K MILES. AT AROUND 40K MILES I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR ALL 4 WHEN I ASKED FOR A ALINEMENT. AND TODAY AN ALINE MENT WAS NEEDED FROM HITTING A POT HOLE AND YOU GUESSED IT ANOTHER BALL JOINT HAS GONE BAD IN 12 MONTHS AND 13KMILES. SO MY TRUCK NOW WITH 53K MILES HAVE GONE THREW 6 BALL JOINTS 4 OUT OF POCKET COST AND ONE JUST THE COST OF LABOR.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE'S OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THERE WAS A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT A NEW ENGINE IS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

THE CONSUMER SAW A NEWS REPORT ABOUT THE BALL JOINTS ON DODGE DURANGOS AND TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE IN "BAD SHAPE" AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NLM *SC *JB