1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND TIRE WEAR WAS ABNORMAL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES. THE INNER TIE RODS ALSO HAD TO BE CHANGED DUE TO THE LOOSE BALL JOINTS. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS, EVEN WITH MY MILITARY DISCOUNT WAS $950. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 65298 MILES ON THE ODOMETER WHEN IT WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP. LUCKILY I NOTICED THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE BALL JOINTS SEPARATED AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM PUT MY LIFE AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE IN HARMS WAY. 1999 DURANGOS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE RECALL ON BALL JOINTS. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID # 04V596000 REGARDING THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. [XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I RECENTLY PUT NEW TIRES ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO, THEN I WENT TO HAVE THE FRONT END ALIGNED ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS ARE BAD. I NOTICE THERE IS A RECALL ON 2000-2003 DURANGOS,YET I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A FAMILY CAR AND MY CHILDREN ARE NOT SAFE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON ALL DODGE DURANGOS AS IT IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN THE CHRYSLER CORP. REALIZES. PLEASE DO SOME THING TO FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY. *JB

MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY FOR THE FIFTH TIME TODAY. AFTER THE FIRST TWO STALLS I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT GET A CODE OFF OF THE COMPUTER AND IT COULD BE ONE OF THREE THINGS, THE SECURITY CUTOFF, THE ECM OR THE FUEL PUMP. THEY REPLACED THE SECURITY CUTOFF AND GAVE ME TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS FOR THE NEXT TIME. UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE STEPS INCLUDE LISTENING FOR THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH YOU CAN'T HEAR WHEN YOU ARE STALLED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. SO, SINCE THE COMPUTER WON'T POP A CODE, I'M LEFT WITH CHOOSING EITHER OF 2 $800 REPAIR JOBS AND HOPING IT WORKS. I'VE BEEN LOOKING ON DODGE BULLETIN BOARDS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY WON'T ADMIT TO. ONE OF THE BOARDS SAID I SHOULD REPORT IT HERE SO YOU COULD KEEP TRACK OF IT. *JB

BALL JOINTS. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY BALL JOINT EVERY SINCE I OWNED THIS VEHICLE. AND I BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT RECALL BUT IT WASN'T. MY UPPER BALL JOINT DON'T HAVE ANY GREASE FITTING SO THEREFORE WHEN THEY DRY OUT IT CAUSES THEM TO POP AND GO BAD ALL OVER AGAIN. *NM

HAVING NOTICED EXCESSIVE FRONT TIRE WEAR & POOR STEERING PERFORMANCE I TOOK MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO (78000 MILES) IN FOR ALIGNMENT/TIRE BALANCE. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE SHOT. WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS & TIRES (LESS THAN 25K ON THE TIRES) TO THE TUNE OF $1200.00. *NM

1999 DODGE DURANGO WOULD HAVE FAILED PA SAFETY INSPECTION UNTIL BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AT LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. *NM

DEFECTIVE JOINTS & TIE RODS, FAULTY OIL PUMP, TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS, FAULTY WATER PUMP, BAD ROTORS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT WERE LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID # 04V596000 REGARDING THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 05/16/2006. *AK

FRONT END BEGAN VIBRATING. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE WORN OUT AND NEED REPLACED. IF NOT REPLACED, ENTIRE SUSPENSION IS IN DANGER. REPAIR TO EXCEED $700. I CALLED CHRYSLER FOR HELP IN PAYING FOR REPAIRS AS I'VE BEEN A LOYAL CHRYSLER CONSUMER FOR 16 YEARS - HAVING PURCHASED 4 CHRYSLER VEHICLES. BALL JOINT FAILURE ON THESE VEHICLES IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. CHRSYLER REFUSED TO HELP BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM A BANK AND NOT THE DEALER - THE FIRST CHRYSLER VEHICLE I'VE PURCHASED THAT DID NOT COME DIRECT FOR THE DEALER. *JB

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT EXCESSIVE WEAR AS IN 2000 MODEL YEAR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V596000. THIS DURANGO HAS 85561 MILES WHICH IS BELOW THE 100,000 MILE CUT OFF FOR THE RECALL MENTIONED ABOVE FOR THE 2000 MODEL YEAR. THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES SHOW EXCESSIVE WEAR AND WILL SEPARATE JUST AS THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE 2000 MODEL YEAR. I AM HAVING THEM REPLACED HOWEVER, THE 1999 MODEL YEAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V596000. *JB