1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 1998 DODGE, DURANGO. WE HAVE A 17 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER THAT WE HAVE INSTALLED A CAR SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT FOR AND ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS WE HAVE NOTICED THE SEAT BELT THAT HOLDS HER SEAT IN HAS BECOME UNLATCHED. IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS IS A GEN3 SEAT BELT AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS LATCH.

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. *PH THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT AN UNUSUAL INTERMITTENT NOISE WHICH WAS COMING FROM THE JOINT AREA. (NAR)

THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A GAS STATION FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY 98 DURANGO. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, AND THE VEHICLE HAS 31,000 MILES. THE CURRENT PROBLEM, AND THE ONE FOR WHICH I FILED THE COMPLAINT, DEALS WITH THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS NOT UNCTIONING. THE LEFT REAR WINDOW WENT OUT LAST YEAR. WITHIN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, THE PASSENGER WINDOW WENT OUT, AND THE RIGHT REAR HAS BEGUN TO OPERATE INCONSISTENTLY. AS FOR REPAIRS, A LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER SAID THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM ARE THE WINDOW REGULATORS. AS TO COST, I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH CHRYSLER CORP.(NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER) AS TO WHAT THEY WILL DO TO FIX. MY OWN INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR DURANGO. JUST TODAY CHRYSLER HAS ASKED ME TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RE-DIAGNOSED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP (AT MY COST). THEY WILL THEN DETERMINE IF AND WHAT THEY WILL DO. HOWEVER, THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE FELT A TOTAL REPAIR COMPENSATION FOR THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT HAPPEN AND SUGGESTED I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I INFORMED HIM OF MY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM TO LITTLE AVAIL. HE ALSO SAID HE WAS THE FINAL DECISION MAKER FOR THIS SITUATION, AND IN CASE OF MY DISAGREEMENT WITH HIS DECISION, I HAD NO OTHER RECOURSE THROUGH CHRYSLER CORP. I ALSO HAVE A WORSENING REAR MAIN SEAL OIL LEAK. THE PRELIMINARY REPAIR ESTIMATE IS OVER $1200. AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILEAGE, I'VE ASKED CHRYSLER TO ASSIST IN THE REPAIR COST. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONSIDER, BUT FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

FRONT BRAKES (REPLACED 3X'S IN ONE YEAR) KEEP FAILING ON DODGE DURANGO CAUSING UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AND ALIGNMENT TO SHIFT. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES 4 TIMES AND THE REAR TIRES TWICE SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE JANUARY 2,2000. ALL TIRES WEAR AT AN ANGLE WITH SEVERAL BALD SPOTS IN DIFFERENT PLACES. I ALSO REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND RADIATOR FEBRUARY 2003. NOW THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT WORKING. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I STILL HAD TO PAY 300.00 OUT OF POCKET FOR WHATEVER REASON.

WHILE DRIVING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT THERE WAS A LOUD CLANKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER AND THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BALL JOINTS ON THE > CHRYSLER/DODGE PRODUCTS. WE HAD TO REPLACE OUR LOWER BALL JOINTS AT > 77,175 - LOWER BALL JOINTS - 98' DODGE DURANGO > MILES. WHAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED ON THIS TOPIC?

UPON INSPECTION BY THE SERVCE DEPT OF HANSEN(CHRYSLER DEALER IN NASHVILLE, TN.), THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO WERE DEEMED TO BE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. CHRYSLER CORP WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT/REPAIR. I PERSONALLY PAID THE BILL(($1004.54). *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A SOFT SPORADIC SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE CHASSIS. THE DEALERS TECHNICIAN HAD TROUBLE LOCATING THE NOISE BUT EVENTUALLY DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW BALL JOINTS AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONSUMER LEFT THE DEALER WITHOUT HAVING THE WORK DONE. *AK THE CONSUMER FEELS OTHER CONSUMER'S SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. *PH *NM