1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DURANGO ARE WORN TO THE EXTENT THAT I AM CONCERNED THAT IT WILL BREAK. I FOUND THE PROBLEM AFTER MOMENTARILY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE BRAKING. THE BRAKES STARTED WORKING ERRATICALLY SOME TIME AGO UNDER HARD BRAKING. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS AN ABS ISSUE. I HAVE PARKED THE SUV UNTIL IT CAN BE REPAIRED. *JB

REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS AND POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONING. BACK SEAT BUTTONS ARE INOPERABLE. FROM DRIVER'S SEAT, BUTTONS WILL ONLY WORK ON FRONT LOCKS AND WINDOWS. THERE IS ALSO A LOUD BUZZING WHEN POWER LOCK BUTTON IS ENGAGED VIA KEY REMOTE OR FRONT SEATS OF VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR LOCK IS ALSO SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE TO UNLOCK, EVEN MANUALLY. I WORRY ABOUT BEING TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR OR HAVING THE LOCKS MALFUNCTION IN AN EMERGENCY, TRAPPING SOMEONE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *JB

I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING OF ABNORMAL NOISES COMING FROM MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO SINCE MAY OF 2003, TO 2 DIFFERENT DODGE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. THE STEERING IS "LOOSE" AND THE TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE THEM ROTATED. AFTER A VERY SCARY ROAD TRIP WHERE I ALMOST VEERED OFF THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES, I BROUGHT THE DURANGO TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THEY IMMEDIATELY DETECTED THE PROBLEM OF FAULTY BALL JOINTS AND A BAD REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL. WHEN THE MECHANIC CALLED DODGE TO ORDER PARTS, HE WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DURANGO'S AND THE PARTS WERE IN STOCK. REPAIRS CONSISTED OF NEW UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, NEW FRONT TIRES (WITH ALIGNMENT) REPAIR AND REBUILD REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL. THIS WAS ALL PAID FOR BY ME PERSONALLY BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE 2005. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY IF IN MAY 2003 THE DODGE MECHANICS WOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE. *NM THERE WAS A WATER LEAK AT THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW. UPDATED 04/10/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AT AN AVERAGE HIGHWAY SPEED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS LOOSE TO THE TOUCH AND PIVOTED TO THE SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP SUGGESTED REPLACING THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V596000, REGARDING THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED IN NOVEMBER 2004. PRIOR TO HAVING THIS REPAIR COMPLETED, THERE WAS VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH OR MORE. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, #, 04V596000; SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: UPPER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 2/28/2006 - THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. IT HASN'T BEEN OVER THIRTY THOUSAND MILES SINCE THE WERE LAST REPLACEMENT AND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *NM

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE DURANGO WITH 107,000 MILES ON IT. THE FRONT END HAS BEEN PULLING TO THE RIGHT FOR SOME TIME NOW,I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERDHIP BEFORE TO GET CHECKED AND THEY IT WAS FINE.I HAVE RECENTLY PUT THE TRUCK IN SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND ALIGNMENT AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE VERY WORN AND THE RIGHT SIDE IS LOOSE.I HAVE CHECKED THE RECALL WAS 2000-2003.THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME IF THE TRUCK WAS MADE IN LATE 1999 THEN MAYBE THERE IS A CHANCE TO BE RECALLED.I HAVE CALLED CHRYLSER ABOUT IT BUT THEY WILL NOT RESPOND.*AK

UPPER BALL JOINTS DANGEROUSLY LOOSE ON 99 DURANGO. CURRENT RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO THE 1999 MODEL YEAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. THESE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES WERE CLOSE TO COMPLETE FAILURE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD I NOT BEEN IN THE HABIT OF CHECKING THEM BECAUSE OF SO MANY REPORTED FAILURES OF BALL JOINTS ON THE DURANGOS. *NM

REPLACEMENT OF WORN FRONT END SUSPENSION BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD END WAS NECESSARY DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *NM

UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR AND NOISE FROM DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AREA FOR LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. PREMATURE SEVERE FAILURE OF DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT AND LESSER FAILURE OF PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT. BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AND REALIGNED. *JB