2003 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

TAKATA RECALL: ELECTRIC POWER FRONT SEATS MOVE FRONT TO REAR, WHEN YOU STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE HUB WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE ALIGNED. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE BALL JOINT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E064000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,700.

THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED A MANDATORY STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE BALL JOINT SHOWED EXCESSIVE WEAR AND WAS DEEMED UNSAFE.

BAGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND FAIL TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND WHEEL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WHEEL BEARING WAS REPAIRED BUT THE WHEEL ARM WASN'T. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E064000(SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. JO

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW IT HAS HAD MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE SAD PART, NOBODY AT DODGE CARED. IT WOULD SHIFT INTO 4WD LOW AT DANGEROUS SPEEDS. AFTER TAKING TO SEVERAL DODGE DEALERS NONE COULD OR WOULD FIX IT. DODGE THEMSELVES BASICALLY LAUGHED AT RIPPING OFF YET ANOTHER CUSTOMER. NHTSB HAS TOTALLY IGNORED THE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS WITH ISSUES ON THESE VEHICLES. OURS IS ANOTHER THAT HAVE THE PULSATING LIGHTS PROBLEM THAT APPARENTLY NHTSA AND DODGE FEEL IT ISN'T AN ISSUE TO HAVE YOUR LIGHTS TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 70 MPH. APPARENTLY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE/GOVT. RELATIONSHIP AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE HASN'T KILLED ALL OF US YET EVERYTHING IS OKAY. AT LEAST THE DODGE DEALERS ARE DOING WELL. THEY'VE RAKED IN MORE CASH BY DENYING THE ISSUE AND THROWING EXPENSIVE PARTS AT THESE LEMONS. MY QUESTION IS THIS: IF THESE VEHICLES HAVE HAD A RECALL ON :"SPECIFIC" VIN'S YET THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE HOW DOES THE NHTSA JUSTIFY LEAVING THOSE CONSUMERS WITHOUT HELP OR PROTECTION?

THE PROBLEM ORIGINALLY STARTED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. WHEN I SWITCHED ON THE REAR FAN (HEAT OR AC DID NOT MATTER), THE ENTIRE CENTER CONSOLE (RADIO, BLOWER SWITCHES, AND ELECTRONIC 4WD SWITCH) WOULD GO COMPLETELY DEAD, AND THE "SERVICE 4WD" LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THEN THIS STARTED HAPPENING WHEN I TURNED ON THE FRONT BLOWER OR THE REAR BLOWER. THEN IT STARTED HAPPENING WITH BOTH BLOWERS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH. NOW IT DOES IT SPONTANEOUSLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITH ALL EXTRA ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS (THE HEADLIGHTS, RADIO, AND BLOWERS) ALL OFF. I'M THINKING THERE IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE, BUT CANNOT IDENTIFY IT. SO FAR, I HAVE REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR, THE TCCM, AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH NO APPARENT IMPROVEMENT. I'VE ALSO HAD THE DASH APART AND CHECKED EVERY ELECTRICAL WIRE I COULD GET TO FOR OBVIOUS SHORTS. NO LUCK. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I TALKED TO THE MECHANIC AT THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER, AND HE SAID HE THINKS IT'S THE TIPM (MAIN FUSE BOX) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE SAID HE SEES THEM SHORT OUT "ALL THE TIME, SOME OF THEM SO BAD THEY ACTUALLY CATCH FIRE!" (DIRECT QUOTE FROM HIM.) I AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY DURANGO, BUT I CANNOT AFFORD THE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF DOLLARS IT'S GOING TO COST TO FIX THE TIPM, IF THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY IS. BUT I DO NOT WANT DRIVE IT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A VEHICLE FIRE. I'VE DONE ALL KINDS OF INTERNET RESEARCH ON THIS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE DURANGOS. ALSO, MY FRIEND WHO WORKS AT A SALVAGE YARD SAYS THESE FUSE BOXES ARE ONE OF THEIR MOST SOUGHT AFTER PARTS. SURELY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT IS THIS COMMON AND OF SUCH A CATASTROPHIC MAGNITUDE SHOULD BE A RECALL!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASH ON AND OFF WITH THE EMERGENCY INDICATOR ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

MANY TIMES, WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO START THE VEHICLE, IT HAS SLIPPED OUT OF PARK, SO IT WILL NOT START UNLESS THE DRIVER IS SUCCESSFUL IN PUTTING IT INTO PARK. WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM IT IS ESPECIALLY LIABLE TO THIS PROBLEM. USUALLY IN THE WINTER OR IN COOL WEATHER IT DOES NOT SLIP OUT OF PARK. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE WHO CAN FIND OUT HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATE AFTER BRAKING, THE DRIVER SEAT SLIDES BACK AND FORTH ABOUT AN INCH. ALSO, WHEN I'M AT A RED LIGHT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. BOTH OF THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ISSUES AND SHOULD BE RECALLS. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 DURANGO THAT HAS BEEN SHOWING SOME VERY UNUSUAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS WILL SOMETIMES FLICKER AT NIGHT. THE DOOR CHIME SOUNDS LIKE THE SPEAKER HAS A SHORT IN IT. I NOTICED THAT MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER NO LONGER WORKS AND SOMETIMES THE COMPASS AND TEMP GAUGE IN THE OVERHEAD FREEZES. THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND REFUSES TO WORK WITH A NEW BULB. I TESTED THE CIRCUIT AND IT IS DEAD. I LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS A CENTRAL TIME MODULE THAT CONTROLS MANY OF THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE TRUCK. MINE HAS ALL THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF A BAD ONE. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT A FEW HUNDRED DURANGO'S AND DAKOTA'S WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER MINE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE THREADS ON THE INTERNET OF CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING AND DODGE IS NOT REPLACING THEM. IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE HEADLIGHTS CAN STOP WORKING AT NIGHT AS YOU DRIVE. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL REVIEW THIS PROBLEM AND SEND ME AN E-MAIL WITH THEIR DECISION IN A FEW DAY'S . THIS NEVER HAPPENED. I HAVE BEEN LOYAL TO DODGE FOR MANY YEARS OWNING 2 DAKOTA'S, 1 RAM TRUCK AND MY DURANGO R/T. I AM NOT GOING TO BUY ANY DODGE PRODUCTS IN THE FUTURE AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THAT THE COMPANY THAT MADE MY VEHICLE WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO FIX A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S AS IF THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY. *TR