2001 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SAYS THE FRONT END FELT LOOSE. THE UPPER BALL WERE REPLACED BUT THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

WHEN MAKING A SHARP LEFT TURN THERE IS A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. CONSUMER FEELS IT MAY BE RELATED TO BALL JOINT FAILURE. *AK

WHEN TURNING EITHER DIRECTION THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END PRODUCES A KNOCKING NOISE. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

WHILE MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE. *AK

AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER CAN HEAR A CLANKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN TURNING CORNERS THERE IS A CLANKING SOUND COMING FROM THE WHEEL AREA.*AK

WE NOTICED A SQUEAKING IN THE FRONT-END WHILE OUR 2001 DODGE DURANGO WAS UNDER WARRANTY. TOOK TO DODGE DEALERSHIP IN BROWNFIELD, TEXAS, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SOUND. SAID WE PROBABLY WERE HEARING VIBRATIONS FROM CD'S IN THE SIDE-DOOR POCKETS. CAR NOW HAS 60K MILES, AND OVER LAST 10K MILES OR SO, HAVE NOTICED FOUR THINGS 1) FRONT END MAKING POPPING SOUND, LIKE A JOINT POP ON YOUR ANKLE OR SOMETHING AND 2) WHEN TURNING SHARPLY, VEHICLE BOUNCES LIKE THE WHEEL WAS OUT OF ROUND, 3) UNEVEN WEAR ON FRONT TIRES, ESPECIALLY ON LEFT SIDE, AND 4) VEHICLE LESS STABLE WHEN HITTING BUMPS AS STEERING TENDS TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH. TRIED TO GET A MECHANIC TO CHECK LAST WEEKEND IN LUBBOCK, BUT COULD NOT GET VEHICLE INTO SHOP DUE TO THEIR WORKLOAD. FAMILY MEMBER TOLD US THAT DURANGO'S WERE ON THE NEWS ABOUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM. WE WILL BE SCHEDULING A VISIT WITH A DEALERSHIP. I HOPE WE DON'T LOSE A TIRE, AS WE ARE MINIMUM OF 30 MILES FROM A DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER AND THE UPPER CONTROL BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE WORN. THE NEXT DAY AFTER PART WERE REPLACED THERE IS STILL A POPPING AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK.

IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, I WAS DRIVNG MY 2001 DURANGO HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD A "CLUNKY" NOISE. THINKING I HAD A FLAT TIRE, I STOPPED AND LOOKED AND SAW NOTHING. WHEN I GOT HOME, MY HUSBAND DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES. THE NEXT MORNING, HE DROVE TO MCKINNEY DODGE (ABOUT 10 MILES ON THE FREEWAY) AND AS HE GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND PULLED INTO THEIR PARKING LOT, THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL TURNED COMPLETELY SIDEWAYS AND BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FALL DOWN ON THAT SIDE. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT A FEW MINUTES LATER AND SAW MY VEHICLE WITH THE WHEEL TURNED OUTWARDS AND FRONT END DOWN ON TOP OF IT. THEY FIXED THIS UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS ALSO CAUSED THE MAG WHEEL TO BEND AND THE TIRE NOT TO HOLD AIR, SO WE HAD TO PAY ANOTHER $50 TO HAVE THAT FIXED BEFORE WE COULD EVEN DRIVE IT. THE SERVICE MAN HAD CALLED ME AT WORK AND TOLD ME HOW FORTUNATE WE WERE THAT MY HUSBAND WAS NOT STILL ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THIS WAS A VERY UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE. I NOW FEEL THAT WE WERE DECEIVED BY DODGE TRYING TO COVER UP THIS PROBLEM AND WORRY ABOUT OUR DAUGHTER AND GRANDCHILDREN IN THEIR NEW 2003 DURANGO. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY AND THE PROBLEMS SHOULD BE CORRECTED BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. OUR DURANGO HAD ABOUT 39,400 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE FRONT END STARTED GRINDING. TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A SKID. AFTER SAFELY MANEUVERING TO THE EMERGENCY LANE THE DRIVER GOT OUT AND FOUND THAT THE WHEEL HAD COMPLETELY COLAPSED AND WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP AND UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BEARING HAD DISINTEGRATED. THE INNER RING OF THE INSIDE BEARING HAD SEIZED TO THE SPINDLE. THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE WHEEL ON WAS THE BRAKE CALIPER. AFTER REPLACING THE DRIVERS SIDE ASSEMBLY THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE PASSENGER SIDE AND FOUND IT TO BE LOOSE AS WELL. IT WOULD HAVE SOON DONE THE SAME THING. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 60K MILES ON IT AND THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE SAFELY OFF THE ROAD, HOWEVER IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A ROLL OVER OR WORSE, DEATH. *AK

THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 2001 DODGE DURANGO FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN EXPENSE OF OVER $800.00. LUCKILY FOR ME AND MY FAMILY IT WAS NOT A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHEN WE WERE DRIVING THE VECHILE!! IT WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED ME IT WAS HAPPENING ALOT TO OTHER OWNERS AND THAT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.WHAT, DO SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE NEED TO DIE FIRST BEFORE ANYONE RECOGNIZES AND FIXES THIS PROBLEM!!?? THIS VECHILE ONLY HAS LESS THAN 47,000 MILES IT AT THE TIME OF REPAIR AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM!!*AK

I BOUGHT MY DODGE DURANGO IN OCTOBER 2002. I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE & FELT LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND WHEN I WOULD STOP. HAD CHECKED AT PONTIAC DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT, THEY SAID THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. I SAW CBS NEWS STORY ON DURANGOS AND REALIZED THAT THE BALL JOINTS MAY BE THE ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE, IT STILL MAKES THE SAME CLUNKING NOISE, AND I STILL FEEL THE VEHICLE PUSH FORWARD WHEN I AM STOPPING MY VEHICLE. ON FEBRUARY 14TH OF THIS YEAR, I WAS DRIVING AND LOST MY BRAKES, FOUND OUT THAT THE CYLINDERS WERE BAD. I WILL PUT THIS DOWN AS AN INCIDENT, BUT THE NOISE IS STILL ONGOING, AND SO FAR I HAVEN'T HAD AN INCIDENT & WOULD LIKE TO PREVENT ONE.