2000 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

BALL JOINTS. UPON ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND REPORTS OF FAILURES ON THE DODGE DURANGOS I RECENTLY CHECK THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON MY PERSONAL VEHICLE TO FIND THREE OF THE FOUR BALL JOINTS WITH EXTENSIVE WEAR. ONE TO THE POINT WHERE SEPARATION IS POSSIBLE. BEING IN THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 25 YEARS I FIND DODGES RESPONSE TO THIS MATTER NOT TO BE COMPLETELY CORRECT. DODGE CLAIMS A FRONT END NOISE SHOULD BE HEARD AND THAT SEPARATION WILL ONLY OCCUR WITH SHARP HARD TURNS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. THEY CLAIM THE DESIGN OF THE CONTROL ARMS MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE WOULD ONLY HOLD TRUE IF SPRING PRESSURE WAS APPLIED ON THE UPPER CONTROL ARM, WHICH IT HAS NONE. THEY CLAIM THAT WATER WASHES THE LUBRICANT OUT OF THE JOINT. IF THE JOINT HAD BEEN PRODUCED PROPERLY WATER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER THE JOINT, IF THE JOINT WAS ABLE TO BE LUBRICATED IT WOULD REDUCE THIS PROBLEM, AS WEAR IS FROM LACK OF LUBRICANT MORE THAN WATER. I FEEL LIKE THE COST OF REPAIRS TO THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE THE CONSUMERS, BUT THE MANUFACTURES RESPONSIBILITYS AS IT IS APPARENT THEY HAVE THE PROBLEM AND IS HOLDING THE BLIND EYE TO IT. ONCE THE JOINTS ARE REPLACED THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK

I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WAITED FOR THE OTHER VEHICLE TO GO BY. AS THEY PASSED ME, I MADE A RIGHT TURN AND HEADED SOUTH IN THE SAME DIRECTION. WITHIN 30 FT AFTER I TOOK OFF FROM THE STOP SIGN, I GLANCED TO THE LEFT AND WHEN I LOOKED FORWARD THE VEHICLE IN FRONT ME HAD STOPPED. I TURNED MY WHEELS TO THE RIGHT AND STRUCK THE OTHER VEHICLE. MY DRIVER FRONT CORNER STRUCK HIS REAR RIGHT CORNER. I WAS ONLY GOING 20 MPH BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL AND ALL THE CHILDREN WERE PRESENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET. MY VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVER SIDE WAS PUSHED IN AND THEN IT STARTED ON FIRE. WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I CALLED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAS HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND. CHRYSLER WENT INTO GREAT DETAIL WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT AS FAR AS FIRE GOES I WAS TOLD " IT APPEARS THE IMPACT CAUSED A SHORT, WHICH STARTED THE FIRE". NO OTHER EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN AT ALL. FROM THE STOP SIGN TO WHERE ACCIDENT HAPPENED WAS ABOUT 220 FT. I DON'T THINK THAT A $34,000 VEHICLE SHOULD BE LOST AT 20MPH IMPACT. I WAS GIVEN CHRYSLER FILE #[XXX]. VEHICLE: 2000 DODGE DURANGO, VIN [XXX] ST. FRANCIS, WI POLICE DEPARTMENT & ST. FRANCIS FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. *LA UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED THEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

WHILE DRIVING A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED BOTH FRONTAL UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR, AND VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE FELT OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE FRONT PASSENGER UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE. *AK

I HAVE HAD TO RECENTLY REPLACE THE WHOLE FRONT SUSPENSION ON MY 2000 DODGE DURANGO NOT LIMITED TO THE BALL JOINTS. ALL BALL JOINTS, BOTH UPPER AND LOWER, PLUS THE CONTROL ARMS, AND FRONT SHOCKS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL REPAIR BILL WAS $1200.00 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, AND DUE TO THIS I WILL PROBABLY NEVER BUY A DODGE PRODUCT AGAIN. *AK

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE DURANGO WITH ENGINE FAILURE AND SLUDGE BUILDUP AT 64K MILES. FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL 6 TIMES AS A RESULT OF THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPING TO ZERO, REPLACED THE OIL SENSOR AND OIL PUMP.LAST WEEK I HAD THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED 2 HOURS/98 MILES AFTER I HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT THE OIL PAN AND ENGINE WERE COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SLUDGE. I HAVE RELIGIOUSLY MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE OVER THE PAST 41/2 YEARS. CHRYSLER WILL NOT SEND A REP TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS MY FAULT FOR NOT USING THE RIGHT OIL AND NOT MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE. THE TYPE OF OIL I USED WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE MANUAL AND I FOLLOWED CHRYSLER'S MAINTAINENANCE SCHEDULE TO A T. THE DODGE DEALER SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AT MY EXPENSE (BECAUSE THE ENGINE FAILED) IF I WANTED THE ENGINE EXAMINED. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE OBVIOUS INTRINSICE ENGINE DEFECT. *AK

HEARD SQEAKING IN THE FRONT END FOR THE PAST YEAR. BROUGHT IN VEHICLE TO DEALER TODAY 5/12/04 FOR NEW TIRES AND BRAKES. WHEN CART WAS HOISTED ON LIFT FRON RIGHT TIRE FELL OFF DUE TO BALL JOINT SEPERATION AND FAILURE. DEALER STAED FRONT LEFT WAS ALSO BAD

THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN THE BALL JOINTS. AFTER THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN LOOKING ON THE WEB TO FIND A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF NOISE AND RESEARCHED THE BALL JOINTS WHICH HE UNEXPECTEDLY FOUND TO BE SEALED AND UNABLE TO LUBRICATE. THE CONSUMER SPOKE WITH A DEALER ABOUT THE NOISE. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. *JB THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH THE PASSENGER'S ELECTRICAL SIDE DOOR WOULD LOCK. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE DOOR THE LOCK FAILED TO OPEN. THE DRIVER USED THE REMOTE CONTROL TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE DRIVER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR LOCK PROBLEMS BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DOOR ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED. CURRENTLY THE RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK WAS BROKEN AND DODGE WOULD NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. THE DOORS COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED MANUALLY. *SC *JB