1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

MY 99 DODGE DURANGO 4X4 HAS HAD VIBRATIONS AND NOISE IN THE FRONT FROM WHEN I PURCHASED. THE DODGE DEALER EARLIER TOLD ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR HIDDEN WARRANTIES ON THIS PRODUCT, VIN# [XXX]. MY GOODYEAR DEALER, INSPECTED MY DODGE AND SHOWED ME THAT MY UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD (( MOVING OVER 1/2 IN)) HE SAID TAKE IT TO YOUR DEALER, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT RIGHT. DODGE DEALER ALSO SAID THAT BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND ALSO THAT THE HUBS AND WHEEL BEARINGS. WERE BAD, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR MY SAFETY. I CALLED DIAMLER CHRYSLER CORP. AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD COVER THIS MFG PROBLEM. I WAS GIVEN CLAM #13756706. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY VIN # NOT COVERED BY THE UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED UP MY 99 DURANGO ON YOUR SITE ON COMPLAINTS, I SAW OVER 500 SIMILAR CASES FOR 99 DURANGO, WITH BALL JOINT AND STEERING PROBLEMS. DODGE SAID 99 NOT PART OF RECALL. I THINK THE U.S GOV. NEEDS TO TELL DODGE TO INCLUDE IN RECALL ALL THE DODGE DURANGO WITH THIS PROBLEM, PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE AMER. PEOPLE AND NOT ALOW CHRYSLER CORP GET AWAY WITH THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. I FEEL THE AMER PEOPLE SHOULD NOT NEED TO GET THE COURTS INVOLVED WHEN WE HAVE AN AGENCY THAT SHOULD PROTECT THE AMER. PEOPLE FROM DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. I HOPE THIS BALL JOINT PROBLEM ETC. DOES NOT BECAME ANOTHER "FORD - FIRESTONE" SITUATION. DODGE SAID THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU BEFORE THEY CAN DO A RECALL ON 1999 DODGE DURANGO'S, (( WITH OVER 500 COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS, HOW MANY MORE DO YOU NEED!!)) I LIVE IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA AND WHEN I DRIVE I-495 BELTWAY I HOPE YOU ARE NOT THEIR WHEN MY FRONT WHEELS FALL OFF BECAUSE OF BAD BALL JOINTS. PLEASE DO YOUR DUTY AND RECALL ALL DODGE DURANGO 1998 AND UP FOR UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS, STEERING ETC. PLEASE DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT ME AND MY FAMILY.*JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION A

TOOK IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTANCE.FOUND OUT THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE READY TO BRAEK AT 51,000 MILES. THIS IS ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO THAT HASD BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. CAUGHT THE PROBLEM BEFORE FAILURE OCCURED WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED STEERING FAILURE. BALL JOINTS AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED REPLACED. YES THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.

DT: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 25 MPH, WHEN SHE WAS GETTING READY TO GO UNDER AN OVERPASS, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR A RED LIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD. CONSUMER WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES SUDDENLY AND HARD FOR A QUICK STOP. HOWEVER, THE ABS BRAKES DID NOT ACTIVATE. THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS ON THE ROAD. CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN SHE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS NOISE UNDER THE HOOD AND THE DEALER TOLD HER THE ABS BRAKES WERE TRYING TO TEST THEMSELVES. AFTER THE ACCIDENT CONSUMER COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE UNDER HOOD WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE NOISE WAS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND ONLY LASTED FOR A COUPLE SECONDS.*AK

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A USED 1999 DODGE DURANGO SLT 5.9L IN OCTOBER OF 2003. THE DURANGO HAD APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES. FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE NOTICED AN ODD TICKING OR CLICKING SOUND WHILE TURNING CORNERS. ON 6/25/2005 (WITH APPROXIMATELY 77,000 MILES) WE REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES AS THEY WERE VERY UNEVENLY WORN. WHILE CHECKING THE WHEELS WE NOTICED THAT BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD FAILED ON EACH SIDE OF THE CAR. THEY DID NOT SNAP BUT THERE WAS FAR TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE BALL JOINTS. THE UPPER JOINTS HAVE SINCE BEEN REPLACED, WE KEPT THE OLD PARTS AS PROOF IF NEEDED. WE WILL KEEP THE OLD LOWER BALL JOINTS WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO REPLACE THEM. NO ACCIDENTS RESULTED OF THIS FAILURE, ALTHOUGH THIS BEING OUR MAIN VEHICLE AND DRIVEN ALMOST EVERYDAY IT WAS A SHOCK TO FIND SUCH A FAILURE ON PARTS THAT ARE GAURANTEED FOR FAR LONGER THAN 80,000 MILES.

DT: CONTACT STATES: PREMATURE WEAR OF UPPER BALL JOINTS AND FRONT SUSPENSION. DEALER T SAID CAR WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. ALSO, CALLED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND THEY TOLD HIM THE SAME THING.*AK

THE BALL JOINTS FAILED IN THE CONSUMER'S 1999 DODGE DURANGO. *NM CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *TT

DT: CONTACT HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON 1999, DODGE, DURANGO. THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE MECHANIC THAT REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS STATED THE REPLACEMENT WAS DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A TICKING NOISE. SERVICE DEALER STATED THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER STATED: WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE BADLY, AND THERE WAS A CLANKING NOISE EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL 4 BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT END SUSPENSION. *AK *SB

DT:CONSUMER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE STARTED RIDING ROUGH. CONSUMER REPLACED SHOCKS, BUT THE FRONT END STILL SEEMED TO RIDE ROUGH ENOUGH TO FEEL ALL BUMPS IN ROAD. CONSUMER HAD BRAKE PADS CHANGED AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED CONSUMER THAT BALL JOINTS WERE BAD. MECHANIC CHECKED BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM BALL JOINT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. BALL JOINTS SHOWED LOTS OF WEAR. THEN, MECHANIC CHECKED PASSENGER SIDE TO FIND THAT MORE SLACK WAS IN PASSENGER SIDE THAN DRIVER SIDE. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE WERE STORIES OF WHEELS COMING OFF OF SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER SAYS THAT VEHICLE IS NOT USED FOR OFF ROAD USE. VEHICLE IS USED FOR HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING. CONSUMER IS SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF RECALL ON NEWER MODELS. FEELS THAT SAME PROBLEM EXISTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS NOT YET REPLACED BALL JOINTS. VEHICLE IS SERVICED REGULARLY ABOUT EVERY 4500 MILES AT A QUICK LUBE. *AK