2004 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

MY 2004 DODGE DURANGO WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR THE FIRST 8 YEARS OF ITS LIFE. WE RECENTLY MOVED IT TO BE PARKED OUTSIDE AND IT BEGAN TO HAVE TROUBLE STARTING. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS HYDROLOCKING, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE IT AT MY REPAIR SHOP. AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE AGAIN, STARTING CAUSED A THROWN ROD RUINING THE ENGINE AND BLOCK. IT REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT MY NEIGHBOR HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. HIS VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN GOING THROUGH CAR WASHES, THEN ONE DAY THREW A ROD WHEN STARTING. MANY OTHER INSTANCES SEEM TO BE SIMILAR IN ONLINE POSTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS FLAW IN THE 2004 DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES. THIS IS A FINANCIALLY DEVASTATING SITUATION FOR FAMILIES. *TR

SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2005, THE GLASS ON BACK HATCH SHATTERED 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE ELECTRONIC PANEL WENT OUT, THE MAP SENSOR, IDLER PULLEYS (CAR WAS TWO YEARS OLD), CAR STALLS IN HEAVY RAIN/AT CAR WASH ALWAYS- HAVE HAD IT TOWED, EXHAUST MANIFOLDS BEEN WORKED ON, WATER PUMP, RADIATOR, HEATER CORE, INTAKE VALVE SPRING, RUST BUBBLES ON PAINT CAR WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. YESTERDAY, WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO ACTIVITIES, CAR MADE TICKING SOUND & SOUNDED FUNNY PRESSING ON THE GAS & SITTING AT LIGHT- I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO MUFFLER MAN THINKING IT WAS THE MUFFLER. TO MY SURPRISE, I WAS TOLD LIFTERS COLLAPSED AND NEED TWO SETS OF LIFTERS/ HEAD GASKETS, WHOLE ENGINE HAS TO BE TAKEN APART, COST IS $1,500.00. I THOUGHT A HEMI ENGINE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A MONEY PIT SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE TOO AFTER THE COMMENTS I HAVE READ. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A DODGE VEHICLE AGAIN. TOO MANY THINGS HAVE REPLACED ON THIS CAR I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU, IT IS IN PREVIOUS LETTERS SENT TO CHRYSLER-AND IT ISN'T JUST ME. I MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE, GOT REGULAR OIL CHANGES, ETC. AND IT BACKFIRED ON ME. I REALIZE IT IS 10 YEARS OLD AND WE PUT A LOT OF HIGHWAY MILES ON THE CAR TAKING FAMILY VACATIONS AND EVERY FAMILY VACATION, THERE HAS BEEN A CAR PROBLEM. I PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS CAR, I CAN'T SAVE UP ENOUGH TO GET ANYTHING NEW. I KNOW FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE CARS 10-15 YEARS OLD AND HAVEN'T PUT A DIME INTO THEIR CAR, OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE, NEW TIRES, OIL CHANGES, ETC. I CANNOT EXPRESS THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THIS CAR HAS PUT ON ME. IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. NOT RELIABLE WHATSOEVER, WOULD NEVER PURCHASE A DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. EVERY TIME I TAKE IT SOME WHERE, THE MECHANICS ALWAYS MENTION THE POOR DESIGN OF THE ENGINE. *TR

MY DODGE DURANGO 2004 WITH A 5.7 HEMI ENGINE WAS ONLY DRIVEN LOCALLY AND BARELY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I WENT TO START IT UP IN THE MORNING THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING/KNOCKING SOUND, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR. ONCE WE HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC, AFTER INSPECTING THE ISSUE, IT WAS A ROD THAT HAD BROKE OFF AND PUT A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF MY ENGINE. ALL OF THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN UP TO DATE AND I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW. WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE , I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED AND VERY UPSET TO FIND OUT THAT I NEEDED TOO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE UP TO THIS POINT AND AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER DURANGO HEMI OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENING. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS, A CARS ENGINE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH JUST 60,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO PRIOR PROBLEMS AND ALL MAINTENANCE BEING TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH THE YEARS WITH AN ORIGINAL OWNER! *TR

WENT OUT TO START 2004 DODGE DURANGO MORNING AFTER A HEAVY RAIN, TURNED KEY AND ROD WENT THRU BLOCK. HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT WHEN IT RAINED (CAUSED MULTIPLE MISFIRES) FOUND OUT LATER AFTER THE ENGINE BLEW THAT THE COMPANY WAS AWARE OF THE COWL LEAKAGE PROBLEM THAT ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK ONTO MOTOR. THINK THERE SHOULD OF BEEN A RECALL OR LETTER ADVISING US THIS NEEDED FIXED. EVIDENTIALLY THESE COMPLAINTS AREN'T BEING READ OR NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THEM. GUESS WERE ALL SCREWED BY DODGE. VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED PROPER EVERY 3000 MILES JUST FOR INFORMATION DODGE WILL NOT HELP ANYONE IF ENGINE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY WILL TELL YOU YOUR ON YOUR OWN. SALE, SALE, SALE, YOUR DODGE DURANGO AND DON'T BUY ANOTHER ONE. SALE IT AND DON'T KEEP BECAUSE IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. BY SELLING IT THE PROBLEM IS THEN SOLVED BECAUSE DODGE OR THESE GUYS WONT DO ANYTHING FOR YOU. *TR

2004 DODGE DURANGO WITH 5.7 HEMI,WOULD ALWAYS EXPERIENCE A SLIGHT ENGINE MISS AFTER A HARD RAIN AND VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITH ENGINE MISS IF RAN THROUGH AN AUTO CAR WASH. HAD A VERY HEAVY RAIN LAST NIGHT, RAN VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES TODAY WITH NO REAL NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS. FELT SLIGHT ENGINE MISS WHILE SITTING AT IDLE. ON MY HOME FROM PICKING UP OUR DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL, WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE BLEW A ROD OUT THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. FROM READING SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORUMS IT APPEARS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. HAVE ALWAYS HAD SERVICE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED EVERY 3,000 MILES! SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURES DEFECT CAUSING ENGINE TO BLOW ROD AT SAME LOCATION ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES! EVERY VEHICLE IN OUR DRIVEWAY IS A DODGE BRAND, MOPAR RUNS THROUGH OUR VEINS. CHRYSLER CORP. KNOWS THEY HAVE A COMPONENT FAILURE ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR AND ENGINE COMBINATION AND IT IS TIME THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO GET MY VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY, PRAISING GOD OUR DAUGHTER WAS NOT DRIVING WHO JUST GOT HER LEARNERS PERMIT. SHE (15 YEARS OLD) MOST LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO GET THE VEHICLE, WHICH DIED INSTANTLY OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY. *TR

AFTER A SNOW STORM AND THE SNOW MELTED, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT, THE STARTER WAS GRINDING. THE ENGINE WAS HYDROLOCKED AND BROKE THE CONNECTING ROD FOR #3 CYLINDER. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION TURNED UP A TECH BULLETIN (NOT MANDATORY RECALL) TO REPLACE COWL AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE ONTO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WHICH CAN CAUSE MISFIRING. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS TECH BULLETIN OR THE POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES OF NOT IMPLEMENTING IT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THE DEFECTIVE COWL COULD CAUSE TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE IN THE TECH BULLETIN. THE MELTING SNOW SEEPED INTO THE #3 CYLINDER, POSSIBLY FROM A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD SEAL OR WARPED INTAKE MANIFOLD (YET TO BE DETERMINED), AND CAUSED HYDROLOCK. I FOUND EVIDENCE OF A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE OIL PAN WHICH LEAKED FROM #3 CYLINDER. I ALSO FOUND WATER UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEAR THE #3 CYLINDER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE A BROKEN CONNECTING ROD USUALLY PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE BLOCK CAUSING OIL TO SPILL ON THE ROAD! THIS WAS A 5.7L HEMI. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT. *TR

I'VE OWNED MY 2004 DURANGO 5.7 SINCE IT WAS NEW HAS HAD MOST SERVICE DONE AT DEALERSHIP A FEW AT SEARS. THE DURANGO WAS IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR ROUGH IDLE WHEN RAINING AND LOSS OF FUEL MILEAGE. THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM DROVE THE DURANGO ON A SATURDAY BEFORE WE HAD A LOT OF RAIN SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING AFTER RAIN STOPPED STARTED THE DURANGO ONLY TO HEAR A BANG THEN SOMETHING KNOCKING IN MOTOR TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ONLY TO BE TOLD AFTER SPENDING ANOTHER 325 DOLLARS THAT THE MOTOR HYDRA LOCKED AND BROKE A ROD. NOW THE DEALERSHIP AND DODGE BOTH SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY SOMEONE NEEDS TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT FIXING A PROBLEM THEY KNOW EXISTS. THEY NOW WANT TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER $8500 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2004 DURANGO IN 2011 EVERYTIME IT RAINS IT STALLS AND ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO DIE SAME AS WHEN I AM IN A CAR WASH IT WILL IDLE ROUGH AND ACT LIKE IT WANTS TO DIE NO MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE GOING IF IT RAINS OR IS IN ANY TYPE OF WATER IT WILL STALL AND DIE ON YOU AND DEALERSHIPS DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BESIDES IT NEEDS A NEW MOTOR I JUST HIT 100 K ON MY CAR AND IT IS GETTING WORSE THE OIL CENSOR IS DEFECTIVE TO AND THEY WON'T FIX THAT EITHER. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE EXITING THE SUBDIVISION ON OUR WAY TO WORK AFTER DROPPING OUR CHILDREN OFF AT DAYCARE. WE MERGED THROUGH THE MIDDLE LANE AND ONTO THE MAIN STREET AT ABOUT 25-30 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN. AFTER WAITING FOREVER FOR ROADSIDE TO COME AND GET US AND TAKE OUR CAR TO THE SHOP, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED. WE WERE VERY ACCURATE WITH OIL CHANGES AND GETTING OUR CAR SERVICED AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIPS SO THIS WAS NOT DUE TO ANYTHING WE FAILED TO GET SERVICED. THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. WHAT IS THE POINT OF PAYING $30 FOR OIL CHANGES AND MANY OTHER SERVICES AND FEES IF THE ENGINE IS GOING TO LOCK UP ANYWAY?! NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A CAR NOTE WHICH WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING $600 A MONTH FOR A RENTAL. SO NOW THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE A REPOSSESION ON OUR CREDIT. WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? WHERE IS THE DURABILITY IN THESE VEHICLES? I AM HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS INVESTMENT. *TR

VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A RESIDENTIAL SIDE STREET FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENTIRE FRONT END AND DASH WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED IT APPEARED TO BE AN OBVIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SO THEY DID NOT NEED TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER. THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE INTERIOR ROOF BECAUSE THE WIRING HAD STARTED BURNING ALONG THE EDGES OF THE ROOF INTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS UP-TO-DATE ON FACTORY RECALLS, AND DESPITE THIS, IT STILL BURNED. I DID NOT RECEIVE A WARNING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS CLEAR, AND THE 2004 DURANGO ONLY HAD ABOUT 75500 MILES AS OF 4/2013. I WAS THE SOLE OWNER. *TR