2001 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

FRONT SUSPENSION, BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY WORE OUT PREMATURELY... BEFORE 30,000 MILES.*AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT WORE OUT PREMATURELY ON MY 2001 DODGE DURANGO. *LA

CAR SURGES AT ABOUT 55 MPH. FOUR DEALERS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND CLAIM THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT. *LA

REPLACEMENT OF LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT, CONTROL ARM AND LEFT OUTER TIE ROD AT 47,000 DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. *LA

STEERING IS SPONGY AND EASILY AFFECTED BY ROAD CONDITIONS. EXAMPLE: DRIVING OVER AN EXPANSION JOINT IN THE ROAD THAT IS NOT PERFECTLY PERPENDICULAR TO DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC WILL CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN, SENDING THE VEHICLE OFF TRACK. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HAS ACTUALLY CHANGED LANES AS A RESULT OF THIS PHENOMENON. WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED, I HAVE MENTIONED THIS EVERY TIME TO THE SERVICE WRITER. UPON COMPLETION OF SERVICE I WAS TOLD THE SAME THING EVERY TIME: THIS IS NORMAL STEERING FOR A DURANGO. WE NOTICED THIS SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM REDWOOD CITY DODGE, IN REDWOOD CITY, CA. THEY ALSO SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD US THE SAME THING AS SWIFT DODGE. IT'S ALL HOGWASH: THE VEHICLE ISN'T SAFE AS THIS "FAILURE" OCCURS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. *LA

WITH 51,000 MILES ON MY 2001 DODGE DURANGO, I HAD TO HAVE THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, HE CLAIMED THAT THIS PREMATURE WEAR IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT LIKELY. *LA

HAVE A 2001 DURANGO WITH 48,000 MILES. HAVING BALL JOINT PROBLEMS AS WELL. CHECKED THEM AND APPEAR WORN. WILL REPLACE THEM BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN 48,000. *LA

TRANSMISSION CLUNK AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM SECOND TO THIRD.

WE PURCHASED OUR 2001 DODGE DURANGO IN DEC. 2000. IN MARCH 2001, MY HUSBAND RETURNED TO THE FULLERTON DEALERSHIP IN CA TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT DUE TO PROB. WITH THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN HE HIT BUMPS. THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WTIH THE VEHICLE, ADVISED HIM THAT IT WAS JUST DUE TO THE LOS ANGELES FREEWAYS. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO IT FEELING WOBLY AND UNSTABLE, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD TIME AND TIME THAT WE NEED WHEEL ALINGMENTS. ALSO, WE WERE EXPERIENCING A PROB. WITH THE BRAKES REVERBRATING, ONLY TO BE INFORMED THAT IT WAS PART OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN AND SEVERAL VEHICHLES BECAUSE I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS "OFF-CENTER" AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL IT. WHEN I MADE A TURN, SPECIFICALLY, LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS SKIDDING OR HYDROPLANNING. I RECENTLY HAD TIRES PUT ONT HE VEHICLE AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. IT FEELS LIKE MY WHEEL ON THE LEFT (DRIVER'S) SIDE IS GOING TO FALL OFF. I AM HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER TODAY. *AK

2001 DODGE DURANGO, HAD ROUTINE VISIT TO FIRESTONE TIRE TO GET NEW TIRES FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED US THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED BOTH UPPER FRONT BALL JOINTS, UPPER CONTROL ARM REMOVE AND REPLACE, CONTROL UPPER ONE SIDE ALSO LOWER CONTROL ARM REMOVE AND REPLACE BALL JOINT, LOWER, BOTH. HE ADVISED THAT ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE THIS IS A VERY UNCOMMON OCCURENCE. HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE PARTS TO REPAIR, IF HE COULD HE GAVE ESTIMATE TO US $968.78 VEHICLE HAS NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT SINCE ITS DIAGNOSIS. *AK