1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THE DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SCC *JB

I OWN A 1998 DODGE DURANGO WITH 22,000 MILES. ALL FOUR FRONT END BALL JOINTS ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE DURANGO AND DAKOTA MODELS. WHILE THE WORN BALL JOINTS HAVE NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN MY CASE YET, THEY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED PREMATURELY AT A CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE TO ME FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING FLAW. I REITERATE THAT MY WORN BALL JOINTS HAVE NOT YET CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I AM OBSERVANT ENOUGH TO NOTICE THE CLICKING SOUND THEY MAKE AND TO HAVE THEM REPLACED BEFORE THEY DO CAUSE A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE SEEN PICTURES RECENTLY OF OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE WHO HAVE HAD SERIOUS ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE. *NLM

TRANSMISSION: I BOUGHT A 1998 DURANGO IN 2001 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS HORRIBLY AND MAY TIMES THE TRUCK WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL ONCE I REACH 30 MPH AND THE RPMS RED LINE ALMOST EVERY TIME. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY SHOT AND I'VE BEEN TOLD IT WILL BE A MINIMUM OF 2,000.00. NO TRANSMISSIONS COULD BE FOUND AT JUNK YARDS BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE BAD TRANSMISSIONS. *NLM

THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS OR DOUBLE SHIFTS AS YOU ARE LEAVING ANY STOPPED POSITION. WHILE AT ABOUT 50 MPH AND YOU PUT THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR THE TRANSMISSION WILL WORK GREAT. BUT THEN WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND PROCEED AT A NORMAL PACE THE TRANS JUST SLIPS OR DOUBLE SHIFTS AND JERKS YOU AROUND. THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT ON OTHER SITES THAT CHRYSLER HAS BOUGHT BACK SOME OF THE DURANGO'S. I CURRENTLY HAVE A 1998 MODEL. 5.2 AUTOMATIC 4X4.

FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. $178 TO REPLACE/REPAIR. MY VEHICLE APPARENTLY NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL OF 216,000 VEHICLES. CLOCK SPRING FAILURE RESULTS IN FAILURE OF AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. I GUESS I'M EXTREMELY LUCKY I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A LIFE-ALTERING ACCIDENT. *NLM REFER TO RECALL # 01V153000. PER INVOICE, THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THERE WERE RATTLES UPON ACCELERATION, THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND #5 CYLINDER MISFIRE AND REMOVED THE #5 SPARK PLUG AND VIEWED SIGNS OF COOLANT ON THE SPARK PLUG. (RECOMMENDED REMOVAL OF THE LEFT CYLINDER HEAD FOR FURTHER INSPECTION/CONSUMER DECLINED) THERE WAS ALSO A SCRAPING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED, THE CLOCKSPRING WAS FOUND FAULTY DUE TO INTERNAL DAMAGE, THE CLOCKSPRING UNIT WAS REPLACED. *SCC

DEFECTIVE SEATBELT: THE LOCKING SEATBELT MECHANISM ON MY DOGE DURANGO FELL APART IN MY HANDS. I CONTACTED DOGE WHO TOLD ME THE CAR WAS TOO OLD (98) AND TOO MANY MILES (60,000) THEY SUGGESTED I BUY A NEW DOGE VEHICLE.

THE FAN ON MY DURANGO CAME OFF THE WATER PUMP AND DESTROYED THE FAN SHROUD THE RADIATOR, THE IDLER PULLEY THE BELT AND THE WATER PUMP SHAFT. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH AND THE FAN CAN OFF AND IT COST ME $855.31 TO FIX I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A WAY TO RECOUP THE COST FOR THE REPAIRS TO MY DURANGO. *NLM

I HAVE INTERMITTENTLY NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELTS GOING THROUGH MY TWO DAUGHTERS' SAFETY SEATS HAVE MYSTERIOUSLY BECOME UNCLIPPED. IT HAPPENED DURING NORMAL DRIVING TIME. I HAVE NOT NOTICED THEM BECOMING UNCLIPPED AT THE SAME TIME. IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME THAT THIS MAYBE A PROBLEM UNTIL I SAW THE NEWS REPORT ON WPVI-CHANNEL 6 IN PHILADELPHIA, PA. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT INCIDENT DATES. I DO RECALL AT LEAST TWO INCIDENTS WHEN TAKING MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE ONE OF THE SEATS HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. I THOUGHT IT WAS UNUSUAL, BUT NEVER REPORTED THE INCIDENT. *NLM

OIL PRESSURE DROPPING....DEALER TOLD US THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE GAUGE...NOT TO WORRY. THE ENGINE SEIZED UP THAT EVENING....WE WERE SLIGHTLY OVER THE MILEAGE ON THE WARRANTY SO WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED.....WE HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT AND THE LINES CLEANED OUT (OIL WAS SLUDGE....LOTS OF METAL SHAVINGS) AND WHEN THE PRESSURE STARTED DROPPING (ABOUT 10000 MILES) AGAIN WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE.......AGAIN THERE WAS LOTS OF SLUDGE AND METAL SHAVINGS......WE HAD THE OIL PUMP REPLACED AND THE DURANGO FUNCTIONED FOR A SHORT TIME AND IS NOW IN THE SHOP AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.......THE MECHANIC FEELS LIKE IT HAS SPUN A MAIN BEARING AND THAT IS THE CAUSE FOR THE METAL SHAVINGS THAT KEEP OCCURRING......THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE ENGINES IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL VEHICLE.... *JB

1998 DODGE DURANGO TRANSMISSION HESITATES TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, CAUSING RPM TO FLY PAST 3500, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ENTER HIGHWAYS, 3 TIMES I NEARLY HAD A REAR END COLLISION BECAUSE TRUCK WILL NOT ACCELERATE INTO 3RD GEAR. THE DURANGO TRANSMISSION IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG OWNERS, AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.*JB