1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS TILTED OUTWARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT 15 MPH FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED FRONT END SHIMMIED. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE WORN OUT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT TWICE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK

AFTER HEARING A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER WAS GETTING AN ALIGNMENT, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS HAVING NEW TIRES INSTALLED, AND ALSO REQUESTED AN ALIGNMENT. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE, AND THERE WAS PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE DONE UNTIL THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. CURRENTLY, THE MANUFACTURER IS ONLY WILLING TO PAY 50% OF THE DEFECT, BUT WILL NOT PAY THE TOTAL COST. *AK

I WENT TO THE DODGE DEALER COMPLAINING THAT THE STEERING WAS LOOSE AND SOMEWHAT UNCONTROLLABLE ON CERTAIN PAVEMENT AND WAS TOLD IT MAY BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND ASKED ABOUT ANY RECALLS, WHICH I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NONE.WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MOST REPUTABLE ALIGNMENT SHOP IN THE AREA , I WAS TOLD THE BALL JOINTS WERE EXTREMELY WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD ALL 4 BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT THE SHOP'S ADVICE, MAINLY BECAUSE HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGINEERED WITH UNDERSIZED BALL JOINTS THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO ENDURE THE NORMAL STRESSES OF THAT SIZE AND WEIGHT VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RIGHT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT WAS WEAKENED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE WORKED ON CARS SINCE A TEEN AND HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A FAILURE EVEN ON VEHICLES WITH WELL OVER 100,000 MILES.IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER THIS THAT I STARTED HEARING OF PROBLEMS WITH THE DURANGO AND DAKOTA BALL JOINTS. NOW DODGE HAS BEEN FORCED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT I SUBMITTED TO THEM 2 YEARS AGO BUT AM LEFT OUT OF RECOUPING MY $450 TO HAVE THEM REPLACED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND FAMILY BECAUSE THE RECALL ONLY INCLUDES 2000 MODELS ON. I DISAPPOINTED THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T GO BACK TO INCLUDE LATER YEARS AND OWNERS THAT FIRST NOTED THESE BALL JOINT PROBLEMS. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR 2YRS. FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE AND NOW TO BE EXCLUDED IS A SLAP IN THE FACE.*AK

THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A SQUEALING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE WITH RESULTED IN SHOWING THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER HAD NO SIGNS OF DEFECT PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION. DEALER WILL REPAIR AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE.*AK

MY WIFE HAS A 1999 DURANGO WITH 48000 MILES AND HAD TO HAVE ALL 4 BALL JOINTS REPLACED IN THE THING SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. NOW THE ARE SAYING ONE OF THE BALL JOINTS ARE NO GOOD!!! GRANTED THE FIRST 2 WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT SHE HAD TO PAY FOR THE OTHER 2 OUT OF HER POCKET AND NOW LOOKING TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AGAIN!!!!*AK