1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

TL* - ON 3/13/06 THE CONTACT TOOK 1998 DODGE DURANGO TO COTTMAN TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING INTO FIRST GEAR. AT THAT TIME, COTTMAN REPLACED THE VALVE BODY. ON 3/31/06 THE CONTACT TOOK IT BACK TO COTTMAN FOR THE SAME REASON, AND COTTMAN STATED THAT THEY WOULD REBUILD THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. WHEN CONTACT PICKED UP THE VEHICLE IT WAS MAKING A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, AND COTTMAN TOLD HIM TO DRIVE IT FOR A FEW DAYS AND THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A FEW DAYS CONTACT CONTINUED TO HEAR THE SAME SQUEAKING NOISE, SO COTTMAN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. AT WHICH POINT THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO HEAR THE SAME NOISE, HE TOOK VEHICLE TO AT PRO TRANSMISSION AND THEY STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE DAMAGE WAS PROBABLY INTERNAL BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON 6/16/06 CONTACT TOOK IT BACK TO COTTMAN, AND COTTMAN STATED THAT THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION; AFTER CONTACT PICKED IT UP HE CONTINUED TO HEAR THE SAME SQUEAKING NOISE, SO CONTACT BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK TO COTTMAN ON 12/11/06. COTTMAN ONCE AGAIN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS POURING FLUID FROM THE PUMP. CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO COTTMAN. *AK UPDATED 2/6/2007 - *NM

BOTH BALL JOINTS LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER AND UPPER ARE BAD, HAVE NOT REPLACED AS OF YET WILL SOON. TRUCK HAS ONLY 82K ON IT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE SALES DEALER FOR SERVICE, WHO DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER SENT THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE KNOCKING CONTINUED EACH TIME AFTER 5 MORE VISITS TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP, SO THE SALES DEALER SENT THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE DEALER. THE KNOCKING CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

I OWN A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. I HAVE REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS ONCE. AT A REGULAR TIRE ROTATION, I WAS TOLD THEY ARE WEARING OUT AGAIN. BASED UPON RESEARCH - THIS IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM WITH DURANGO MODELS FROM 1998 TO THE PRESENT. A RECALL OF THE DURANGO IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THIS. *NM

I BOUGHT MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO FROM A SMALL USED CAR LOT. WHEN I GOT IT HOME AND HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY MY MECHANIC THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THAT WAS $1000+. AFTER FINDING OUT THAT THIS WAS ALSO A PROBLEM IN THE LATER MODELS BUT THAT THEY WERE BEING RECALLED, I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO SOMEONE'S ATTENTION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A LOT OF PLAY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE UPPER BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR BALL JOINT REPAIRS ON A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF DODGE DURANGO BALL JOINT RECALL AND BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS GOING EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL TO INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THAT DID NOT OCCUR AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCE TO PAY FOR UPPER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT. *NM

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY DODGE DEALER THAT MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO NEEDS TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT. THEY WERE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME AT 70,000 MILES AT MY EXPENSE. DODGE HAS REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE FINANCIALLY ON EITHER OCCASION. SINCE BALL JOINTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STEERING SYSTEM I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. I ALSO THINK THE FAILURE RATE ON THESE PARTS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I DO KNOW DODGE HAS ISSUED RECALLS ON LATER MODEL DURANGO'S FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED OFF ROAD AND HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY SERVICED ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS. PLEASE HELP. *JB

I PURCHASED A 1998 DODGE DURANGO FROM A SMALL CAR DEALERSHIP IN 2004. IT ONLY HAD 50K MILES ON IT. IT NOW HAS 75K MILES ON IT. I WAS TOLD BEFORE A TRIP THAT MY TRUCK HAD SOME "PLAY". NOT KNOWING WHAT THAT WAS, I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT. I AM NOW TOLD THAT IT IS GOING TO COST ME $1000 TO FIX IT AND THEN I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE TIRES ONLY HAVE 5K MILES ON THEM. I AM LOOKING AT A 2K DOLLAR FIX! ONE MECHANIC TOLD ME THEY WERE EXTREMELY UNSAFE! I HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND THIS IS OUR MAIN VEHICLE. HOW MANY LIVES ARE THEY GOING TO PUT IN DANGER FOR THE DURANGO OWNERS (1998-1999)? WE HAVE THE SAME BALL JOINT PROBLEMS AS THE 2000-2003 OWNERS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FORUMS AND HAVE SEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS SO WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE? I DO NOT HAVE $2000 DOLLARS TO PUT INTO A TRUCK THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT MINOR THINGS WITH THE MILEAGE AND JUST NORMAL DRIVING. THIS IS UNSAFE AND IS PUTTING MANY LIVES IN DANGER. ARE THEY GOING TO WAIT TO GET MEDICAL BILLS AND FUNERAL EXPENSES WHEN AN ENTIRE FAMILY LOSES THEIR LIVES FROM THE TRUCK ROLLING? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ONES WHO KEEP DRIVING IT, UNAWARE WHAT THE "PLAY" IS? THEY WILL BE THE ONES POSSIBLE LOSING THEIR LIVES OR TAKING SOMEONE ELSE'S! I SEE ANOTHER CLASS ACTION LAW SUITE COMING ON!!! *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEFT SEAT BELT IN THE SECOND ROW OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT UNLATCH ONCE IT WAS BUCKLED. THE BELT ON THE RIGHT FAILED TO LATCH AT ALL, AND THE METAL IN THE BUCKLE WAS EXPOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER.