1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

AFTER PAYING $1500 TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON OUR RECENTLY PURCHASED DURANGO, I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE UPPER BALL JOINT FOR DURANGOS. WHEN I INQUIRED WITH DEALER ABOUT A POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PARTS RECALLED I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO OUR VEHICLE YEAR, IT ONLY APPLIED TO 2000-2003 MODEL YEARS. ALTHOUGH OUR 1998 MODEL ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES, DAIMLER CHRYSLER WASN'T WILLING TO REIMBURSE OR DO ANYTHING FOR US. I FOUND THIS VERY DISAPPOINTING CONSIDERING THIS IS THE FOURTH DODGE WE'VE OWNED AND CURRENTLY BOTH OUR VEHICLES ARE DODGE MAKES. WITH THE ENORMOUS NUMBER OF DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO EXPECT THE NHTSA TO DEMAND DAIMLER CHRYSLER RECALL THE 1998 AND 1999 DURANGOS FOR BALL JOINT PROBLEMS AS WELL. *JB

WINDOW REGULATOR THAT CONTROLS WINDOWS HAS HAD 8 FAILURES AND REPLACEMENTS IN AS MANY YEARS WITH MINIMAL USAGE. I HAVE NO CHILDREN AND LIVE IN ARIZONA SO WINDOWS ARE IN UP POSITION 80% OF THE TIME. NO REASON FOR FAILURES OTHER THAN DEFECTIVE PLACEMENT AND PARTS AS STATED BY DODGE SERVICE ADVISOR. *NM

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A PAVED ROAD THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED TO ONE SIDE AS I BRAKED I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH THE STEERING BUT IT DID NOT RESPOND. I CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET FROM A 70 FOOT EMBANKMENT. I LAID DOWN UNDER THE CAR TO SEE IF I COULD FIND AN APPARENT PROBLEM AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING TIE ROD END WAS HANGING DOWN. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE THREADS ON THE INNER TIE ROD END AND ON THE STEERING DRAG LINK TO BE COMPLETELY BARE OF THREAD. I AM CURRENTLY PRICING THE COST OF A NEW TIE ROD END AND DRAG LINK WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL REPAIR THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. AFTER TALKING TO THE LOCAL TIRE STORE AND CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING QUITE OFTEN ON THIS MODEL AND COULD POSSIBLY BE FATAL IF THE DRIVER PANICS OR DOESN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO HOLD THE WHEEL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A TIRE REPLACEMENT AND ALIGNMENT THE DEALERSHIP OBSERVED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE TIRE REPLACEMENT. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V596000, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: UPPER BALL JOINT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES. SINCE PURCHASE, THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE. AS A RESULT, SMOKE COMES FROM THE WHEEL WELL AREA. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT.

AFTER SEEING A REPORT ABOUT FAILED BALL JOINTS IN DODGE DURANGOS, WE HAD OURS INSPECTED AND THEY ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAD THEM REPLACED AND 4 MONTHS LATER THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *JB

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. I AM AWARE THAT CHRYSLER HAS RECALLED 2000-2004 DURANGOS FOR BALL JOINT/SUSPENSION DEFECTS. I HAVE THE SAME DEFECT/PROBLEM WITH MY 1998 DURANGO. ARE THERE GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR FROM CHRYSLER. I HAVE A QUOTE OF $2500.00 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING MANY WEBSITES I SEE THAT MANY 1998 DURANGO OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

DAIMLER CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL (04V596000) FOR BALL JOINT AND EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 10 YR / 100000 MILES FOR 2000 - 2003 DURANGOS. MY QUESTION IS WHY THE '98 DURANGOS WERE NOT INCLUDED SINCE MY 98 DURANGO HAD THE SAME FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS ONLY 69,000

I TOOK VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC, COMPLAINT REGARDING LEFT FRONT BRAKE. ALREADY HAD NEW BRAKES, ROTORS REPLACED ONE YEAR AGO. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT, AND HAS ALREADY HAD BALL JOINTS REPLACED, DURING A TSB REPAIR BULLETIN, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ON MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO, 4X4. MECHANIC SAYS THAT SPINDLES NEED REPLACED, ALONG WITH BALL JOINTS. PREMATURE FAILURE, VEHICLE SHOULD DRIVE FOR 100,000 MILES BEFORE A FAILURE SUCH AS THIS ON THE BALL JOINTS. CURRENTLY WAITING ON PARTS FROM DEALER, TO REPLACE WORN PARTS, HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT ALREADY RAN OUT IN MAY 2005. AM ALSO HAVING BUSHINGS REPLACED, DUE TO EXTREME TEMPS IN PHOENIX AREA. WILL COST OVER $3000.00 TO DO THE REPAIRS, WHICH SHOULD EITHER BE RECALLED BY DC, OR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WILL ALSO CALL AND COMPLAIN TO DEALER. *NM

HAD REAR REBUILT IN 2003 BY DEALER.BACK IN 12/15/05 REAR WENT AGAIN.TALKED TO MECHANIC HE SAID DODGE KNOWS ABOUT REARS BEING BAD.DUE TO TIGHT TOLERANCES IN GEARS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 3 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD. THE BRAKES WERE PRESSED HARDER AND THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED. WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE THE SMELL OF SMOKE WAS PRESENT. UPON INSPECTION THERE WASN'T ANY BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER ADDING BRAKE FLUID, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A SHORT DISTANCE. THE FLUID WAS CHECK AGAIN AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE FLUID LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP. THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 99V341000 CONCERNING THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: HOSES, LINES, PIPING AND FITTINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.