1998 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. UPON INSPECTION, THE CERTIFIED REPAIRMAN DETERMINED THE FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND LODGED A COMPLAINT. THE CASE NUMBER WAS 14394561. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE.*AK

CAR/DEER HEAD ON COLLISION AT 65MPH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CAUSING WIPELASH, STRAINED SPINE AND SHOULDER INJURY. SUV WAS A TOTAL LOSS PER INS. COMPANY. *NM

1998 DODGE DURANGO. UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. I HAD THOUGHT I NEEDED SHOCKS AND AN ALIGNMENT AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, TIE ROD END AND IDLER ARM. THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER ABUSED, AND 90% OF THE MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. I HAVE READ MANY ACCOUNTS OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND BELIEVE FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND RECALL IS NECESSARY. *JB

BALL JOINT FAILURE ON 1998 DURANGO SLT W/ 5.9L ENGINE AND 81,500 MILES. HEARD CLUNKING SOUND IN FRONT END DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY IN DALLAS, TX. PULLED IN MIDAS SHOP AND LEERED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT BALL JOINT WAS READY TO COME COMPLETELY APART. THE MIDAS SHOP MANAGER ADVISED ME TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE LIKE THIS. BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. COST: $1,400. I DO HAVE THE OLD PARTS. *JB

I OWN A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY FOR FAILURE TO OPERATE PROPERLY, IE: THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY HOWEVER WITH SLIGHT INWARD PRESSURE ON THE SWITCH, THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN INFORMED THAT THE SWITCH WILL NOT PASS STATE SAFETY INSPECTION IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. I THINK THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THIS SWITCH BECAUSE OF RECURRING FAILURES, AND SINCE IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE BY DECREE OF THE STATE, I FEEL IT SHOULD BE EXAMINED NATIONWIDE FOR RECALL CONSIDERATION. *JB

DT CONTACT STATES FRONT SUSPENSION LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE. HAD A LOCAL MECHANIC LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM ON A REGULAR BASIS. HE SPOKE WITH THE DEALER. THEY WOULD NOT HELP WITH REPAIR COST OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRED AT THIS POINT. *AK

PREMATURE WEAR ON UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE. THE SEPARATION OF THESE COMPONENTS CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. IN ADDITION TO THE BALL JOINTS, THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLIES FAIL PREMATURELY WHICH IN COMBINATION WITH THE BALL JOINT PROBLEM GREATLY INCREASES LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT. THIS CAUSES SLOW ACCELERATION WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *NM

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. ENTIRE FRONT END FAILED! TIRES WERE GETTING READY TO FALL OFF! TIRES LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD WORN COMPLETELY BOLD BECAUSE OF THE FRONT END. WAS TOLD THAT THE 2000 WAS RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM! BUT MY 1998 IS NOT IN ON RECALL...AND IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM!!@!!!!!!!*JB

BALL JOINT FAILURE ON 1998 DODGE DURANGO. THESE TRUCKS HAVE RECALLS FOR 1999 AND 2000. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAD 62,000 WHEN 3 OF THE 4 BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF WATER THAT HAD LEAKED INTO THE JOINTS. MY REFERENCE NUMBER FOR THE COMPLAINT THAT I FILED WITH DODGE IS # 13277677. *JB

I SAW ON AN NBC SPECIAL THAT CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASE THE DODGE DURANGO OR DAKOTA HAD THE BALL JOINTS OF THEIR VEHICLES JUST FAIL ON THEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO HAVE MY BALL JOINTS CHECKED ( I HAVE THE WORK ORDER) AND SURE ENOUGH ALL THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD. I HAD THEM REPLACED( THAT WAS ABOUT 18MONTHS AGO) AND AGAIN THE JOINTS HAVE DETERIORATED. MY CAR HAS LESS THAT 80K MILES ON IT. IT IS HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS. THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN- THE BALL JOINTS I HAD INSTALLED CAME WITH A LIFE-TIME WARRANTY. THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. MY CONCERN THAT IF WE DID NOT INSPECT THE SUSPENSION, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THIS PROBLEM EVEN EXISTED. CONSUMERS SHOULD AT LEAST BE INFORMED OF THE RISKS OF THEIR VEHICLE POSSIBLY FAILING BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE JOINTS.