1999 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

MY DURANGO LOST CONTROL FOR NO REASON ON A SUUNY, CLOUDLESS DAY 4-24-01. I WAS TURNING THE VEHICLE LEFT AND IT SUDDENLY WENT RIGHT THROWING ME INTO A GUARD RAIL AND DOWN A BLUFF, BREAKING MY BACK. AFTER WATCHING CBS NEWS TWO WEEKS AGO, I REALIZED IT WAS SUSPENSION FAILURE COMPLAINED ABOUT BY HUNDREDS OF OTHER OWNERS.*AK

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DURANGO, I HAD ALOT OF NOISE COMING FROM THE UNDER-CARRIAGE OF MY VEHICLE, THEY CHECKED IT OVER AND HAD TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS.THEY HAD WORN OUT PREMATURELY, COSTING ME A LARGE AMOUNT OF UNNECESSARY SPENT MONEY. THESE VERY EXPENSIVE VEHICLES SHOULD BE BUILT BETTER THAN THIS AND LAST LONGER FOR THE MONEY THEY COST.ONE THING WRONG CAN LEAD TO OTHER PROBLEMS AND I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO ANYMORE PROBLEMS, I STILL HAVE ALOT OF PAYMENTS TO MAKE, OH AND BY THE WAY, THE GAS MILEAGE IS HORRIBLE,BIGGER FULL SIZE VEHICLES GET BETTER MILEAGE THAN THE MID-SIZED DODGE DURANGO GETS AND THE HEATER IN THE DODGE DURANGO IS NOT BUILT FOR THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE, THE VENTING IS TOO SMALL, I HAD THIS CHECKED OUT AT THE GARAGE ALSO, COMPARED TO THE DIAMETER OF THE VENT IN THE CHEVY OR FORD, I AM VERY UN-SATISFIED WITH MY DODGE DURANGO---- I KNOW NOW, LOOKS ISN'T ANYTHING, AND MY NEXT VEHICLE WILL BE A CHEVY/GMC !!!!!!

I AM WRITING TO DOCUMENT THE FRONT-END REPAIRS MADE TO MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO AND THE EXPENSES INCURRED IN 2003. I AM ASKING THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER REIMBURSE ME IN FULL FOR THESE EXPENSES. THESE REPAIRS WERE NECESSARY DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR, WHICH HAS BEEN A DOCUMENTED DESIGN DEFECT IN NUMEROUS OTHER DODGE DURANGOS OF THE MODEL YEARS 1998  2000. FRONT-END REPAIRS PERFORMED IN 2003 TO MY DODGE DURANGO: REPLACEMENT OF UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS$769.1804/09/2003 REPLACEMENT OF RIGHT & LEFT FRONT HUB BEARINGS$1,092.4409/20/2003 REPLACEMENT OF FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY$983.8511/06/2003 TOTAL FRONT-END REPAIR COSTS INCURRED:$2,845.47

CONSUMER LEARNED THAT THE BALL JOINTS AND A FRAME BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *PH

BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT WE RECENTLY HAD THE BALL JOINTS CHECKED AFTER WATCHING INFORMATION ON TV ABOUT THE ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY FAILING BALL JOINTS ON DURANGO'S AND OTHER DODGE TRUCKS. IN OUR CASE, WE INSPECTED THE PARTS WITH THE AUTO TECHNICIAN (SOMEONE WE KNOW VERY WELL). AT THAT TIME, WE SAW AND WERE ADVISED STRONGLY TO REPLACE THE EQUIPMENT. SINCE YOUNGER DRIVERS IN OUR FAMILY SOMETIMES USE THIS VEHICLE, WE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AT OUR FINANCIAL EXPENSE. WE REALIZE THAT IT WAS OUR CHOICE BUT WE ARE MORE AT EASE WITH THE USE OF THE VEHICLE. PEACE OF MIND IS BETTER THAN TAKING THE CHANCE OF AN ACCIDENT. *NM

CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BALL JOINTS AND BUSHINGS DEFECT THEY EXPERIENCED WITH THEIR VEHICLE COULD CAUSE INJURY OF DEATH. *PH *MR

REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR BALL JOINT REPAIR. *PH CONSUMER FOUND OUT AFTER BEING INFORMED BY A TELEVISION PROGRAM ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE WEARING OF THE BALL JOINTS ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES WHICH WAS EXPERIENCED BY THE CONSUMER. *LA

THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *PH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD ON 2 OCCASIONS THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE REPAIRS. *SC

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK *SC *JB

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE WORN, AND ARE EXCESSIVELY WEARING OUR BRAND NEW SET OF TIRES. WE ARE VERY UPSET THAT DODGE IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS PROBLEM. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WITH SO MANY ISSUES BEFORE, THE INTAKE GASKET, THE ABS SENSOR, THE SEAL ON REAR AXLE, A SEAT BELT THAT WOULDN'T WORK, AND NOW THIS. VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE VEHICLE AS A WHOLE.*AK