2004 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

ON WEDNESDAY THE 6TH OF DECEMBER I WAS DRIVING MY DODGE DURANGO AND NOTICED THAT THE DOME LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY THAT DAY MY WIFE TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE BANK ,WHILE SHE WAS THERE SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THIS GOT HER ATTENTION AND SHE LOOKED AT THE GAUGES AND NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE GAUGES WERE READING ZERO,THE TOW/HAUL LIGHT WAS ON AND THEN THE WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES. A SHORT TIME LATER SMOKE STARTED BLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS. SHE QUICKLY GOT OUT OF THE BANK LINE AND PARKED IT. SHE CALLED ME SO I DROVE DOWN TO CHECK IT OVER. AS SOON AS I OPENED THE DOOR I NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF BURNT WIRING. I GAVE IT A QUICK LOOK OVER AND FOUND THE TURN SIGNALS AND STOP LIGHTS WERE ALSO NOT WORKING. LATER THAT NIGHT WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK TO MY SHOP(WITH THE WIPERS STILL GOING)I CHECKED ON ALLDATA FOR SERVICE BULLETINS TO HELP ME DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND FOUND RECALL C43 WHICH SEEMED TO BE A MATCH FOR OUR SYMPTOMS. I PULLED THE CLUSTER TO CHECK FOR BURNT WIRING BUT DID NOT FIND ANY. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED A STRONG BURNT SMELL FROM THE CLUSTER. I CALLED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE IF C43 APPLIED TO MY VEHICLE AND THEY SAID THAT IT DID NOT,BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT 2 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL DATE. I ASKED IF THEY COULD OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE BUT THEY FLATLY REFUSED BECAUSE I HAD PULLED THE GAUGES MYSELF EVEN THOUGH I AM A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WITH 11 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. I HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM YET BUT I WILL PROBABLY REPLACE THE CLUSTER NEXT WEEK. *JB

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY TURNED OFF. THE DASH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH SMOKE. THE DASH IS NOW COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. CHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE DEALER CANNOT SAY WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE!! *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THIS OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND BOTH TIMES, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE RESURFACED. THE ROTORS HAD ALREADY BEEN RESURFACED TWICE AT 17000 MILES AND THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE ROTORS WOULD PULSATE. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

WHILE DRIVING (20 MPH) THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FELL OFF. APPARENTLY, THE FOUR BOLTS THAT ONCE ANCHORED THIS SHAFT JUST FELL OUT. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 36,000 MILES. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND HAD NO PARK GEAR SO I APPLIED THE PARKING BREAK. THE VEHICLE IS AS THE DEALERSHIP PENDING REPAIR. *NM

ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE IN A LEFT TURN. LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL & POWER. WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. TOOK 6 TRIES TO RESTART VEHICLE. *NM

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. LOSS OF ALL POWER. WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER, AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND STOP CAR. WAS ABLE TO RESTART ENGINE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE SUSPENSION. THE TIE ROD AND SPINDLE BOTH FRACTURED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IMMEDIATELY FALL TO THE RIGHT, AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO SPIN BACK, WHICH INJURED THE LEFT HAND OF THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT HAD SEPARATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. UPDATED 01/26/07. *JB

I JUST ENTERED A SHOPPING PLAZA DRIVING APROX 10 MILES PER HOUR AND THE 2004 DODGE DURANGO'S TIE ROD, SPINDLE AND BALL JOINT BROKE OFF. *JB

MY TRUCK HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES, AND AT ONE POINT WOULD NOT EVEN START, THE DEALER SAID IT IS A DIRTY THROTTLE BODY CAUSING THIS, BUT I DO NOT THINK THEY EVEN REALLY LOOKED INTO IT, ESPECIALLY AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLRM! *NM