2004 DODGE DURANGO Complaints

BOUGHT 2004 3.7L DODGE DURANGO JAN 2004 .WITHIN YEAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO ARRIGO DODGE, WPBCH, FLORIDA. LEFT IT FOR A FEW DAYS, CALLED TO SAY IT WAS READY. REASON FOR FAILURE - BAD SENSOR. DROVE HOME, LIGHT BACK ON.TOOK IT TO ARRIGO. THEY KEPT IT FOR A WEEK. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE HARNESS (ELECTRICAL) HAD A SHORT, SO THEY REPLACED IT.GOT IT BACK WITH THE LIGHT ON. THEY TOOK IT BACK INTO THE SHOP FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THEN THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOOK IT BACK TO SAY THEY JUST TURNED OFF THE WARNING LIGHT. WITHIN A MONTH MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A VIBRATION IN THE MOTOR. BY THE BEGINING OF 2006, THE VIBRATION GOT WORSE. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN. BY THIS TIME, MY 75000 MILE POWERTRANE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE STUCK IN THE OIL PUMP SCREEN AND AS SUCH THE OIL WAS NOT CIRCULATING LIKE IT SHOULD.THE NIGHT BEFORE I WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS, I PARKED IT IN MY NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY. WOKE UP EARLY,WENT TO THE TRUCK OPENED THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED / SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALL THE WARNING AND IGNITION LIGHTS WERE ON AND SPEEDOMETER WAS CYCLING BETWEEN ZERO AND 10 MPH. . I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, WHICH STOPPED THE BURNING. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE MODULE IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS BURNT, AND FOR THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM , THEY FOUND THAT THE MOTOR WAS RUINED. AS A RESULT OF ALL THIS I HAD TO PAY $800+ TO FIX THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEM AND MY MECHANIC FOUND A MOTOR TO REPLACE MINE AT AN ADDITIONAL $2500. I'M CONVINCED THE WARNING LIGHT WAS INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AND HAD THEY NOT TURNED OFF THE WARNING LIGHT, I WOULD HAVE PAID ENOUGH ATTENTION TO THE VEHICLE TO NOT WIND UP WITH A RUINED ENGINE. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS RECALL FOR A CAPACITOR IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BUT THE RECALL WAS DONE ON MY VEHICLE BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. THUS I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. *NM

FINALLY GOT TRUCK BACK FROM BODY SHOP (9 WEEKS) AND SERVICE AFTER A TOTAL OF $13219 IN DAMAGE. ALL CAUSED BY THIS STALLING PROBLEM ON 2004 DODGE DURANGO LIMITED WITH A HEMI. STILL AFTER THE ACCIDENT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO TELL ME WHY THIS HAPPENED. THE TYPICAL ANSWER IS "SORRY BUT WE CANNOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM AND NO CODES ARE COMING UP". SO TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN !!! I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD THE TRUCK BACK FOR 1 MONTH !!! GOT IN THE TRUCK ON SATURDAY AROUND 10:00 AM (5/20) WITH MY WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN AFTER A HAIRCUT. STARTED THE TRUCK, PUT IT REVERSE AND NOTHING. IT STALLED !?!?! TRIED TWICE MORE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. FINALLY THE TRUCK STAYED STARTED ON THE FORTH TRY. STARTED DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 30-35 MPH, COMING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE TRUCK STALLED. IMAGINE THAT !!! STOPPED AND PUT IN PARK AND STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. GOT BACK TO OUR HOUSE AND CALLED DEALER. HE SAID BRING IT UP. GOT A CALL TODAY (MONDAY 5/22) FROM DEALER AND YOU WILL NEVER GUESS THE ANSWER I GOT. YOUR RIGHT !!! " SORRY BUT WE CANNOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM AND NO CODES ARE COMING UP". NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT. WE ARE SCARED OF THIS VEHICLE AND WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE. *NM

WE PURCHASED OUR DURANGO NEW IN 8/04. ON 9/ 9/04 THE TRUCK STARTED, BUT DIED WHILE I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED IT NEEDED AN UPDATE PERFORMED ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 9/24/04 AND THEN IN OCT. IT HAD TO BE TOWED AND THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY APPARENTLY DID NOT GET THE UPDATE COMPLETED OR DONE PROPERLY. WE BEGAN NOTICING THEN THAT THE TRUCK FELT AS IF IT WAS SURGING OR ALMOST SKIPPING A GEAR. MULTIPLE PEOPLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP TEST DROVE IT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE JUST FEELING MORE W/ THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A SMOOTH RIDE COMPARED TO MOST 4WD VEHICLES. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE FINALLY GAVE UP. NOW ON 3/ 25/06 THE TRUCK DIED WHILE IN PARK IN A PARKING LOT. THAT SAME NIGHT IT SURGED AS I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC. W/IN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS I STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE IT WAS AS IF THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO DIE. ON THE MORNING OF 3/28 THE TRUCK SURGED AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE TRUCK IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE NEXT DAY IT DIED ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT THE TRUCK FOR ABOUT A WEEK, STATED THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND IT SHOWED NOTHING WAS WRONG,DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 30 MILES DURING THAT TIME W/OUT INCIDENT. NOW IT HAS DIED AGAIN WHILE I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE. I AM TIRED OF BEING TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. A VEHICLE SHOULD NOT JUST DIE WHILE YOU ARE GOING DOWN A ROAD W/OUT ANY WARNING. AT NO TIME HAVE WE HAD ANY LIGHTS COME ON THE DASH ADVISING OF A PROBLEM. IT IS VERY DISTURBING TO THINK THAT CHRYSLER IS OKAY W/ US DRIVING OUR FAMILIES AROUND IN THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN THAT I TOTE AROUND IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS NOT VERY COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT IT WILL DIE UNEXPECTEDLY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH OR LESS THE ENGINE STALLED AND LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT PRODUCED NO FAILURES CODES. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THAT VEHICLE SHUT OFF/STALLED OFF 8 TIMES IN 16 MONTHS, AND HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN REPLACED OR REPAIRED, AND IT CONTINUED TO SHUT OFF WHILE COMING TO A STOP. THIS WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, ALL OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON. AFTERWARDS, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RE-ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING INSPECTION. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V528000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 4/11/2006 - *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON I-91 SOUTH IN MA (IN THE EVENING, WITH TWO OF MY KIDS AGES 5 & 7) IN MY 2004 DODGE DURANGO SUV THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY CUT OUT - TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT DARK. THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON AND THE RADIO CONTINUED TO FUNCTION. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND THE IGNITION KEY WAS IN THE PROPER POSITION - THIS WAS NOT CAUSED THE MY HAVING INADVERTENTLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, ETC OR BY THE CAR HAVING BEEN INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF. THIS WAS A SUDDEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FLASHERS ON (THEY WORKED) AND COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION FROM DRIVE TO PARK. I TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. I CHECKED THE HEADLIGHTS -- THEY WENT ON AND OFF. I CHECKED THE RADIO IT WENT ON AND OFF. I WAITED A MOMENT TO COLLECT MY THOUGHTS. THEN, I TURNED THE KEY AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP NO PROBLEM. I LET THE ENGINE IDLE FOR A MOMENT AND CHECKED FOR ANY ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS - THERE WERE NONE. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND PROCEEDED ON THE SHOULDER FOR A SHORT DISTANCE TO SEE IF THE CAR WOULD GO. IT DID. I WAS ABLE TO ENTER BACK ON TO THE INTERSTATE AND RESUME BY TRIP. THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PERFECTLY NORMALLY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. I VEHICLE HAS ALSO CONTINUED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY SINCE THEN WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS ENGINE CUT OUT PROBLEM HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I AM CONCERNED, HOWEVER, THAT THE PROBLEM COULD RECUR AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. WHILE FORTUNATELY THIS TIME THAT AN ACCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR AND NO ONE WAS INJURED, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT GIVEN A DIFFERENT SITUATION AND THIS SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED THERE COULD EASILY BE AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH AND/OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, AS WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE. A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15MPH THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE IS POSSIBLE INTERNAL SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE CONTACT'S LUNGS. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FILED A REPORT. THE FIRE STARTED WITH THE INTERNAL LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS SWITCH. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND ARE CURRENTLY INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. PREVIOUSLY, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE INTERNAL LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED, THE ALARM TURNED ON, AND WHILE TOUCHING THE DOOR IT SHOCKED THE CONTACT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE KEYLESS ENTRY, AN ELECTRICAL PART AND A PART IN THE HEATER. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED.

2004 DODGE DURANGO WITH THE 5.7 HEMI ERRADIC IDLING AND STALLING AT DIFFERENT TIMES. *NM

THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE STOPPED. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART FOR AN HOUR OR SO. WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS THE POWER COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE ALSO ARE EFFECTED (IE STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.). THIS HAS LED TO A COUPLE OF NEAR COLLISIONS ON THE FREEWAY AND SURFACE STREETS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE VOICED MY CONCERNS TO OTHER OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES EVEN AFTER TSB ITEMS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILS TO ENGAGE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE GEARS. *JB

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DURANGO SLT FROM THE BEGINNING TO PRESENT I HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT BELT COVER A WHOPPING "4" TIMES AND HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN. IT IS MADE OF PLASTIC INCLUDING THE HOOKS ON THE BACK SO EVERYTIME THE SEAT BELT TAPS ON IT JUST RIGHT IT SNAPS THE PLASTIC BRACKETS ON THE BACK AND OFF IT FALLS. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STEREO AND AM ABOUT TO DO IT AGAIN. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO FEED THE CD. WHEN YOU SHUT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, IT STOPS. *NM