Dodge Durango Reviews

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About Dodge Durango

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The Dodge Durango is an SUV with six models to choose from. Read more Dodge reviews to learn about other models.


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Dodge Durango Reviews

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    Page 5 Reviews 470 - 670

    Reviewed Oct. 31, 2006

    Chrysler's black box currently can only be read by THEIR technicians and THEIR software at THEIR location. It provides inaccurate information, thereby nullifying any claims of manufacturer's defect. My first hand experience with Chrysler Daimler is as of the result of the death of my only child while riding in a Chrysler Durango when the airbags deployed causing the driver to lose control. Chrysler, however, painted a different picture with their reconstruction. If this is going to be done, and I think it should, standards need to be set so that ANY law enforcement agency can immediately download the information from the black box. The Chrysler-Daimler black box is designed solely to keep them out of the litigation arena for their faulty products.

    Death of my son. Economic? No dollar value can be put on one's only child. The Durango was reduced to rubble as the driver had attempted to swerve to miss a car drifing into his lane while the cruise control was in use at 70 mph. The swerving vehicle ($800 damgage) tapped the right front quarter panel (not the front end), deploying the airbag. The durango then careened wildly across the median and struck a tractor trailer truck, rolled over and landed on it's wheels. The driver of the Durango was uninjured. My son died of massive head injuries and blood loss. My many thanks to those fine upstanding lawyers who represent Chrysler-Daimler in advocate for their sleazy products despite serious defects in design.

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    Reviewed Oct. 26, 2006

    I have a 2004 Dodge Durango. It has 45,000 miles and the electrical system has been giving me problems and is getting worse. It started with the check engine light coming on. It was taken in and reset several times. The ABS light started coming on weeks after so it was taken in again. Now, My whole electrical system is gone. I came out of work the other day to find my car running. I couldn't shut it off.

    When I did finally get it shut off by disconecting the battery, I had to buy a new battery because it wouldn't start after hooking it back up. Then the car started on it's own. Once we got it off, you didn't need a key to start it any longer. I took it in and I was told the ignition switch is broke, there is electrical problems leading to the breaks and electrical problems leading to the engine. This is very unsafe for me an my family as well as the general public. I'm afraid that something may happen when I'm driving and kill me or someone else. I don't want to be another 60 minutes headline like the whole firestone incident.

    Spent over 900 dollars getting repairs done. Afraid this will continue after reading about the problems Dodge has with their vehicles and want it reported in case other people are having these same problems. Want it noted so someone doesn't get hurt.

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    Reviewed Oct. 22, 2006

    1998 Dodge Durango, Defective rear speed sensor. Transmission failure at 97,000 miles which was covered by Wynn's warranty minus a $116.00 Deductible. Upper and Lower Ball joint failure at 98,000 miles with repair/alignment costs of $1,000.00 and now having a problem with stalling/sudden loss of power while driving. No codes have set and all electrical connections have been cleaned and verified tight and sound. Still have the same problem. Also now there is an intermittent knock coming from the engine with sudden changes from normal to no oil pressure. Vehicle has been maintained well since I bought it used approx 1 year ago. I still owe over $5,000 on this vehicle and am afraid I will be stuck with a truck I can't drive and a payment I won't be able to make since I won't have any transportation to my job. I purchased this vehicle in good faith due to the Advertising by Chrysler of their quality. I feel the company has betrayed the American Public.

    Due to the transmission failure I had to stay with a friend that lives near my place of employment for 2 weeks since I did not have transportation. The ball joint fiasco required over $1,000 from my savings. The intermittent stalling and now the knock is extremely stressful waiting for the next problem that will be expensive to fix. From what I've found using google and other searches I see that these are widespread problems relating to this vehicle and feel Chrysler should be responsible for repairs or re-imbursement to owners since the actual product certainly doesn't meet their representation of it in their advertising.

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    Reviewed Oct. 16, 2006

    I own a 1998 Dodge Durango. I replaced the ball joints prior to discovering that there is an on-going problem with them. At a regular tire rotation, I was told they are wearing again - less than 15,000 miles after the first replacement. I called Dodge and was told there are no recalls on this for this year. There should be - since it appears that the problem has been going on models from 1998 to the current.

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    Reviewed Oct. 4, 2006

    i bought a used 1998 dodge dakota about a year and a half ago. i was driving on I-80 about a week ago when i heard a pop and then my car jerked to the right and off of the road into a ditch. when i got out and looked what the problem was i saw i had a flat tire. when brought to a mechanic they informed me that my ball joint had snapped and punctured my tire causing it to burst and throw me off of the road. prior to this incident i had about $1300 put into the truck (suspension problems, steering problems,etc.). now the mechaninc tells me i will need to invest another $1400 into the truck for tie rods, new ball joints, and tires. this is ridiculous. i am a college student and have a part time job, and make no where near the amount of money that needs to be put into this truck. i hold dodge and dodge only accountable for all the problems with this truck.

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    Reviewed Oct. 3, 2006

    I have a 1999 Dodge Durango SLT with 86,000 miles. I have replaced the brakes 3 times before this incident. I was entering the freeway at 30mph and my left rear wheel locked up, my right rear wheel then locked up. Basically the whole braking system exploded inside the drum. The parts look like someone set off a grenade inside the braking system.

    I just replaced both rear drums and brakes. I also just added another set of brakes to the front.

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    Reviewed Sept. 29, 2006

    I purchased a brand new 2003 Dodge Durango SXT in January 2004. It only had 60 miles on it at time of purchase. I now (in 2006) have only 23,000 miles, I don't drive it much. I have had sooooo many problems with the check engine light coming on over and over these past few months. I have to take it in literally every 2 weeks for the past 3 months. They keep saying, another part failed, another hose in the emissions busted, another part failed. The latest one was my computer system that controls the emissions, transmission, everything major, has failed, it was replaced a week ago, and now that check engine light is back on again! I have purchased used cars with not even half the problems I have had with this SUV.

    It doesn't make sense, I used to think highly of Dodge, but I will never purchase another Dodge vehicle EVER AGAIN. I recommend anyone looking for a good vehicle never purchase a Dodge, you will live to regret it, especially if you can't sell the peice of crap due to the knowledge of people that know about these issues with Dodge. I only wish someone would have informed me before I wasted my money and time on Dodge.

    Hasn't caused an accident/damage yet but I do have an 8 month old baby and you better believe if an accident happens in result of failure of this vehicle, Dodge is going down.

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    Reviewed Sept. 28, 2006

    On 09-27-06 I pulled out of a gas station into the median until it was safe for me to continue but when I braked, my steering wheel locked up and so did the brakes and the Durango went to the left. I let off the brake and stood on the pedal and it finally stopped. A car was coming and thank God the lady saw what was happening and stopped before she got to me. I have an appointment with Burgin Ddoge here in Knoxville today for an oil change and I told them about what happened and they said they would check it out today and that my transmission may need to be flushed but I believe there's more to it than that. I have never had anything like that happen. I work in an area that is busy and has a lot of gas stations and 18 wheelers that stop for gas. I hope it doesn't happen one day when I pull out near where I work.

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    Reviewed Sept. 11, 2006

    Upon purchasing my brand new 2004 Dodge Durango Limited my wife and I drove with our 1 year old son and 5 year old daughter to a town 5 hours north of us. We experienced groaning and vibrations under the front of the vehicle. When returning home the computer started to malfunction and turned the heat, air, dash lights etc. on and off like it was possessed. When it was taken to the dealership, it had to be towed in on their diagnostic test drive. The problem with the computer was repaired, but ongoing issues were an inability to shift the (automatic) vehicle into drive for at least five minutes in cold weather, loose front end/handling, goan and vibrations from engine or transmission at 2000 rpms.

    The vehicle is now two years old, and due to highway driving, past Chrysler's very limited warranty. While driving home from work on the highway this weekend, the interior lights came on on their own and stayed on, then the wipers started going at varied speeds on their own, the dash gauge and tow/haul lights started flshing randomly and subsequently smoke began pouring out of the dash due to an electrical fire. The dealership stated that a chip on the computer board caught fire without explanation or cause found and that I require an entire dash cluster replacement. This will cost about $1000 CDN. to replace, but Chrysler does not warranty the work, even though it is clearly a flaw with the computer. I also expect another $3000 in service issues to address the rest of the above concerns...not covered by Chrysler. I have owned 8 brand new vehicles before and never experienced any problems like this. Chrysler makes a dangerous and garbage product and does not care about its' customers. I'm going back to GMC Danalis.

    The new dash panel will cost about $1000 CDN. to replace, but Chrysler does not warranty the work, even though it is clearly a flaw with the computer. I also expect another $3000 in service issues to address the rest of the above concerns...not covered by Chrysler.

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    Reviewed Sept. 11, 2006

    I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab pickup. This truck has made numerous trips to the dealership for various repairs. The most substantial one is the transmission. There is a problem, but the parts to fix it are not available, nor do any dealerships know when the parts will be available as there is no promise date for them. The problem has made my truck untrustworthy, and I no longer want it. I have been trying to get it replace under the lemon law, but since it has not been in the shop 3 times for the same problem it does not qualify. No other dealerships will look at it, because there is nothing they can do to fix it since the parts are not available. I am very disappointed with my purchase.

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    Reviewed Sept. 11, 2006

    I have a 1999 dodge durango and have had issue with the ball joints, just had to replace at 1,000 + cost to me--- I notice the recall is for 1998 year--- how can I feel secure that my vehicle isn't also affected and they are not being honest.

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    Reviewed Sept. 8, 2006

    My 2004 Durango Engine Light came on, drove the vehicle to my marina, parked it for he day, went to start the durango and would not stay running. Had a tow truck tow it to Richmond to the chrysler dealer on Monday Morning and they did not even look at it until Thursday morning. Diagnostics could not tell them what was wrong so they manuaaly traced out wiring and found on Friday that the Instrument Cluster was the culprit. Called the manufacture for the part and they had none,In the mean while I am renting a vehicle to be able to go back and forth to work at $40.00/day. The dealer ship would not help out on the cost.

    Called Chrysler corporate and they came with the cost of the part and I would pay for Labor. WHY!!!! It wasn't my fault for a faulty Instrument Cluster. It took 7 days plus the holiday weekend to get my vehicle back. Then when I picked it up the passenger airbag light was on and The dealership wanted another diagnostic fee to see what ws wrong. So I'm driving with this light on.

    The cost for Labor and Parts was $792.00 and Chrysler picked up $491 and I paid for the labor of $301. I also paid $275.00 to rent a car since they could not fix my vehicle in a timely matter. Plus I had to use two vacation days for time lost due to no vehicle to drive.

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    Reviewed Sept. 6, 2006

    On 8-23-2006 me and my daughter were driving our 2004 Durango to the when we noticed the smell of something burning .we pulled over and called my husband to come look car at the since we had only gotten 2 blocks from our home.he checked under the hood and dash board and thought we should take it into the dealer since we were 100 yds from them.we pulled into to service and the flames were coming out of the dash board behind the steering wheel. While i was trying to get help from someone in service all the while being told someone would be with me in a few minutes, my husband burned his hand. Finally they came out and put out the fire.

    They still havent told us what exactly started the fire but want us to sign a release, covenant not to sue, and hold harmless agreement to get our car fixed. Why would we have to sign this when it was a default in the car?

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    Reviewed Sept. 5, 2006

    I just want to warn people about my 1998 Dodge Durango problem that may save your life!I change my own oil every 3000 miles.At that time I lubricate all grease fittings (suspension, driveshaft joints Etc.) I also check the balljoints for any signs of wear and have changed them when needed.On the steering I grease the outer tie rod ends.The INNER TIE ROD ENDS are nonserviceable and are covered completely by a rubber boot. I have faithfully checked them for play and found none.

    While my wife was driving home from work (without my three kids) she lost her steering and almost hit the oncoming traffic.The left inner tie rod broke.Once the car was towed home, I cut the boot off the inner tie rod and found the tie rod rotted away until the ball could pull from the socket from lack of metal! I immediately cut the boot off the other side only to find the same problem.There are going to be a lot of these failing this year! Do yourself a favor -- If you have original inner tierods, replace them even if there is no play in them.

    Cost me $300 only because I replaced all tie rod ends myself and luckily didn't bend up my suspension and was able to get the truck aligned. Luckily my wife was only going slow when this happened!

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    Reviewed Sept. 5, 2006

    I have a 5.2 Dodge durango 2000. That thing hasn't given me one lick of problems other than a very small and patchable hole in the radiator hose. I have 77,935 miles on it and get lazy some times and take it to those quick lube places and it's still fine. I absolutely love it, I didn't give you my information because I don't know how nice of people you are but being that you want to file class-action lawsuits against companies I'm gonna assume the worst. Just make an honest living and don't sue these people just cause your lazy. Thank you.

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    Reviewed Sept. 1, 2006

    Let me just begin by telling you I drive a 1999 Dodge Durango. The car ha 103,000 miles on it and I have had it serviced faithfully since I bought it brand new. Thank goodness this is my second extended warranty I have bought from Dodge. My current warranty runs out at 113,000 miles. I was notified this week after having my oil changed that I have a small leak in the seal of my transmission. How could that be? They serviced my transmission 2500 miles ago when they also had to replace the rear differential because the gear broke and pieces were shattering all over.

    Less than a year ago they replaced the ball joints, rocker arms, etc... you name it - and it's been replaced. They told me they weren't sure if the transmission was covered under warranty until they actually look at it, but the leak is small enough it go ahead and drive it because they can't get to it until after the holiday weekend. Does this make me nervous - you bet! My steering column has been replaced, and now the front end is starting to make the same squeaking noises as before, as well as I am now hearing knocking in the engine when I accelerate from time to time.

    The car goes through oil, and I have been told it is normal to add a few quarts of oil between oil changes. That sounds crazy to me, since I get my oil changed eery 2500 - 3000 miles. I really like Dodge vehicles, but this is ridiculous. I am dreading Wednesday, who knows how much money they are going to try to suck out of me this time around.

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    Reviewed Aug. 31, 2006

    The transmission in my 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 truck failed at 93,000 miles. A factory replacement cost me $3200 with installation. 17,000 miles later it failed again. This time, after much hassle from the dealer service manager, it was replaced under warranty. I was told that I need to install a transmission oil cooler, at my expense, which I did. It has now failed again after 23,000 miles and 23 months. The dealer tells me that the warranty period goes back to the original failure, not the installation of the last transmission. Therefore it is out of warranty, and I will need to spend another $3200.

    I now have an inoperable truck, due to Dodge's substandard equipment.

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    Reviewed Aug. 31, 2006

    I have a 2004 Dodge Durango and generally like it, but I have been stranded in various and awkward places at least a dozen times. The battery just doesn't keep a charge sometimes. Once there was a recall on some sort of negative battery tie stap blah, blah, blah. They replaced that with what I 'm going to assume was the same faulty part. They have repaced my stereo twice and both times the battery had to also be replaced. Yet I am told that these things are not connected. I will have to say that they replaced my stereo the second time while NOT under warranty. Were they appeasing me because there is a bigger problem here?

    My dodge is dead in the driveway as I speak, someone from the dealership will be calling me back soon....its been two hours. And I was mad when I called, respectful yet angry. Now I know that all of this is more fortunate than having a wreck like others have had. I just bought a new car in '04 because I wanted security for myself and my children. Getting stranded does not feel safe!!

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    Reviewed Aug. 29, 2006

    I purchased a brand new Dodge Durango in 2000 and had several problems with it, including the oil pressure. However, instead of my oil pressure going to 0, it would redline. I took it to the dealership where I bought it and the mechanic told me that it was due to engine oil build-up and sludge. Well, when I advised him that I wanted an explanation as to how the sludge occurred because I had the oil changed every 3,000 miles at their facility (and I had all of my work orders and receipts), his story suddenly changed to say that oh, it's a sensor in the oil pump, we'll change that and everything will be okay. It wasn't okay, the oil pressure was never normal after that, it was always a little high. So, I traded that vehicle in last October (2005) and purchased a brand new 2005 Durango. Guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time around. My vehicle now has just over 10,000 miles on it and it's been a headache since the day I bought it. The first week I had it I was driving home one night and the headlights started turning on and off on their own and the door locks kept going up and down. I called the dealership and was advised your vehicle is just possessed, bring it in and we'll perform and exorcism for you. Needless to say, I was quite ****** off at that point and went off on the guy on the phone. According to the dealership, it was a computer problem caused by my after market alarm. Seems strange that it took over a week for the computer to realize it had a problem. Last month, (July), I took my vehicle in for the windshield motor recall which the dealership replaced. Now, this month, (August), it's back in the shop because the check engine light came on yesterday while driving home and the vehicle wouldn't shift. I checked the transmission fluid (quick fix) and it is full, so I'm just waiting to see what they tell me the problem is now. Also, the passenger side seatbelt light likes to come on when no one is sitting there and will NOT go off. Just another in the long list of problems I've had with these vehicles. I will never own another Dodge/Chrysler product. This is my 4th one and they've all had nothing but problems. If I could trade this vehcile in without owing a fortune, I would just to get rid of it now before it becomes even more of a headache.

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    Reviewed Aug. 19, 2006

    I have just purchased my 1999 Dodge Durango. I thought my only problems were minor, after reading up I find I was wrong. I have had problems that are exact to others. My driver's side rear power window quit working and luckily Dodge half way fixed it. My car creaks everytime I go over a hump, of course according to the dealer this is normal. Everytime I stop my check guages light comes on. Even though I have window washer fluid full my low wash light stays on. I am noticing noises increasing with everyday and did not realize the severity of what it could be. I have owned this vehicle two weeks and I had a Car Fax report that said no significant problems reported at this time. I need help I can not afford a problem that would cost close to a thousand dollars. On a smaller note my dealership lied about my financing. Has not done the all of the minor repairs I asked for them to do and they agreed to do before my purchase.

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    Reviewed Aug. 16, 2006

    It seems we were going through a tank of gas every few days... we tested the mileage using the method recommended by fueleconomy.gov and it ranged from 10-16 mpg. The new vehicle sticker boasted 19-26 mpg, that's why we traded in our 2002 Ford Explorer that got 19mpg. We've brought it in to Dodgeland several times, they keep saying there is no way to test it and that their computer says everything is fine. We finally brought it to another dealer, Addy Dodge, who tested it and said it is getting 14-16mpg, but that they contacted Daimler Chrysler and they said this was acceptable. It is NOT acceptable for it to be getting so much less that what is stated, and it's MUCH lower than what the government's website says it should be getting!

    It is costing us at least $150 more in gas per month, and a lot of high blood pressure every time I fill up with gas and calculate the gas mileage.

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    Reviewed Aug. 15, 2006

    We were driving on the highway in our 1999 Durango, and all of a sudden our oil pressure dropped. We stopped off at a small gas station and let the vehicle sit, after 1 hour we started the vehicle up and drove 150 miles and never had a problem. We took the vehicle to Dodge, the Service manager advised us that they were going to replace the sending unit, that it was bad. 3 months later, we experienced the same problem again, this time they needed to keep it, they gave us a rental and worked on it trying to fix it for 3 days, when we went to pick it up, we were told that it would be in our best interest to trade it in and buy another vehicle. Suprise, we are upside down and cannot do it. We continued to drive the vehicle and didn't have any problems, we changed the oil every 1000 miles, and did several engine treatments. 2 years later, we are still having the problem, and now we are not even able to drive it 5 miles, without loosing oil pressure. We never missed an oil change, and we are now changing it more than needed.

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    Reviewed Aug. 8, 2006

    Aug 8, 2006 Right front end ball joint separated while driving, luckily at slow speeds on a back road, on my 2000 Durango. It looked very rusty when we looked at it. A grease nipple would probably have helped prevent this!

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    Reviewed July 29, 2006

    My 2000 Dodge Durango experienced the same oil pressure problem. I changed the oil, it helped for two days until the engine seized. I am now on-line looking for a replacement engine. Dodge knows about this manufacturers defect, but blames it on lack of oil changes. Easy out for a sludge build-up that occurs whether the oil is changed or not !

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    Reviewed July 29, 2006

    I have a Dodge Durango 4x4 year 2000. My front left rim flew off my truck along with the front left tire that eventually flew off the rim I was going about 45 to 50 mph because I suddenly heard a big knocking noise coming from the left front side of my truck. I right away put on my emergency lights right after I noticed that the front rim with the wheel flew off, and I put my two hands on the steering wheel and started to brake slowly to bring my truck to a complete stop. It took me about 20 to 25 feet after the tire flew off for me to stop the truck completely.

    While I was doing this I noticed that the truck was driving on three wheels and the left side was sparking because I was driving on the brake disk. Leaving me stuck on the 101 freeway going Northbound on the second from the slow lane. Everything happened so quickly, but it seemed that this horrible incident was never going to end, also because I had my son (4yrs) and my youngest daughter (15 months) were with me at the time of this accident. My son was really shaken up and so was I, but I had to keep calm so my children would not panic if I was showing that I was shaken and hysterical, and really scared for our lives. I really want to make my incident known to the public so that Chrysler Dodge can take responsibility for this incident, and help repair the damage that was caused to my truck by a possible defect in my truck. It took 8 whole minutes to get out of this horrible ordeal. Thank You.

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    Reviewed July 18, 2006

    I have just been informed that the right upper ball joint on my 1997 Dodge Dakota needs to be replaced. This will be the fifth time that I have had a ball joint replaced on this vehicle. The first was after 12,000 miles and that was the last one that was replaced for free - it was replaced again later so I suppose it wasn't truly free, just loaned. The truck currently has just 72,000 miles on the odometer. This is the last remaining original ball joint.

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    Reviewed June 29, 2006

    My 2001 Dodge Durango has had the same sludge filled motor problem that I have been reading about on several sites. I purchased the vehicle in 2002 with about 5000 miles on it. It had been knocking so in March 2006 I took it to Dixie Automotive in Williamston, NC to have the timing chain replaced, a problem they had diagnosed.

    About 2 weeks later, they called me and said they could not get the engine to hold oil pressure, the engine was filled up with sludge, but they had replaced the timing chain so please bring them $1400.00 and pick up my truck with the engine problem.

    I picked up the truck and before I could make it 10 miles, the engine blew up. I have since read that this is a VERY prevalent issue in Durangos from that year. A used motor from a salvage yard (I called several) ranged from $1900.00 to $2500.00, with labor being between $700.00 to $1000.00. I have 2 small children. My payment on this truck was large, with insurance and gas also being expensive.

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    Reviewed June 13, 2006

    I just bought a used 2001 Dodge Dakota from the dealership. I paid cash. I had the truck for about a week when it started to run really rough and die. I experienced this problem a few times. I brought the truck to them they said they would find the problem and let us know.

    Then they stated that they found no problem with the truck. I was in disbelief, I took the truck home and it happened again this time it dies in traffic.

    The service manager stated he drove our truck over 200 miles and took it home to Lodi. I was really in disbelief that they would drive a customers car 200 miles and take it home with out authorization. They did not hold up to their end and the truck is not fixed. I am just getting the run around.

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    Reviewed June 11, 2006

    2001 Dodge Dakota-We just went over the 75,000 warranty mileage (75,300 miles) when the transmission goes out. We called customer service at Daimler Chrysler to see if there was anything they could do to help us. This is after just putting a new transmission in a 2000 Neon a month earlier at a price of $1,500.

    Chrysler customer service was very sympathetic with our problem and told us that we would need to take it to a dealer so that they could do a diagnostic to see what the problem was. We had to have it towed to the local Chrysler dealership. They ran a diagnostic and said that they could not tell what was wrong with it and that they would have to tear down the transmission at a cost of $382.

    Thinking that Chrysler was possibly going to help us, we said go ahead if that is what they need to make a decision. The dealer told us that if Chrysler wouldn't help us it would be around $1,800 to replace the transmission. Chrysler then said that they needed our maintenance records, so my husband called the dealer that we purchased from and had them fax the records to us so that we could fax to Chrysler.

    We purchased the extended warranty and have religiously had the recommended maintenance done on the truck. We do not haul anything heavy or do we pull anything with the truck. However, Chrysler said that we should have had a transmission flush at 30,0000 miles instead of the 40,000 miles when we had the flush done.

    Therefore they were not going to help us out. We looked in our owner's manual and the recommended transmission flush is 45,000 miles. When we called them to point this out they kept repeating we are standing by our decision. I realize that we were out of warranty so we were just asking for help. The thing that burns me up is that they knew they were not going to help us in the beginning and we now have a bill for $382 at their request for the dealer tearing the transmission down.

    Then the dealer tells us that a new transmission will cost us $3,800. Well we called the business that did our transmission in our Neon and they quoted us a price of $2,200 so we told the dealer to put all the parts in a box and that someone would be over to pick the truck up. We have always bought Chrysler products, our families are Chrysler workers. We were going to buy a new Chrysler around the beginning of 2007, however after this we will never buy another one. We expressed this to Chrysler and they were like well too bad.

    Everyone that we have talked to from Chryler customer service to the dealer that we took the truck had the truck towed to, to the dealer we bought it from says well, that's just not right. But nobody wants to make it right.

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    Reviewed May 15, 2006

    There is a known issue with the 5.2 liter engine in the Dodge Durango. These engines create sludge build up. They are aware of this but won't do anything about it then tell you its your fault for not doing frequent oil changes. This is happening with engines that have 24,000 miles and up.

    There is no engine that gets sludge built up at 24,000 miles. My truck has 87,000 mile and it is a '99. The value of the car is $7,500 and it cost $6,000 to replace the motor. There are multiple complaints on this and how come nothing is being done and Chrysler isn't being held accountable.

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    Reviewed May 2, 2006

    My 1999 Dodge Durango went from 90 pounds of oil pressure to 0. The Durango cost me $5000 dollars for a new motor.

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    Reviewed April 18, 2006

    I own a 1998 Dodge Durango. In the last year we have spent over $5,000 on repairs. We have replaced upper and lower ball joints. The brakes fell off while we were driving it. The transmission has had problem after problem. All the sensors have been replaced. We had to put a new rear end in it 3 weeks ago. That cost $2500. The computer has been replaced 8 months ago and now they are saying it needs to be replaced again and of course the warranty is no longer good.

    No Dodge Dealer wants to deal with us. We have three young children and I am a stay at home mom. We are so stuck with this vehicle that won't even run for a week at a time.

    No one at Dodge cares. I will never buy another dodge ever again.

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    Reviewed April 11, 2006

    We purchased a 1999 Durango in October of 2005 and have had nothing but problems with the front end. The dealer said they put new ball joints on it but it is still steering like crap we have taken it in to Big O Tires for alignments four times to fix the steering but it never fixes the problem.

    It goes where it wants and is hard to keep on the road. I also took it to an alignment store and they said the joints were not greased so they greased it and it did not fix the problem. We have also had to get a new fuel pump. This is a joke and the problems need to be fixed.

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    Reviewed March 28, 2006

    My 2004 Dodge Durango caught fire after being parked in my garage. It was completely engulfed in smoke. There is smoke damage to the garage contents and back of house. My 2 children were in the house while we were out to a conference for school. The truck is a total loss.

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    Reviewed March 9, 2006

    While driving my 1999 dodge durango the oil pressure dropped to zero and then went back to normal. I got the vehicle home and called my mechanic over to take a look at it and was told that the engine had sludge in it, and this is a common dodge problem. I was told that I needed a new motor. Cost from Dodge $5,500.

    After several run ins with Dodge I just decided to buy one from the local junkyard and rebuild it. The Dodge motor was rebuilt with some parts from the old motor that could be salvaged. Well after putting the new motor in everything was fine and good until after about 4,500 miles. I was driving down the road when the oil pressure dropped again and the check engine light came on again.

    I called my mechanic over again to look at this and he could hardly believe what he was looking at the rebuilt engine had sludge starting to form after only 4500 miles he then told me that this is very uncommon to see and that the plenum gasket must have got sucked into the motor causing this to happen.

    Now it looks like after this motor only had 43,000 miles on it and was rebuilt I am going to have to buy a another motor. This is a Chrylser problem and no one elses.

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    Reviewed Feb. 24, 2006

    I purchased a 1999 Dodge Quad Cab 4x4,5.9l, in Sept 98, with 67,185 miles. I was on way home on 02-21-06 when I applied the brakes, which went to the floor.

    Without brakes, I was at a intersection (no one else present at intersection), so I got off on the side road, and was was only 1/4 mi from home. When I got home, I called my local Dodge dealer and talked to the service department. When I stated what had happened and that I saw brake fluid dripping down from the frame behind the quad door and in front of the left rear wheel, the service person knew exactly what I was talking about . He stated that it would be around $500 to repair.

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    Reviewed Dec. 9, 2004

    We purchased our 2002 Durango new. We have so many problems with it including upper ball joints. Again the vehicle is making noise afraid to drive. The brakes do not stop this vehicle. Tires are wearing to to the ball joints. Upper sway bar bushing replace atleast 5 times. I can go on and on.

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    Reviewed Nov. 30, 2004

    Bought a 1998 Dodge Durango in 2003. I have already replaced the ball joints, tie rods, ac compressor, and now the oil pressure gauge started going up and down and the durango stopped running. Thankfully my son saw this and pulled over right away. I called a mechanic will be over $4000 and he stated this was a big problem with Durangos.

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    Reviewed Nov. 17, 2004

    I own a 2000 Dodge Dakota. On Nov. 15 2004 I was driving when my front passenger side wheel assembly fell off. I was unable to control my truck -- thank god the vehicle approaching from the opposite direction saw my truck swerve toward his direction and was able to avoid me. The truck has 60000 miles on it, all highway. My truck was towed to a private mechanic he said it would cost $2,500 to fix. I needed a new rack, new axle, new ball joints upper and lower among other parts and labor.

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    Reviewed Nov. 4, 2004

    I purchased a 2000 Dodge Durango from White Plains Dodge in June of 2003. I recently took it to my mechanic for a tuneup and was told I had the worst ball joint problem he had ever seen, and that it was extremely unsafe to drive. He said I was lucky to be alive. The vehicle has only 86,000 miles on it. I had heard about a possible recall on this part and called to inquire, but was told the matter was under investigation.

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    Reviewed Nov. 3, 2004

    As I type this my 2002 Dodge Durango is having the ball joints replaced at 38,600 miles. I am lucky as I work for a tire and auto repair shop. Every time they change the oil at 3,000 miles they check the ball joints. I contacted Dodge and they said there is no recall as of yet on the ball joint issue. I have a six-year-old son that goes with me every day to school. His safety is the most important thing to me. Maybe my complaint will help put this recall to work. Dodge said to keep my receipt and wait to see what happens.

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    Reviewed Nov. 2, 2004

    Adding to the list of complaints about upper ball joints on 98-2003 Dodge Durangos. We had ours replaced a few months ago after our mechanic told us that they were indeed failing. Glad we saw the television news magazine report on these. In my opinion, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration must be asleep at the wheel because they have not acted to regulate the industry. Additionally, the steering column ignition lock linkage recently and unexpectedly failed. The ignition key will not turn.

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    Reviewed Oct. 26, 2004

    I own a 1999 Dodge Durango and found out last year that it has 4 bad ball joints. Chrysler from what I heard knows they have a problem but are only investigating it. My dealer says it will cost me $900.00 to fix the problem. Now I have 52,000 miles on it and already go thru a few sets of tires.

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    Reviewed Oct. 6, 2004

    While driving down my driveway, my left front (driver's side) wheel fell off completely. After towing the vehicle to my local Dodge dealer, I was told that both upper and lower ball joints had failed and that my driver's side axle was broken and had to be replaced. They also informed me that the passenger side ball joints were worn and should be replaced. My Durango is 2001 with 60,000 miles on it. The dealer told me that it was the axle breaking that caused the ball joints to fail.

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    Reviewed Sept. 4, 2004

    I have already had to replace the front brakes on my 2000 Dodge Durange at around 30,000 miles! Now there is something wrong with the steering. It suddenly gets difficult to steer and back up and then it quits. I am terrified. This is a leased car and I pay over $500 per month on it. I read about the ball joints. I will have to take car in and insist that someone checks it. I have small children in my car!

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    Reviewed Sept. 4, 2004

    I have a 1998 Dodge Durango SLT 3.9 I bought brand new for $31,614. It only has 59,000 miles on it and is falling apart. Current problems include: Upper and lower ball joints were replaced at 25,000 and are bad again already. Rear end needs to be replaced at only 59K miles, rear window motor bad, ABS light stays on, eating tires, the alarm activates intermittently, and the rear A/C blows only hot air. There are numerous fuild leaks; tranny, differential, cv joints, and oil pan.

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    Reviewed Aug. 9, 2004

    We have a 2000 Dodge Durango. It has 64,000 miles. The ball joints have been replaced 2 times already. When I bought the car used, the used car dealership told me that a noise in the front end would be repaired under warranty. The used car dealer said that the previous owners had already replaced the ball joints at about 20,000 miles. The car then had 33,000 miles. The Dodge dealer did some repairs and the noise continued. They told me that there were no problems.

    Then at about 37,000 miles, at my annual dot inspection, they told me that I was lucky that my front wheel had not fallen off due to the ball joints. They were replaced again. At 64,000 miles the front end is popping once again. Also we get about 10,000 miles out of a set of front brake pads and rotors.

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    Reviewed July 21, 2004

    I had my ball joint break while driving. I had it fixed only to learn that this is a widespread problem. Just yesterday I had the steering rod break, and again I am dealing with expensive repairs, not to mention the fact that I lost the ability to steer while driving!

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    Reviewed June 16, 2004

    My ball joint on the left front wheel broke. I have a piece of it to show. My car then turned severely to the left hitting a cement parking lot light post and then came to an abrubt stop throwing me into the windshield. A Hudson police officer heard a loud explosion and then turned his head to see me crash into the cement pole and then throwing me into the windshield. I probably tried to block myself from going into the windshield by using my forearm, which hit the steering wheel as it was spinning to the left leaving a burn on my arm. Thank God it was in the parking lot. The damage was extensive and is all documented and witnessed by the Hudson, Ohio police department.

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    Reviewed March 18, 2004

    While driving my 2000 Dodge Durango, I lost control of my truck and it continued to go left. The steering wheel was straight and the truck was going to the left. I was traveling at about 25 mph. My vehicle struck an oncoming car and continued into a gas station where my vehicle struck the concrete barrier around the gas pump. It continued to slide out of the gas station onto a residential street where we finally came to rest in a front yard.

    My vehicle was inspected by two shops and both said that my ball joint had snapped and caused my entire knee assembly to malfunction. Dodge sent out an investigator that determined that my ball joint problem was different from the ones that they covered because it snapped, rather than schredding like the others. Experts say that the ball joints are faulting because they are non-greasable. They may shred, snap or simply fall apart.

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    Reviewed March 17, 2004

    My 2000 Dodge Durango was diagnosed with undercarriage problems and in need of four ball joints and numerous other parts. First tire wear began at 30,000 miles and alignment did not help and now it cannot be aligned due to all problems. My car's front end now sounds like it's coming apart. Estimate to fix is around $800, which I feel I should not have to pay. Durango's record for inferior undercarriage should be enough for the auto industry to demand compensation to all buyers with problems.

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    Reviewed March 16, 2004

    In November of 2003 I had approximatly 52,000 miles on my Dodge Durango and I had to replace the transmission at hte cost of $2000.00. Now at 53,320 miles the engine sounds like a diesel truck. I have a feeling the engine is going to have to be replaced. I have 11 months left on a lease and I'll let the bank take it back before I replace the engine on a truck I don't own.

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    Reviewed March 15, 2004

    I have a 2000 Dodge Durango R/T. I only have 31,000 miles on my Durango and the transmission is pouring fluid out. Apparently there is a standard defect in all Durangos regarding seals for the transmission. All the rings have to be replaced which requires pulling out the whole transmission. I rarely drive my vehicle, maybe a few times a week. Seems to me that since Dodge is aware of this problem with the transmission then they should be doing something to help fix them. This should not be happening after 31,000 miles.

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    Reviewed March 12, 2004

    Car has failed inspection twice for ball joints -- once at 2 years old and once at 4 years old. A serious dangerous condition that this should be recalled for. Also have had to replace the front rotors twice in the 4 years. Problems with brakes and transmission also.

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    Reviewed March 12, 2004

    I have a 1999 Dodge Durango where I experienced complete front wheel separation while driving (luckily at only 20 mph) after the ball jointscontrol arms failed. Repairs were in excess of $2,500. If there is not a recall from the National Transportation Authority on these vehicles, it is a travesty. Now the power steering has failed but I have not had a chance to fully diagnose problem.

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    Reviewed March 10, 2004

    I have a 1999 Dodge Durango. I bought it as a demo model with 12,000 miles on the clock. After approx 25,000 miles I started to complain about a rumbling noise coming from the front. Dodge replaced the CV joints and rotated the tires. The noise decreased but did not go away. I complained numourous times with no result, the Dodge dealer in Florence KY said it was the tires. After approx 55,000 I had to have the tires replaced due to very excessive wear on the inside of both front tires.

    The mechanic at the tire shop showed me the wear on the ball joints. There was approximataly 1/2 inch of play. I immediatly went back to the dealer and complained again. They said this was just a ploy by tire places to get work out of unsuspecting customers. Fortunately they did change the ball joints. I tried to get them to pay for the prematurley worn tires but they said the ball joints were not worn when I previously complained, which I suspect is incorrect. As soon as the ball joint were changed and wheels aligned the car was quiet again.

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    Reviewed March 10, 2004

    My 2000 Dodge Durango just hit 50,000 miles and the rear-end burned out, $5K to fix. Dodge was nice and covered all but $1,500. I paid that. Then 3 weeks later my transmission needs to be replaced, just like it was programmed to do so as soon as my warranty expired! I also had to replace my rotors and bushings too.

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    Reviewed March 3, 2004

    We bought a used 2000 Dodge Durango approx 4/2002 from the Jeep dealer in Ontario, California; they said it would haul our 19ft. travel trailer. We had sloopy steering issues, and when you would go over a bump while traveling on the freeway the steering would wobble as if to almost lose control. We bought new tires and had a front end alignment completed as well. Firestone tires said the alignment was completed as best as possible, it was almost out of scope as it was.

    We hauled a 19-ft. travel trailer and FLIPPED it over on the freeway just a half mile from our home. My husband and 12-year-old daughter were luckilly not physically injured in the accident. Another lucky thing is the trailer jacknifed and disconnected itself off the ball and anti-sway arms, no damage to the Durango. However, the trailer and our effects were a complete loss, not to mention the cost of the crane and flatbed towing. We took the Durango into Moss Brothers Dodge and had them check the front end and especially check out the KNUCKLES. The cost was about $700 for front-end work. Most of the issues still exist while driving this 2000 Durango.

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    Reviewed Oct. 31, 2003

    Bought brand new 2000 Dodge Durango, after 48,000 miles I had to replace the rack and pinion power steering unit and both front upper ball joints. This truck has been a nightmare. Now my tires are bad from wear because of the defective ball joints. The door actuator is shot, it makes a horrible noise when you lock or unlock the doors with the remote or once you hit 15 mph. This has been a horrible horrible vehicle.

    I have put so much money into this piece of crap -- $900 for the power steering, $500 for the ball joints, I need new tires but cannot afford to get them. You do not buy or lease a vehicle and ever imagine having to put this kind of money into. DaimlerChysler did nothing because I was over the mileage for the warranty. Well what I tried to convey to them and dealership was this kind of thing just doesn't happen overnight and that they had a serious problem with defective parts. They just basically ignored and said sorry about your luck.

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    Reviewed Oct. 31, 2003

    In 1999 I bought a brand new Durango. Within a month or two the catch that keeps the glove compartment door shut broke in half. I thought, No big deal, this sort of stuff should be expected, so I took it back to the dealer, who replaced it at no charge. The mechanic then told me they had replaced a few others and were expecting a recall on it but I never heard anything else about it.
    After it was fixed I noticed that it shut "stiff" feeling. It felt to me like it was going to break again. I studied the catch, carefully opening and shutting the glove box and have concluded that it is a poor design. Since then I have been reluctant to use it, handling it very delicately when I must go in there, expecting it to break each time, however it has not, probably because I hardly ever use it and when I do it's with kid gloves. Nice rugged SUV I've got, huh?
    My right front passenger window won't work sometimes when I use the master controls from the driver's door. This started happening within two or three months of purchasing it. I'm very busy and tend to put the little stuff on a back burner, and consequently the warranty ran out and I never did take it in to have it corrected. Apparently it's a short in the driver's side master controls because when it happens all I have to do to get it working again is use the passenger side controls and it works from both sides again, for awhile.
    About that same time I noticed that the cruise control would not work on any speed under 40 miles an hour, which sucks, because most of my speeding tickets have been in the city doing 30 in a 25 MPH zone. Cruise control helped me curb that before, but now I'm on my own. Petty little grievance ain't it?
    About eight months into it my speedometer cable stopped working. The dealer repaired it at no charge. Three months ago it went out again, but my warranty is over now, so I'm stuck to repair it out of pocket.
    After about six months every time I would go over the slightest little bump my truck would squeak & creak underneath. It sounded to me like rusted leaf springs on an old car or bad shocks. Rather than go to the dealer, I took it to my regular maintenance mechanic whom I know to be trustworthy, and he told me the shocks were in some kind of sealed unit and that I would need to replace the whole unit in order to fix the problem, but that he didn't think it was the shocks. He couldn't figure it out without costing me a lot of money in "exploratory surgery" so I said forget it, I'd go back to the dealer. Again I procrastinated and never went to the dealer.

    Now, the other night on 60 Minutes (or some Dan Rather show)I find out the ball joints are defective. What can I do? Ever since my first oil change I have used synthetic oil. As a business owner I have always performed regular maintenance on all my vehicles, the Durango being no exception. But I guess I've done all that in vain because it appears as though my truck won't last long enough to benefit from the synthetic oil. If I am not compensated I will never by another dodge again and will not hesita te to advise my business associates and friends to do the same.

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    Reviewed Oct. 30, 2003

    I have a 2002 Dodge Durango with 46,000 miles on it. I have had to replace the brakes twice already. Bergey Dodge say they say 25,000 miles is all you can expect out of a pair of rotors due to the weight of the truck.

    Based on their statement if I keep the truck until 100,000 I will need 4 set of pads and rotors, this is crazy!

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    Reviewed Oct. 30, 2003

    I've owned my 1998 Durango since December 1997. I bought it new in Arkansas. The very first week I had to return it for service. The headlight switch came out in my hand 4 times; it has been replaced. The check engine light would come on, the engine would cut off (several times on the interstate at 70 mph), 3 window regulators had to be replaced (2 out of my own pocket because the car missed the recall issuance cutoff date by 3 days). The differential has been replaced and resealed twice and still leaks like an open can of transmission fluid. There is an unusual engine noise. Bad sway in the steering and the vehicle vibrates.

    2 X $114.00 for the window regulators, $400.00 for differential seals and transmission service. $210.00 for headlight switchs. Have replaced front brake rotors three times. Mentally stressed due to numerous near accidents due to engine failure. Very limited steering and brakes after engine failure.

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    Reviewed Oct. 29, 2003

    I purchased a used Dodge Durango April of 2002 with the statement, "this is a great reliable truck for a family, you will get a lot of use out of it." To my surprise, as soon as I had it home for one month, the front rotors went bad and I had to fight with the dealership to replace them. At that time, I also had the steering wheel adjusted, since it was REALLY turned to the left, instead of being centered. I also complained of the engine cooling fan coming on ALL the time, but they stated that was normal and didn't even look at it. Than, about six months later, I had to get the front rotors replaced again, although they stated they had put lifetime brake pads on the vehicle. I replaced these myself, putting the best brake pads on that I could find.

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    Reviewed Oct. 29, 2003

    I own a 1999 Dodge Durango 5.9 ltr. I have had nothing but problems with it. The main problem was I had to have the right front upper control arm assembly and the right front ball joint replaced after only 51179 miles. Cost me $763.45.

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    Reviewed Oct. 29, 2003

    We have a problem with the upper ball joints in our 2001 Dodge Durango. As nationallly documented this poses a serious safety threat to me and my famliy. There needs to be an official recall issued by Dodge on this ASAP.

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    Reviewed Oct. 28, 2003

    I purchased a new 1998 Dodge Durango and had to replace my upper and lower ball joints after 90k miles. The vehicle was making a banging sound when I stopped and started. After both joint and control arms have been replaced the noise continues to appear. What do I do?

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    Reviewed Oct. 28, 2003

    I bought a new Dodge Durango in 2000 and despite taking good care of it I have had several problems. ... I had to bring it in because the engine light came on and was informed that there was a defective part that the dealership had been notified in a bulletin. They replaced the part, but charged me for the labor. The latest problem is a power steering problem. The dealership informed me that because of a leaky seal I have to replace the entire rack and pinion for almost $900. I feel that this is absurd on a car that is only 3 years old.

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    Reviewed Oct. 28, 2003

    My daughter and son-in-law have a 1999 Dodge Durango. Recently the drivers side bearing went out, and the ball joints on both front ends are shot. I read there are several complaints regarding the front ends of the Durango. Thank God a local mechanic relayed the problem to my daughter BEFORE a serious accident occurred.

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    Reviewed Oct. 28, 2003

    I have a 1999 Dodge Durango which I ourchased new. Since purchasing the vehicle I have had to replace the thermostat holder because it gad a crack in it. The left rear electric window stopped working. I have had to replae the AC/Heater fan, automatic belt tensioner, speed controller and two speed sensors. Now the vehicle is jumping when placed in first gear, shudders at about 50 mph and it creaks like its 100 years old. Chrysler says the front balls have to be replaced because they have dried out. They want $320 to repair. This is one of the worst cars I have purchased.

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    Reviewed Oct. 27, 2003

    I have a 1999 Dodge Durango that has 41,100 miles on it. I noticed a buffeting in the front end. I purchased new tires and while in the process it was pointed out that the ball joints were badly worn, both the upper and lower. Rather than jeopardize safety I had a second mechanic at a different garage check to verify if that was the correct diagnosis. This was verified and they were replaced at a cost in excess of $600.00 including the front end alignment after the new ball joints were installed.

    Since this vehicle has only 41,000 miles It appears that this is a serious defect that must be corrected before there are more serious consequences. This appears to be a defect and should be recalled to correct this problem before there is a loss of lives.

    It has cost me in excess of $600.00 to replace defective parts that through normal wear should not wear out until the vehicle has at least 80,000 to 90,000 miles.

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    Reviewed Oct. 27, 2003

    I bought my Durango in 99 with 18,000 miles from Poway Dodge (San Diego, CA). I took it to the dealer in third month after buying it as it was almost about to roll over when turning in a turn. The dealer this is ok, not to worry. So I kept on driving then it started annoying clicking noise that had been getting worse for over a year but the Dodge in Carlsbad had not been able to diagnose it.

    When I brought it in most recently, they were emphatic that it was my ball joint and that my life had been on the line for months! But no one ever noticed every time I brought it in for diagnosis.

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    Reviewed Oct. 22, 2003

    Concerning 1999 Dodge Durango SLT with 57,000 miles: I went in for a front end alignment. Service Center explained that work could not be performed due to excessive wear of the upper and lower ball joints. Replacement cost would be $1,000.00. Even though I bought Added Care extended warrenty to cover this problem I feel that people should know and have their Durango checked for premature wear. I am certainly suprised to find this condition so soon in the life of this vechile.

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    Reviewed Oct. 16, 2003

    I purchased a 1999 Dodge Durango and it seems am experiencing many of the same problems as others I have read about. My oil pressure went to zero for no apparent reason and they said it was some sort of filter in the exhaust system. I complained about a sound of air rushing whenever I turned the wheel and the dealer said it was supposed to be that way! I just paid $800 to repair some bearings in my rear end and also found out all 4 ball joints need to be replaced! I found this out after I just ruined 2 brand new front tires!

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    Reviewed July 23, 2003

    I bought a 1999 Dodge Durango brand new in '99 and have had nothing but problems since then. It started with the very first annual inspection. It had failed because of lower ball-joint issues. When I called Chrysler, they told me to bring it in and they would measure them. They measured them and told me that they were within Chrysler's specs. The following year, I brought it to a different inspection station and they also failed me. I then brought it to a 3rd station for another opinion and got the same results. When I contacted Chrysler again, they had me bring it to one of their dealerships for an inspection and, "POOF" it passed with no problem.

    After fighting with Chrysler HQ over the phone for several days they had finally admitted that they used the wrong parts for the vehichle and that they were producing new "Heavier Duty" ball-joints. The person had stated that when the new parts were ready that I would receive a letter to have them replaced. It has now been just over a year from that phone call, I haven't moved in over 10 years, and I still have the same old "Clanking" ball-joints. My question would be that if these stations that are saying that this vehicle isn't safe to drive in my state, shouldn't Chrysler be getting the same results? Are they just covering up a known problem?

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    Reviewed July 22, 2003

    I have so many problems with this awful vehicle. I am a salesperson that relies on a solid form of reliable transportation and my Durango has been anything but that! I bought it used in 99 with 18,000 miles. Granted I put many miles on a car annually but I can assure you that I never miss an oil change at 3000 miles nor do i let any needed maintenance go w/o immediate attention. I have a huge list of repairs, due to poor craftmanship but the worst has been with the front end and the suspension. This was replaced a year ago and most recently I had to have my ball joint replaced.

    This was brought in to Vision Dodge in Penfield, NY for an annoying clicking noise that had been getting worse for over a year but they could never diagnose it. When I brought it in most recently, they were emphatic that it was my ball joint and that my life had been on the line for months! But they never noticed everytime I brought it in for diagnosis. The clicking noise still continues and is getting worse. It is in the rear of the truck and is described like a gear slipping upon dead stop and start not to mention even slow drive now. They told me they hear clear as a bell but cant diagnose w/o literally taking the entire rear of the truck apart.

    This truck, that is loaded with every luxury imaginable, is the worst vehicle I have every owned. I have rust underneath every window sill (which I'm told tends to happen with this vehicle and it started in 2000!). I have heard that there might be a recall on the front end of this terrible car.

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    Reviewed July 22, 2003

    I purchased my 1999 Dodge Durango new. Within a few months I had a front bearing go. Luckily I was only traveling at about 25 mph. Since then, I have had the transfer case and transmission go out. That was over $4,000. I have also had to replace the tie rod. and now I just found out that the 4 ball joints need to be replaced. This is the first and last Dodge vehicle I will ever buy. I have never had to stick so much money in to a vehicle ever before.

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    Reviewed June 7, 2003

    At 60,000 miles I am having to have the rack and pinion gears replaced and all 6 bearings in the rear end. I do not tow anything and drive my vehicle with care. Also the transmission is slipping and speedometer doesn't start showing anything until 30mph. Costing me $1200 for the rear end work, have not got the transmission checked yet or the speedometer.

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    Reviewed May 31, 2003

    My 1998 Dodge Durango, with 52,000 miles is falling apart. I have transmission, steering and electrical problems. All happened just after the 36,000 mile warenty expired. The power steering leaks, and is hard to turn, the transmission is changing rough and the right rear window does not work. Estimates to repair are approximately $2,000.

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    Reviewed March 17, 2003

    My 2000 Dodge Durango is nothing but trouble. The worst is, the other day I parked at the foot of our driveway to get out and get the mail. While the car was IN PARK it rolled down the hill of our driveway and crashed head on into a 6-foot tall solid brick pillar. (funnily enough, the car is just past the 3/36 warranty) It is now not driveable and we cannot get Dodge to fix it because they say I had to have left it in drive. This is the first time it has happened in park, but it is not the first time the car has switched gears without my doing it. The gear shift sometimes moves and sometimes does not.

    Interestingly, federal safety regulators have opened a probe of a possible transmission interlock problem in Chrysler Corp. sedans. Sounds like the Durango may have the same problem.

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    Reviewed Feb. 28, 2003

    I leased a 2000 Dodge Durango from West Oaks Dodge in Westlake Village CA. On the day after I drove it off of the lot, the after-market leather trim on all four door panels started coming off. The dealership repaired it, no problem. Then one day as I was using the brake, the rubber pad fell off. There are plastic caps that cover screws and bolts in places such as under the seats, etc etc, they all started falling off. The after-market chrome wheels started rusting after about 6 months of use, even after parking it in the garage every night.
    Now comes the good part. The lease has matured and Chrysler/Dodge is trying to make me pay for the rusted wheels to the tune of $1456.00. I am refusing to pay for them. I feel I took very good care of the vehicle and rust is something I could not prevent. I could see if I hit a pole or cracked a window and it was my fault, but rust?

    The lease matured on 2-26-03. The inspection was done on 1-28-03 at my wifes salon while she was with clients. The inspector asked her if we had the original wheels, my wife told him these were the wheels that came with the vehicle. He asked if she was sure, of course she was sure. So he writes the report and wants to charge us. I started calling Chrysler on 2-7-03 to dispute the charge and have made a total of 16 phone calls so far, and only once has my account manager called me back. It is now 2-28-03, 2 days past the due date and I still have the Durango.

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    Reviewed Feb. 12, 2003

    Dodge Durango 68,000 miles, needs new transmission. Dodge claims mine is the only one with this problem. However I owned a 1990 and had same problem at 67,000. My sister owns 1997, same problem 68,000. Are we seeing a pattern yet?

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    Reviewed Feb. 11, 2003

    While changing front brakes at 31,000 miles, I found the LH hub and rotor on my 2WD Durango loose. The fiber lock nut (which loosens in the direction of rotation) had backed off. The bearings were full of metal. Took it to the dealer. Hopefully they'll resolve it. A close one...The left front wheel could have fallen off.

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    Reviewed Jan. 7, 2003

    We have just gone over 70000 miles on our Dodge Durango. Of course we had the 7/70 warranty and what happens. Our transmission is beginning to fail. Apparently there is a standard defect in all Durangos regarding seals for the transmission. All the rings have to be replaced which requires pulling out the whole transmission. Apparently Dodge knows about this and has done nothing to help the consumers. It really shouldn't be shrugged off as Murphy's Law that our transmission is going out right after the warranty goes out. This is the sign of a badly made car.

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    Reviewed April 19, 2001

    I picked up my 2001 Dodge Durango on March 10. Today is April 19, 2001. The car has had 2 fuel pumps replaced. On Tuesday they said they would replace the fuel pump because it is again loud enough to hear in the car on a highway with trucks all around.

    Yesterday they refused to replace it, saying it sounded ok. They made me listen to a new one and claimed that mine sounded just like that. Mine is at least 3 times louder and I'm getting terrible gas mileage. A trip to Missouri after I had the car a week cost me more than double the normal fuel because the fuel pump was bad. I got about 100 miles per tank of gas. The tank is 25 gal.! They say the "screaming whine" is normal.

    Last Thursday, April 12th, the steering "locked up" in a supermarket parking lot. I used all my strength to get it into a parking space. They tell me they can find nothing wrong. The car was in the shop all day yesterday. This morning, April 19, the engine warning light came on on my way to work. I drove straight to the dealership and had the service manager, Art Lewis, come out to look at it. He said as long as it isn't blinking it would be OK for today! He couldn't do anything for me today.

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    Reviewed April 13, 2001

    Had the brakes fail on my 1998 Durango twice at 35 mph. They failed to stop the vehicle in a safe distance. Dealer said computer showed no problem with ABS. Two wrecks in one year -- sold Durango, received phone call from another women that had same problem, dealer was telling her same thing about her ABS brakes.

    After 2 accidents, 1 sideswiping into drivers door and the other rear-ending 2 old ladies I had to sell the Durango, I was afraid to drive it, thought I would kill someone and that scared me. 25 years driving and had never had a wreck before.

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    Reviewed March 27, 2001

    I have a Dodge Durango 2000. When I roll the back windows down it has a terrible fluttering noise that is very painful to the ears. I have contacted the dealership and have taken it in numerous times to be fixed. They can not fix it. It is a design flaw. They told me to live with the problem, don't roll the windows down and use the air condtioner.

    I don't believe that I should be paying $30,000 for a SUV that I can't use the back windows. I would not sell or recommend this vehicle to anyone. I have asked for them to buy the lease back, they said they would not do anything about it. I have turned this in to Daimler Chrysler Corp also, but they said the same.

    My ears hurt, the children complain and my friends won't ride with the windows even halfway down. It is a BIG frustration.

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    Reviewed Nov. 30, 2000

    I have a 1999 Dodge Durango that has intermittent trouble with the trnasmission. Chrysler service techs cannot fix it after 5 attempts. The driver's window is on it's third motor and glass. There are other multiple problems. I want the vehicle to be taken back by Chrysler under the lemon law.

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    Reviewed Sept. 3, 2000

    I purchased a new 1998 Dodge Durango in January of 1998. In the past few months I have had to replace all four ball-joints, two different seals in the transfer case and recently experienced "catastrophic" transmission failure (i.e. had to replace entire transmission.)

    Although I have driven this vehicle just over 60k miles, most of this is highway miles and the car has never experienced "off-road" or towing conditions. I have maintained the vehicle within Dodge's specifications and never would have anticipated the number of issues that have occured over the past couple of months. It is my understanding that ball joints should last in a vehicle for 100K miles under normal operating conditions. I have another friend that experienced ball joint failure while driving his 1998 Dodge Durango as well.

    In addition, the local mechanic informed me that Dodge is notorious for their transmission failures, having to replace his 4 times on his Dodge Dakota pick-up. Supposedly, this is due to the transmission overheating and a simple $80 fix (adding a separate cooling system for the transmission) could have prevented this problem. I had complained to Dodge before about the car hesitating on cold start while trying to accelerate, but they told me they couldn't identify the problem.

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    Reviewed Aug. 30, 2000

    We bought a $30,000.00 Dodge Durango in 1998. It is now out of warranty because of the mileage. We recently discovered that the rear-end of the vehicle including the ring and pinion, is defective. The repair was estimated at $2000.00. We also found out from our mechanic that this is a chronic defect with Dodge Durangos and that they are fixing them out of warranty but they refuse to help us. Also we have a problem with the thermostat not working properly (which our mechanic informed us has a T.S.B. or technical service bulletin on the gauges but Dodge, Chrysler didn't tell us about that, and we have a problem with the passenger rear window (which we found out from our mechanic has a recall on the windows).

    We are still trying to get Chrysler to help, but they have not been helpful or even pleasant in our dealings with them. If this problem was a result of something we had done and not a defect with the vehicle we would have no dispute about paying the repair bill, but Dodge has already told us that basically it was not our fault but our warranty was up and they wouldn't do anything for us.

    The only damage resulting thus far is the fact that we have to pay a $600.00 a month car payment on a car that is basically falling apart. We just want the defects repaired. Anything resulting from us we will be happy to pay for. NOTE: We have never used the vehicle for towing or hauling anything.

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    Reviewed Aug. 28, 2000

    I own a 1999 Dodge Durango. I learned the hard way that this vehicle does not have a neutral safety switch that the car should have to change its gears. The car was in the accessory poisition while the radio was on. My daughter was sitting in the front seat listening to the CD player with the drivers side door open. Also my 20-month-old son was in the car at the time too.

    The car was not running (the motor was not on) and my son tripped over the console and grabbed on to shift lever and the car went into gear. I noticed that the car started to move down the driveway and I ran after the car but it was too late. The car hit the tree across the street and jumped the curb. I was only able to see my daughter fall out of the car and hear a loud crash that followed. I saw my daughter slide out underneath the car and as I held my breath running towards her to help her I could only wish that she and the baby were still alive. I found my daughter laying on the sidewalk with blood running down her face.
    My 11-year-old daughter was taken down to the hospital by ambulance for abrasions and cuts to the face, possible broken foot and broken wrist. As for my son, we were lucky nothing happened to him. Lucky too that my other daughter and her friend were not behind the car either.
    I almost lost two of my children, wrecked the car and have been an emotional mess for three days. I did a little check on other vehicles only to find out that some of the Dodge Dakotas have a neutral safety switch.
    GM, Chevy, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes and others have the safety feature. Is Chrysler exempt? I know that Honda came out with it in 1985. It's now the year 2000. Should all cars have them?

    One other important fact ... the police officer gave my wife a hard time because she insisted that the car had been running. Then after checking the car, she thought the vehicle had a defect.

    We believe that the "safety switch" Anthony is referring to is the safety interlock that requires the driver to press down on the brake before the car will shift out of Park. If this is not required, it certainly should be. At the same time, the old rule about not letting children play by themselves in cars is worth following -- especially when the car is parked on a hill.

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    Reviewed Aug. 25, 2000

    I leased a Dodge Durango 3/98 when they first came out. I had nothing but problams with it. First it was my transmission, it was slipping so I brought it in and my AC was leaking so they had to take the whole dashboard apart. Which still leaks. They told me they put a new trans in but it went again, then they told my they rebuilt it the first time.

    After waiting 2 weeks for my car to be fixed, I went to pick it up and I was waiting outside with the guy for them to drive my car to me. They pulled up and said here's your car and I just looked at it in SHOCK. They fixed the wrong car. They didn't know what to say so they told me that car had the same problam.

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    Reviewed May 2, 2000

    My husband and I bought a 1999 Dodge Durango in May of last year. Since then, my vehicle has been in for service at least a dozen times for one problem or another. The front end brakes were popping. The couldn't duplicate at first, brought it in again. Finally duplicated the problem.

    The motor is clanking, they told me it was normal? I don't think so, but now the check gauges light comes on at every normal stop and I lose oil pressure down to below 0. They said they don't want to look at it unless it blinks seven times in a day? Whatever.

    I have popping in my steering. Was realigned but is still doing it. The brakes are still popping after a complete overhaul of the entire front end. I've had my drivers door regulator replaced three times in a couple of months. There is squeaking in the dash, that went away for a day or so after the front end was repaired, now it's back.

    It's ridiculous! I pay $570 a month for a piece of junk. This is not right.

    I called the Dodge Hot Line today and was told that all of these problems are either under investigation for a recall, or are a recall item, as mine is not the only Durango with these exact problems!

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    Reviewed April 26, 2000

    I bought a 1998 Durango last June 1999, 10 months ago, with 30,000 miles on it, at Hampden Dodge in Springfield MA. On Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000, I was driving home from visiting my brother in the hospital on interstate 91 and the car blew-up. It sounded like a muffler, but 3 times louder had exploded under my feetand there was smoke everywhere, while I was driving 60 miles per hour. I pulled the car over and then had to have it towed to the dealership the following Monday.

    Michael Lavalley, from Hampden Dodge's service department reported that the car's transfer cylinder had blown up and went into the main tran and blew that up too. I asked why this would have happened, since I had just had the car serviced and do every 3,000 miles and the car is only 2 years old. He reported that he had no idea why and it would cost $2056 to repair it. He also told me to call Chrysler directly to see if they would help me, especially because it was a freak accident!

    I then called Chrysler at 1-800-992-1997 and talked with a Brian. Brain reported that it was a very bizzare accident and we both agreed that the parts must have been made wrong, for them to explode and break apart. Brain reported that since I had 50,000 miles on the car, Chrysler would only make me pay $750 for the repair. Again I tried to explain that the car was clearly built with the defect, but Brain said that was all Chrysler was willing to do and I was lucky that they would even help me out.

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    Dodge Durango Company Information

    Company Name:
    Dodge Durango
    Website:
    www.dodge.com