2003 Dodge Durango Powertrain (other) Problems

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS MOTHER WHO OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATE THAT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING TEMPORARILY AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. LEITH CHRYSLER JEEP (5500 CAPITAL BLVD, RALEIGH, NC 27616, (919) 867-5907) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11382937

Incident

Nov 18, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

TRUCK WILL NOT GO INTO PARK.

NHTSA ID

10899370

Incident

Oct 16, 2015

THIS COMPANY CLAIMS TO SELL CHRYSLER FLUID THAT WHICH ALMOST KILLED MY DRIVER AND ME BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITIES AND OTHER ISSUES AND FOR USING DEXRON FLUID IN THEIR PRODUCT. THEY ARE ADVERTISING THIS TO OTHER CHRYSLER OWNERS. I HAVE RESEARCH AND LOCATE A FEW DOCUMENTS WHERE THIS COMPANY MISLEAD ME AND USED DEXRON INSTEAD OF CHRYSLER FLUID ATF4 WHICH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DEXRON. TRANSTAR TRIED TO PASS THE BLAME WHEN MY 2003 DURANGO WAS WORKING PERFECTLY UNTIL USING THEIR FLUID WHICH CAUSE MY TRANSMISSION TO OVERHEAT AND DESTROY IT. I ONLY ASKING THEM FOR FILTER. THEY CLAIM TO BE EXPECTS IN TRANSMISSION AND WHO KNOWS WHO ELSE THAT SELL THIS BAD PRODUCT TO OTHER CHRYSLER/DODGE OWNERS. HTTPS://WWW.TRANSTAR1.COM IN THE LETTER FROM TRANSTAR THEY UPFRONT ADMITTED FAULT OF USING THE WRONG PRODUCT AS THEY CLAIM ITS GOOD FOR CHRYSLER/DODGE, WHEN IT HAS NOT.

NHTSA ID

10898231

Incident

Jun 28, 2015

Mileage

172,200 mi

MY DODGE DURANGO WILL NOT GO INTO PARK, WILL SHIFT WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE AND WILL NOT START UNLESS VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL - I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILD AND THE PCM CHANGED AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND NO OTHER PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS FROM HAPPENING. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE MONEY TO HAVE A DEALER TAKE A LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF THEY KNOW WHAT IS WRONG. *JS

NHTSA ID

10669332

Incident

Dec 8, 2014

Mileage

189,876 mi

AT AN IDLE ENGINE REV,S UP AND DOWN,REVS UP ENOUGH TO MOVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES ON,TRANSMISSION SLIPPED A LOT ESP ON THE HIGHWAY,WILL ALSO DROP INTO PASSING HEAR AND SPEED UP SOMETIMES ON ITS OWN. VERY DANEROUS TO DRIVE SOMETIMES.SPEEDS UP BY ITS SELF ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10625756

Incident

Aug 16, 2014

Mileage

166,587 mi

NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS TIL WE DROVE ALMOST 5 HRS ON VACATION TO GATLINBURG AND BEFORE WE EVEN GOT INTO TOWN THE CHECK GAUGE LIGHT CAME ON AND REALIZED THE TEMP GAUGE WAS IN THE RED. NEVER LEAKED COOLANT OR SMELLED ANY ANTIFREEZE. THE NEXT DAY AFTER LETTING IT SIT OVERNIGHT IT SEEMED FINE NO CHECK LIGHT WAS ON DROVE IT BACK STILL NO ENGINE LIGHT ON AND TEMP WAS FINE,FEW WEEKS LATER ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE! THE VALVE TRAIN STARTED TICKING. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP (KINGS CJD) AND FOUND A FAILED ROCKER & TAPPET HAD REPLACED 4 DAYS LATER WAS DOING IT ON THE DRIVER SIDE,TOOK IT BACK THAT'S WHEN IT TOOK THEM A FEW DAYS TO FIGURE OUT IT WAS LEAKING COOLANT DOWN INTO THE CYLINDERS. CHRYSLER DIDN'T HAVE CYLINDER HEADS AVAILABLE IT TOOK OVER 2 MONTHS FOR US TO GET THE PART (NOT FROM CHRYSLER) AS FAR AS WE KNOW THEY STILL DON'T HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE. 28 PLUS PEOPLE ARE ON A WAITING LIST TO RECEIVE CYLINDER HEADS THAT ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE! REPEATED TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR LEAKING VALVE COVERS ON BOTH SIDES,STILL DEALING WITH ISSUE OF POSSIBLE LEAK AROUND CRANK SEAL ON TIMING COVER. CHRYSLER DOES SEEM TO GIVE A DARN ABOUT OUR TIME AND MONEY WASTED FOR THE SUPPOSED REPAIRS THAT ARE NOT FIXED!! HAS ANYONE ELSE READING THIS HAD ANY ISSUES REGARDING CYLINDER HEADS???? I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE 28 PLUS PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE SAME PART FOR THE SAME MAKE & MODEL VEHICLE SAME ENGINE 4.7 V8 OBVIOUSLY THEIR IS A MANUFACTURE ISSUE NOT AN OWNER ISSUE!!! THAT'S JUST A TASTE OF WHAT IS GOING ON THEIR IS PLENTY MORE AND CHRYSLER JUST KEEPS TELLING US IM SORRY AND THAT'S IT IM SORRY!!! WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL CASE MGRS AND NOONE SEEMS TO BE CARING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10472425

Incident

May 15, 2012

Mileage

57,250 mi

VEHICLE STALLING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10466543

Incident

May 1, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 58132 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY RECALL 04V596000 . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING THE SAME FAILURE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE CV JOINT FAILED AGAIN. UPDATED 03/30/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10183653

Incident

Feb 27, 2007

Mileage

58,132 mi

FRONT SUSPENSION - DRIVE TRAIN - LOCKS - AXLE - POWER STEERING PUMP VEHICLE HAS HAD CONSISTENT FRONT END GRINDING NOISE SINCE 30,000 KM'S. BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, FRONT AXLE SPYDER GEARS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PREVIOUS 1998 DURANGO HAD SAME PROBLEM - FIX WAS FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. 2003 DURANGO - DEALER SAYS THAT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. NOISE AND GRINDING ONLY HAPPEN AT SLOW SPEED TURNS LEFT OR RIGHT. FROM STOP TO LIGHT ACCELERATION TO HARD LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, NEW NOISE FROM REAR AXLE - LIMITED SLIP UNIT NOW GETTING LOUDER. AXLE OIL AND LIMITED SLIP ADDITIVE HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH FACTORY CHRYSLER OIL ADDITIVE. INDICATIVE OF SAME PROBLEM WITH 1998 DURANGO THAT I HAD, WHEN REAR AXLE PINION BEARING WAS HEAVILY SCORED. IN THAT INCIDENT THE SAME MAINTENANCE WAS DONE, BUT REPAIR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3,000 KM'S AND CHRYSLER ONLY PAID 50% OF REPAIR OF $700.00. OIL CHANGES ON COMPLETE DRIVETRAIN WAS $590.00 (4X4 WITH SKID PLATES). THIS APPEARS TO BE A METAL FATIGUE PROBLEM IN COMBINATION WITH ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS THAT ARE TOO WIDE IN TOLERANCES, WHICH ALLOWS FAILURE OF COMPONENTS TO COMPOUND PROBLEMS AND CREATE LONGER TERM DAMAGING RESULTS. EVER SINCE DODGE TRUCKS WENT TO MAINTENANCE FREE FRONT AXLE BEARINGS (YOU CAN'T PACK BEARINGS WITH GREASE), POOR LIMITED SLIP TOLERANCES IN REAR AXLE, AND TRANSFER CASE THAT'S ELECTRONICALLY OPERATED, THE DRIVETRAIN AND FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAVE EXCESSIVE LOADS AND POOR QUALITY COMPONENTS. BOTH DURANGOS THAT I'VE OWNED HAVE HAD 5 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS (CONSTANT PULLING TO THE LEFT) AND NO OFF ROAD DRIVING. STRICTLY HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING. I PURCHASED FACTORY EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 2003 DURANGO WHICH I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. SO FAR, OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES HAVE BEEN MINIMAL, BUT DURANGO SPENDS TOO MUCH TIME IN THE SHOP AND IS VERY INCONVENIENT TO HAVE SERVICED CONSTANTLY. NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH WARRANTY PARTS OR DEALER NOT DOING WARRANTY RECALL WORK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10137978

Incident

Aug 15, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THERE IS METAL IN THE DIFFERENTIAL AND MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD COMPONENTS IN IT THAT CAME APART AND SHATTERED THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED THE MECHANIC STILL HAS THE VEHICLE AND I BELIEVE I CAN GET THE OLD PARTS

NHTSA ID

10125583

Incident

Jun 6, 2005

Mileage

36,199 mi

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. . THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. *JB UPDATED 5/3/2006 - THE CONSUMER SAT FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. WHEN IT WAS RESTARTED IT MADE A LOT OF NOISE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME ABOUT 10 MPH. THE NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHO INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY WITH THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10113516

Incident

Jan 2, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH REAR DRIVESHAFT DROPPED TO GROUND, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK CONSUMER'S WIFE SUSTAINED A BLACK EYE, LACERATED LIP, AND MID BACK PAIN FOR WHICH SHE'S GOING TO PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WHIP LASH, AND HIS 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SUSTAINED LOWER BACK PAIN. HIS SON WAS SHAKEN UP. AS OF 10/21/03, NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE. *PH

NHTSA ID

10042345

Incident

Sep 13, 2003

Mileage

10,000 mi