1979 Dodge Sport Utility Suspension Problems

REPLACED UPPER BALL JOINTS AGAIN,FIRST WAS ON 7/7/03 39,414 MILES ON MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO,NOW AGAIN 3/25/04 45,452 MILES 1ST TIME WAS UNDER WARRANTY ,NOW OUT OF WARRANTY IT COST ME 853.23 WILL I HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN @6K MILES, WE WERE NEVER TOLD THERE MAY BE A DEFECT AND TO BE CAUTIOUS. *AK THE CONSUMER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HIS VEHICLE IS BEING OMITTED FROM THE BALL JOINT RECALL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10063919

Incident

Mar 26, 2004

Mileage

39,414 mi

MY BALL JOINTS AND RIGHT CONTOL ARM HAVE GONE OUT AGAIN. ON 12-6-02 I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED MY IGNITION SWITCH AND RIGHT CONTROL ARM AND HUB BEARINGS. NO I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEM. I JUST DRIVE IN THE CITY. MY RO # IS 262789. IT WAS A DONE AT VALENCIA DODGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067908

Incident

Dec 6, 2002

Mileage

28,518 mi

BALL JOINTS FRONT END PROBLEMS . *AK

NHTSA ID

10067558

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

Mileage

67,000 mi

I PURCHASSED A 1999 DODGE DURANGO ON 4-30-03 AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK THE OIL ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED IN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE OIL PUMP WAS CLOGGED WITH SLUDGE. THE DID 3 OIL CHANGES TO FLUSH THE MOTOR. ON OR ABOUT 6-23-03 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP AT 45 MPH CAUSING $2604.00 IN DAMMAGE. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE NONE GREASEABLE BALL JOINTS IN THIS VEHICLE. THEY REPLACED THE KNOCKLE, ARM CONTROL,BALL JOINT, SHAFT AXL, HUB BRAKE, SHIELD SP, SENSOR BRAKE ROTOR, RIM AND TIRE.AFTER THIS HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THE MOTOR SEIZED UP, AND THEY PUT A REBUILT MOTOR BACK IN THE TRUCK COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARRENTY. NOW HERE IT IS ALMOST A YEAR LATER AND THE TRUCK IS IN THE SHOP BCAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WENT. UPON PUTTING THE TRUCK UP ON THE LIFT THEY CALLED AND INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT END IS SHOT AGAIN BOTH SIDES EVEN THE RIGHT SIDE THAT THEY REPLACED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, BALL JOINTS ECT.

NHTSA ID

10066062

Incident

Apr 12, 2004

Mileage

56,450 mi

TODAY I TOOK MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO (VIN-1BHS28Y6WF132671) FOR THE YEARLY VIRGINIA SAFETY INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DOMINION DODGE IN SALEM, VIRGINIA WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 1998.SHORTLY AFTER MY ARRIVAL AND NOTIFIING THE SERVICE MANAGER WHAT I WAS THERE FOR, HE CAME AND TOLD ME THAT MY RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT WAS "BAD" AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND HE WAS WELL AWARE THAT THIS FACILITY HAD REPLACED 3 OF THEM APRIL 2002. INCLUDING THIS ONE THAT NEEDED REPLACING 2 YEARS LATER, 11,203 MILES SINCE REPLACED. WHEN THESE WERE REPLACED IN APRIL 2002 THE SAME INFERIOR PARTS WERE INSTALLED AS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW!! SO THIS VEHICLE HAS A TOTAL OF 41,780 AS OF TODAY AND I AM STATING TO PUT A SECOND SET OF BALL JOINTS ON MY DODGE DURANGO! WHEN ARE YOU PEOPLE GOING TO DO SOMETHING??*AK

NHTSA ID

10065786

Incident

Apr 8, 2004

Mileage

41,744 mi

S,BAR LINK ,REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 3 WEEKS ,NO GOOD.TRANSMISSION FAILURE TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP ,REPLACED PRESSURE SOL,GOVERNOR,GOV SWITCH,SWITCHAND SELERIOND,STILL ACTING THE SAME.LEFT CONTROLARMANDBOLTKIT , ALSO SAY NEEDS RIGHT SIDE .WILL NOT ALLIGNE .LIGHT UNDER HOOD COMES ON WHEN DRIVING ,AND HORN DOES NOT WORK NO ONE CAN FIG OUT WHY ..?DODGE SHOULD COVER ALL TRANNY AND FROUNT SUP ON THESE TRUCKS ,FOUND OUT AFTER PURCHACED ALL THE THINGS THAT GO WRONG WITH THIS YR OF TK.96 DODGE RAM 4X4 1500 ALSO THE 4X4 IS HARD TO SHIFT INTO AND TAKE OUT AND SOMETIMES DOESN NOT COME OUT ,EVEN WHEN LIGHT INDCATES IT IS OUT OF FOUR WHEEL.NEVER AGAIN DODGE!! NUMEROUS DATES OF WORK TO THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10055112

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

96,000 mi

2001 DURANGO R/T. SECOND FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION (11/26/03) @ 35000 MILES. HANDLED BY DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHY OR HOW TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. RPM TACHOMETER RACES BETWEEN 100 - 800 RPM DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS INCLUDING LOAD, LIGHT LOAD, FLAT TERRAIN, AND OCCASIONALLY DOWN HILL WHEN DRIVING OF SPEEDS GREATER THAN 45 MPH IN DRIVE AND OVERDRIVE. EXCESSIVELY HARD CLUNG WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND BETWEEN 2ND AND 1ST. 1ST FAILURE (2/6/02) WAS BEFORE PCM AND TRANSMISSION FLASH RECALLS @ 20000 MILES. SERVICE MANAGER INSISTED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL THING AND HIS JEEP DID THE SAME THING. AFTER MUCH CONVINCING THAT I WOULD PREFER THE OPINION OF A TECH INSTEAD DID THEY TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. VEHICLE WAS KEPT FOR AN ADDITIONAL WEEK THAN WHAT WAS PROMISED FOR DELIVERY. VEHICLE WAS KEPT IN GARAGE FOR THE 2 WEEKS AND WHEN PICKED UP ALL PERSONAL ITEMS, ELECTRONICS, TIRE JACK, ETC WAS MISSING (~ $2700 WORTH) AND ACCUSING ME OF LEAVING MY DOORS UNLOCKED (DID NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND HIS POINT AND AURGUEMENT SINCE IT SAT IN THE DEALERSHIPS GARAGE FOR THE 2 WEEK DURATION). SINCE ... TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO PARK AND OCCASIONALLY DRIVE, VERBALLY TOLD NOT A BIG DEAL BY DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION BEING FLASHED. NOTICED VEHICLE SURGING WITH RPM INCREASE AFTER DRIVING A WHILE. OH, BY THE WAY, YEA, THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED AT ~18000 MILES TOO (10/2002)!*AK

NHTSA ID

10049616

Incident

Nov 26, 2003

1998 DODGE DURANGO - SUSPENSION - FRONT-CONTROL ARM AND UPPER BALL JOINT HAS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN DEC 1999. WE WERE ADVISED IN AUG OF THIS YEAR THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10039275

Incident

Aug 5, 2003

BALL JOINTS FAILED. OWNER REPLACED 900.00 COST. NEED TO REPLACE AGAIN, FEELS LIKE ALIGNMENT PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT TAKE ALIGNMENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10039135

Incident

Jul 9, 2003

MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO HAS HAD TO HAVE UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED. MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT IF AN EVASIVE MOVE TO BRAKE & SWERVE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, THE FRONT END OF THE DURANGO WOULD DROP TO THE GROUND. "BALL JOINTS HOLDING ON BY A THREAD" SAYS MY MECHANIC AND NOT BUILT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE VEHICLE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10031219

Incident

Aug 8, 2003

Mileage

55,000 mi

WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2002. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD 49,000 MILES ON IT. THE COST WAS OVER $900.00. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, AT 62,000 MILES THE UPPER BALL JOINT AND TIE ROD ENDS AND BRAKES AND ROTORS NEED REPLACED. *PH

NHTSA ID

10030543

Incident

May 20, 2003

Mileage

51,000 mi

MY 2000 DODGE DURANGO HAS 48,000 MILES AND THE FRONT RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINT IS FAILING. MY DODGE DEALER ADVISED ME TO NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN. THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET THE PARTS TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE A PRE PAID VACATION COMING UP THAT WILL NOW REQUIRE A CAR RENTAL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND SOON.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030344

Incident

Jul 28, 2003

Mileage

48,000 mi

NON ACCIDENT....REFERRING TO AN ARTICLE IN THE PERU TRIBUNE, PERU, INDIANA 7/22/2003 REGARDING DODGE DURANGO FAILURE OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. WE OWN A 1998 DURANGO AND IN 1999 HAD THE JOINTS REPLACED AND THEY ARE NOW AGAIN IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT IN 2003.*AK

NHTSA ID

10029131

Incident

Jul 24, 2003

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10029096

Incident

Feb 19, 2003

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WORN OUT. BOTH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT 52264 K MILES, 5/17/01 AND AGAIN AT 89387 K MILES ON 02/07/03. ALSO REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AT 89387 K MILES ON 02/07/03.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028882

Incident

Feb 7, 2003

Mileage

47,574 mi

ON DECEMBER 27, 2002 I BROUGHT MY DODGE DURANGO TO JUST CRUISIN, INC TO HAVE MY ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION PERFORMED. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT I FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO OUT OF SPECIFICATION CONDITIONS ON MY FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE HAD 62,810 MILES AT THE TIME OF THIS INSPECTION. THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY BELIEVED THIS TO BE A PREMATURE WEARING OF THE PARTS. ON 1/17/03, THE ORDERED PARTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED, AND I HAD THEM REPLACED. JUST CRUISIN REMOVED AND REPLACED BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS, THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT, AND BOTH INNER TIE ROD ENDS. I DID NOT NOTIFY CHRYSLER OF THIS PROBLEM YET. TODAY, I READ AN ARTICLE REGARDING 4 ACCIDENTS AND 81 COMPLAINTS OF PREMATURE WEAR ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF DODGE DURANGOS AND DECIDED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. I ALSO INTEND TO CONTACT CHRYSLER REGARDING RECOUPMENT OF MY EXPENSES. BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE REPLACED W/ FACTORY PARTS, I PROBABLY WILL STILL NEED TO REPLACE W/ THE REDESIGNED PARTS WHEN THEY COME OUT.

NHTSA ID

10028829

Incident

Dec 27, 2002

Mileage

62,810 mi

MAIN SUPPORT BRACKET ON FRONT FRAME OF VEHICLE WAS ONLY PARTLY WELDED FROM FACTORY. THIS HELD THE SUPPORT SUSPENSION ON VEHICLE. BEFORE IT BROKE I DID REPORT POSSIBLE FRONT END PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN OUT OF TOWN ON MAY 7 03. IT IS STILL BROKE. THEY SAID IT NEED A BRAND NEW FRAME FROM FACTORY. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 31000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE ONLY PUT 2500 MILES ON VEHICLE SINCE I HAD IT. 2002 DURANGO. I FEEL THERE ARE MORE VEHICLES OUT THERE LIKE THIS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025783

Incident

May 7, 2003

Mileage

31,000 mi

I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE INTO TWO PLACES FOR UNDERBODY INSPECTIONS AND M-59 DODGE TOLD ME MY BALL JOINTS (UPPER & LOWER) AND CONTROL ARMS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD M-59 DODGE REPLACE THEM ONCE AT 44,000 MILES ON MY '99 DURANGO AND NOW AT 77,000 THEY SAY THEY NEED IT AGAIN? SO, I TOOK IT INTO ANDERSON DODGE FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THEY SAID THEY WERE FINE (GOOD) ACTUALLY. SO, I CHECKED DEFECTS OFF THE NHSTA WEBSITE AND SAW SEVERAL INSTANCES OF BALL JOINTS FAILING AT EVERY 30,000 MILES. SO, I CALLED A DODGE PARTS DEPARTMENT AND ASKED WHAT THE PART #S WERE FOR BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS FOR A '99 DURANGO AND FOR A '99 DAKOTA (4X4) AND GUESS WHAT THEY ARE THE SAME NUMBERS????? LET ME GUESS, DESIGN THE 4X4 DAKOTA AND JUST ADD ALL THAT WEIGHT AND MOMENT ARMS OF THE BACK OF THE SUV TOP AND LIFT GATE AND NOT EXPECT THE EQUATIONS TO CHANGE FOR WEAR AND TEAR OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION?????? AND THEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS MODIFIED IN THE 2000 MODEL YEAR. WHAT A SURPRISE??? I WONDER IF NHSTA WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MY FINDINGS?????? NOW I AM GOING TO A THIRD DODGE DEALER FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION TO SEE IF I REALLY DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS. IF THESE BALL JOINTS I HAVE NOW ARE OK, I WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN TAP THEM AND PUT IN A GREASE FITTING IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THEM. IF HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT OK, I AM GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND SHOW THEM MY FINDINGS. I BELIEVE A DESIGN FLAW SHOULD BE A RECALL. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019010

Incident

May 20, 2003