Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHEELS | |||
| 09/08/2010 | 135000 | 1 | |
| The front tires wore out very quickly, we replaced the tires and within a year they wore out again. alignment has not helped. we took it in and found out the ball joints are bad. $1000 repair. *tr | |||
| 09/08/2010 | 135000 | ||
| The front tires wore out very quickly, we replaced the tires and within a year they wore out again. alignment has not helped. we took it in and found out the ball joints are bad. $1000 repair. | |||
| 05/08/2005 | 107900 | 3 | 07/31/2000 |
| At christmastime our transmission began acting up. we believed the harsh winter weather was causing the problem bc once the engine heated up, the vehicle drove just fine. at any rate, we took in to be serviced in march and had the 4x4 rear differentials flushed and serviced and the fluid changed. while it was in for that repair (at a dealership) they called and said the 2 front ball joints needed to be replaced. we knew about the recall, so asked them about it, but it just figures our vin was not included. so, $1600 later, we went and picked it up and seemed to drive just fine. well, then 3 wks. later i was driving to the grocery store. i was stopped a red light, and when it turned green i went to go and it just barely accelerated. luckily, the red light was right in front of the garage we normally use. i was able to turn the vehicle around and get it to where i was parked in front of the garage. i went in and told the mechanic what happened. the truck was in the shop for 2 wks. it needed a new transmission after having just been serviced! it cost $3300! over the past 2 months we have spent $4600 in repairs on a vehicle that we are still paying for! i am irrate! we even bought the extended warranty when we purchased the vehicle 5 yrs. ago, but now with 108,000 miles it's not covered any longer (warranty only went to 100,000). 2 yrs. ago i was involved in an accident with durango where the front drivers side wheel popped off after another vehicle hit it. we don't believe he could have hit it with enough force for that to happen if it had not been defective to begin with. his wife even spoke to me about this last christmas after the recall came out. i am fed up with this truck and i want dodge to know it. | |||
| 11/09/2004 | 67000 | 1 | |
| While coming to a stop at 15 mph front passenger's side wheel came off. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 80000 | ||
| We just had the right hub bearing changed in may 2003. now the same bearing is bad again and the tie rod ends are going bad and the upper and lower ball joints (these problems are on both the left and right side) it just seems to me that this is an awful lot of problems for a truck that is only 4 yrs old. the extended warrenty i bought on it doesn't cover any thing but the hub bearings. we bought this because we needed a family size vehichle, now i'm afraid to put my kids in it. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 73000 | ||
| I have had the vehicle in the garage since july 28, 2003. it will work for a couple days then something else goes wrong. i am putting it back in the garage on friday due to more transmission problems. i have put way too much money into this vehicle. something needs to be done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 56000 | ||
| Ball joints are all defective and the freeze-out plug rusted causing fluid leakage. | |||
| 12/31/2003 | 104000 | 2 | 10/01/2002 |
| While driving, the consumer heard a grinding noise in the front end. the dealership indicated that 3 of the balls joints were defective, and needed to be replaced. also, the front right wheel was loose. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 40000 | 1 | 02/14/2002 |
| While driving at any speed vehicle shook violently, and consumer heard a thumping sound coming from the front end. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who found that the upper ball joints needed to be replaced along with the bearings and both wheels. *ak *nm | |||
| 10/28/2003 | 42000 | 1 | |
| The passenger side front wheel fell off while driving 35 mph on the road. driver was able to pull the vehicle off the road. no injuries were reported. vehilce was towed to the dealer. the problem was undetermined at this time. *ak | |||
| 08/06/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 01/18/2003 |
| While driving approximately 45 mph, the left front wheel collapsed, and caused the vehicle to hit another vehicle. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 09/02/2002 | 1 | ||
| Left rear tire rim separated from the axle. causing consumer to lose control. while driving around a small bend in the road the vehicle pulled to the left. the driver tried to steer the vehicle back into the right lane but lost control if the vehicle. it spun around, hit a barrier wall and came to rest facing traffic. the left rear wheel separated and was found across the highway. it was determined by an investigator that the left rear tire/rim separated and caused the accident. *nlm | |||
| 09/26/2003 | 51144 | 1 | 08/04/2000 |
| Consumer stated that when he purchased tires in march of 2002 and wanted the tires aligned, he was told by dealer that ball joints were bad. later, took vehicle to another dealer and was told that ball joints were alright. then ,about 2-3 weeks later while putting brakes on vehicle dealer noticed that wheels were wobbly due to defective ball joints. however, since warranty expired consumer could not get help.*ak consumer stated that when he purchased tires in march of 2002 and wanted the tires aligned, he was told by dealer that ball joints were bad. later, took vehicle to another dealer and was told that ball joints were alright. then ,about 2-3 weeks later while putting brakes on vehicle dealer noticed that wheels were wobbly due to defective ball joints. vehicle was out of warranty and consumer is not orginial owner of vehicle so the manufacturer would not do anything to help. the estimate for repairs came to $1943.25. *mr | |||
| 09/02/2002 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle's left rear wheel separated from axle causing vehicle to go out of control. *mr the consumer had gone around a small bend and the vehicle pulled to the left. as the consumer tried to steer back into the lane, the vehicle went into the right lane. the consumer had no control of the steering. the consumer applied the brakes but the vehicle didn't slow down, instead it went out control and traveled backwards facing traffic, the vehicle hit a barrier wall of the bridge on the drivers side, bounced off the wall, spun around again, and hit the barrier wall again in the rear left side. the vehicle spun around again and ended back on the interstate. the left rear wheel had separated from the vehicle and was found across the highway. a witness stated that it appeared as if the rear axle cracked and the left rear wheel went at an opposite angle of the vehicle. *scc *jb | |||
| 55571 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated that vehicle was taken in for a routine inspection, and mechanic noticed that front wheels were about to fall off due to ball joints being worn out.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer noticed while traveling 50-55 mph and without any indication passenger's front wheel fell off. dealer was contacted. *ak | |||
| WHEELS - CAP/COVER/HUB | |||
| 04/07/2004 | 78900 | 1 | 02/01/2002 |
| 1999 dodge durango. the design of the front wheel hubs on the non abs and not 4 wheel drive durango is a problem. the nut is tightend clockwise but the wheel spins counter clockwise. this will cause the nut to unscrew itself which can lead to the wheel falling off. luckly i caught it just before the wheel was going to unscrew itself off. it was within 2 turns of having the nut come off which could have caused a major accident. *ak | |||
| 10/10/2003 | 1 | 09/19/2003 | |
| I bought a 1999 dodge durango on 9/19/03. soon after purchase i took my family to tampa, florida for vacation, when upon arrival the car was making a very loud grinding noise. we had it looked in tampa and the mechanic at allied told us the hub and bearing of the left front needed to be replaced, trasmission was leaking and power steering pressure pump was also leaking. i drove very slow home praying that nothing would happend to us on the way. when i arrived i took it to a mechanic who told me i was lucky to have had made it home because the wheel could have come off.i have spend over $400.00 dollars in repairs. now the right front hub and bearing is also bad and needs to be replaced as well.the dealer i bought this car from (kendal kia) told me i bought the car as is and they don't give any warranty. they also never offered me extended warranty on the car. *ak | |||
| 1 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| Consumer called complaining about the front ball joints. also stated that consumer had to have them replaced because they were falling apart. manufacturer was not contacted at the time of this call. *ph mechanic repaired the vehicle at a rate of 50/50% because of the warranty. consumer was informed he should've brought the vehicle in at 36,000 so the repairs could've been fully covered. *ph | |||
| 09/01/2001 | 8 | 08/30/1999 | |
| There's a snapping noise whenever vehicle is being driven at low speeds. took vehicle to dealer and they realigned and replaced bearings, hubs, and rotors. *ak consumer states vehicle continues to make the noises under the front end, dealer has attempted to fix this problem 8 times. *slc | |||
| WHEELS - LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS | |||
| 08/22/2003 | 1 | ||
| The lugs: nuts have become so stuck on the rims during a tire change that the stems broke off. this is the second time this has happened. the first time at texaco lube during a tire rotation; second time at costco, again during a tire rotation. had to have all stems replaced at dealer and get reimbursed from texaco lube/costco. dealer said the stems are very brittle and that dodge knows about this already.*ak | |||
| 10/03/2000 | 3 | 09/01/1998 | |
| I have had a flat tire on the passenger side rear wheel,when i was changing the tire,i noticed that one of the wheel studs broke off,when i went to my dealer to have it fixed,two more wheel studs broke off when the dealer was fixing it,total wheel studs that broke off the same wheel was 3, my concern is, my truck is only 2 years old and already 3 wheel studs had broken off the same wheel,although the repair was done by my dealer under warranty, i am just worried how many more wheel studs will break and luckily i was not driving at the time the studs broke, but what if i was driving? what then could have happened to me and others? i don't expect you at nhtsa to ask daimler-chrysler to make a recall just because of my case,but please look into this situation.*ak | |||
| WHEELS - MULTI PIECE | |||
| 02/14/2003 | 56740 | 02/06/1999 | |
| The entire front wheel hub on driver and passenger sides had to be replaced at 56,740 miles, i would like to add these were easy highway miles. it happened without warning, i was driving when i noticed a loud rumble and vibration under my feet when turning the wheel slightly, i immediately went to my mechanic an was surprised when he put it on the rack and both wheels rocked back and forth!! this could have caused a serious accident had they let go while traveling 50mph. just would like to know if anyone else experienced this problem? my husband called the dealership where we leased it to see if they had any complaints and they really didn't seem to care. we just feel at 56,000 highway miles these should have plently of life in them yet. | |||
| WHEELS - RIM | |||
| 09/12/2005 | 100000 | 7 | 02/04/2003 |
| Dt: the caller said the vehicle had three cracked rims. she took them off the vehicle, but did not know where they were located on the vehicle. had a flat tire and put air in the tire. when she arrived home the tire was flat again. she took vehicle to an independent inspection station, and they told her the rims were cracked. dealer said rims did not crack. dealer and manufacturer claimed they could not offer any help for free. she took vehicle to the dealer seven times for different problems.*ak *jb | |||
| 10/17/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving about 5 mph and pulling out of a parking lot rear rim fell off and vehicle stalled. driver had vehicle towed to the dealership for analysis. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 4 | 08/01/1999 | |
| This is the fourth time that the studs have broken off. two studs broke while changing a flat tire in august 2000, and when the dealer went to replace them (at my cost) a third stud broke off. last week when i was having the wheels aligned a fourth stud broke and again i am having to have this repaired at my own expense. as there is one other report similar to this one posted on this web site i am wondering if nhtsa is looking into this? it seems to me that defective wheel studs/lug nuts creates an extremely dangerous situation that both nhtsa and the manufacturer would want to see remedied.*ak | |||
| 02/16/2001 | 0 | ||
| Dealer drilled a whole in wheel rim of car while in for service.*ak | |||