Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FLUID
050060110/19/2001631623Subject regarding discolored brake fluid. *tt06/06/2002

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
02/14/20041
 Multiple problems with 2002 dodge durango. power locks intermittently lock and unlock without activating them. bad creaking noise from front suspension, possible ball joint problems. check engine light goes on and off intermittently. brakes really soft, horrible stopping distance. engine runs really rough in morning for first 10-15 minutes. only 21000 miles. *ak
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK
04/07/200535000110/27/2002
 Had to make a sudden stop and abs system was dangerously slow to engage, release and re-engage. brake pedal went all the way down to the floor and barely stopped before hitting vehicle in front of me. took it to 2 dealers and both said there was nothing wrong according to specifications. major safety hazard!
05/02/200437000212/19/2001
 I have a 2002 dodge durango with 4wd and it has 37,000 miles on it. i have to change both front wheel brake rotors. when i took the brake pads out, i found that on both wheels the inside brake pad has been completely worn out and pitted into the rotor while both outside brake pads has only less than 1/3 wear out of the material. it looks like the disk brake system in the front wheel has some kind of design flaw. i am a very good mechanical engineer, i think the clip located on the outside of the disk brake prevented the outside pad from effectively engaging with the rotor when the brake was applied.*ak
01/12/200427000112/28/2001
 Returned vehicle to dealer complaining of poor antilock brake performance and excessive pedal travel. dealer resurfaced front rotors/replaced pads. vibration from run out is gone but poor antilock performance and excessive pedal travel still exits. dealer states all is fine. excessive stopping distance contributed to first accident. *cb
08/19/2003
 Vehicle took longer to stop. as result, consumer's vehicle was involved in an accident. dealer stated there was a marginal problem with the brakes. *ak
12/03/20029000305/08/2002
 Anti-lock brakes on my 2002 dodge durrango have put me into the middle of an intersection durring a red light ,at stops on dirt roads the rear wheels lock like the front brakes aren't working and it looks like a cracked weld on the control arm bracket on the left front. dodge say's nothing is wrong and they won't fix it ,i have a pregnant wife and 4 kids who ride in this suv and i can't get dodge to fix it, oh and the steering feels loose on it to ,road walks.*ak
08/11/2003401/27/2002
 Had a car length & 1/2 in front of me, i do this because i have had problems before with the car not stopping. applied brakes normally, car slowed & pulled to the right but would not stop. applied brakes with both feet - literally lifted myself up on the seat during applying of brakes & still would not stop. rear ended car in front.*ak
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - DISC - PADS
05/07/20053509506/22/2002
 The vehicle has a little over 35k miles on it. it failed the safety inspection because right inboard brake pad was loose. it was loose because the anti-rattle clip had rotted away inside the caliper piston. the left side was intact but nearly rusted away. there was over 50% of the friction material left on pads.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - DISC - ROTOR
06/30/200545000208/21/2002
 1. driver's side spindle nut works loose causing rotor to become loose. 2. loose rotor causes the sealed bearing to loose grease and fail. can casue wheel loss or loss of control. 3. rotor and spindle nut must be replaced each time. this has occurred on this vehicle two times.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
06/03/201064320
 Continued problem with braking system. have had brakes replaced three times in 80k miles. once the brakes siezed on the road ( was stopped by trooper due to smoke) and had to be towed. recently similar, precursor symptoms to siezing began again, they were confirmed by my dealership and the entire front braking system had to be replaced. this is the second dodge truck/van that i have owned that has had this problem. my previous vehicle had to be towed three times after the brakes seized. seems to affect trucks/vans with 16 dia wheels since i have owned other chrysler products without this problem. the maintenance manager's response to my complaint about the fourth major braking problem with this vehicle was no car is perfect. i fully understand that nothing is perfect, but if you can't get the braking system right you shouldn't be selling cars. in my mind that's the braking system is the number one safety priority on a vehicle.
04/24/2006550361
 I have a 2002 dodge durango. it has rear antilock brakes. i have had numerous close calls in hard stop situations where the wheels lock up and the vehicle slides forward. i have taken it to a brake specialist who agreed after a test ride there was a serious problem but said i needed to get the dealer involved. i have taken it to several dodge dealers over a period of about four years. they have made several recommendations to which i had the service done and it made no difference. now they keep telling me there is nothing wrong. i got dodge regional involved last year. they told me to take it back to the dealer and have them check it out. the dealer said that the abs was engaging early but did nothing to correct the problem. i recently reached dodge regional again. he says he talked to the service manager at the dealership who told him they recommended the rotors be replaces and i refused. i told him that was a lie that i had the rotors and pads replaced. dodge regional said there was nothing he could do to help. he said the service manager recommended i bring the car in for inspection again at another $90. i told him i refuse to keep paying these fees to have them tell me there's nothing wrong. i then put in a call to the service manager at the dealer and left him a detailed message asking him to please return my call. he never returned my call. i have attempted to reach dodge regional for the last few days and his phone just rings with no voicemail picking up. i am out of ideas and patience. i love my vehicle but it is a severe hazard. it seems as though once again nothing will happen until someone is killed or seriously injured before anything gets done. i have plenty of documentation with my complaints to the dealers as backup. i hope someone there can help me get this problem resolved. by the way, i know another person who has the same year durango as me and she complains of the same problem. *tr
06/17/2008110000305/01/2001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge durango. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact heard a clunking, whining, and humming sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. he drove to the repair shop and the mechanic stated that both the upper and lower ball joints and a tie rod needed to be replaced. the mechanic performed a wheel alignment. nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension:front: control arm:upper ball joint) was referenced. the contact was also informed that the entire cooling system needed to be replaced because the dealer could not locate the cause of the failure. the cooling system has not worked properly since the repair. the switch to operate the blower motor fan only works on high. the failure mileage was 110,000. updated 07/15/08.*lj the brakes were replaced numerous times. updated 07/15/08.
08/13/20033
 2002 dodge durango developed a problem with the brake equipment. *mr the pavement was dry when the consumer rear-ended another vehicle. the consumer felt as if she had no brakes. the consumers friend experienced the same problem. the dealer suggested that the brakes were leaking and worn out. *sc
07/07/2005609/29/2002
 Dt: the contact owns a 2002 dodge durango. the contact states that while driving the vehicle the brakes on the drivers side caught on fire. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. the brake pads melted to the rotor and the calipers on the drivers side were replaced. the brakes and the rotors were replaced about two months prior to this and six months before that they were replaced. the total amounts of times the brakes has been replaced 5-6 times and that is changing the rotors more than twice. *nm
09/01/200301/13/2003
 Dt: when the consumer hit the brakes they made a clunking sound and the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance. the occurred regardless of weather conditions. *nm
07/10/200438900103/12/2002
 Brake falure on 2002 dodge durango, and steering problems. *la
08/15/200320350
 Dealer states that brake rotors are warped to the point of not being turned and that i will need to pruchase new ones at the cost of approx. $450.00. the brakes pads are only slightly worn. car shutters vigorously when brake is applied. dealer states that this is not under warrenty and that this is not a manufacturers defect. i have contacted dodge/chrystler waiting for a response.
03/08/20041
 While driving 30 mph vehicle hit a pot hole . consumer applied the brakes, lost control of the vehicle, and hit a curb. passenger's side wheel fell off. consumer had the vehicle towed to dealer for inspection, and mechanic replaced both upper and lower ball joints. *ak ea03-023
03/15/2003
 When the driver applied the brake pedal it went to the floor which caused extended stopping distance. nlm
01/18/200312000
 The consumer had to use excessive force when braking to stop the vehicle. *nlm
11/23/2002
 Consumer states that when trying to apply the brakes the brake will pulsate causing the vehicle to have extended stopping distance. dealer notified. ts
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK
10/27/200541732605/27/2002
 Transmission slipping,started as slipping at shift points when cold progressed to slipping anytime at shift points and when engaged in a gear.happens more when engine at operating temperature in bumper to bumper traffic or under strain such as uphill driving,been to dealership 6 times over 1 1/2 years no work done to transmission,repeted claims of unable to recreate problem, personaly went on test drive with service manager,he drove ant experinced problem claimed problem to be from over heating replaced radiator thermostat diregarded fact problem happening more than a year with cold engine, no transmission work done.still slipping returned back to dealership still no work done but confirmed problem with abs brakes would not repair. contacted chryslerfor help dealership lied stating unable to recreate either problem. chrysler not helping. *ak
11/22/200526540210/14/2001
 I was driving on the freeway at 55 mph, 6 car lengths behind a vehicle. the vehicle in front of me stopped abruptly (a disable vehicle was in the lane) and when i slammed on the brakes, the vehicle kept rolling as if no brakes were applied. my foot went all the way to the floor. there were no vibrations from the abs as well as no lowering of the front end, typical from braking. i ended up colliding into the vehicle at about 30 mph and the air bags did not deploy. i had previously complained several times to my dealer that the brakes were faulty in a panic situation. i complained shortly after purchasing the vehicle and up until a year ago. in all instances, i was advised that there was nothing wrong with my brakes as no code was detected. *nm
01/15/2005385003001/15/2005
 Brake problems with my 2002 dodge durango xlt plus. at high or low speeds when you have to make a sudden stop and hit the brakes, they attempt to grab but then let go, and your only hope is to stop in time. i have had the brakes looked at by 2 mechanics other than the dodge dealership(tim parker of hot springs) and both say that there is a definite problem with the brakes. however, after spending $300 for brake pads and several other visits to tim parkers, they keep denying a problem and tell me that is just how the brakes are on the dodge. i asked them if when that 1 small child runs out in the street to catch his ball and i am the unlucky person to be traveling down that street and i apply the brakes but can not stop, if they would be ready to accept their responsiblility. i have copies of all reports from them stating there is nothing wrong with the brakes. i am afraid to drive it at all but traveleing 64 miles a day it is necessary. can someone please help me? surely i am not the only person complaining of the brakes! *nm
05/27/200544495104/20/2002
 While driving on 5/27/05 both front brakecalipers locked, fortunately only traveling a few miles..brakes smoldering...warped rotaors and crystalized both front brakes' pads...for correction new master clyinder,fron rotors,calipers and brake pads
05/15/200228000112/27/2001
 Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock with rear abs only (2-wheel) when the abs system is activated the vehicle surges forward. it is as if the front brakes will not stop. this has been a problem sense the vehicle was new. when it was mention to the dealer they said that was how the abs system worked. *ak
12/23/200321200107/18/2002
 I was traveling at 25 mph and approx. 100 feet behind other cars when someone about 10 cars ahead made a hard stop causing everyone behind them to do the same. i heard at least three cars tires screaching to a stop in front of me. when i applied my brakes in my 2002 dodge durango with brake pedal pushed down as far as it would go and as hard as i could the truck slowed to about 5 mph with everything loose in the truck flying foward, but the truck did not stop. for the last 30 feet it just kept going at 5 mph and i hit the rear of of a 97 honda accord. the tires never locked up or did i feel any anti-lock pulsation in the brake pedal as i have on other vehicles. i had no control in this accident. if i had not had 4 wheel anti-lock brakes i would have been able to stop. something is wrong with the braking system on this truck! but the dealer said everything was normal. people are going to be killed if this problem is not dealt with. the honda i hit suffered heavy damage because of the height differance in bumpers. my truck was not as bad. my auto insurace rate will be going up from what i believe i could not have prevented. thank goodness no body was hurt.*ak
08/14/20021000208/14/2002
 I have 30,000 miles on my 2002 durango slt plus. i have had the rear replaced twice and it still makes noise. my entire family just missed a accident ( 3 children) because the antilock brakes do not function properly under awd mode. the transmission is clunking everytime we stop. the ball joints are wearing out! just found out seat belts are unsafe! i am scared to death for my family ! *ak
10/23/200316200203/15/2002
 The abs system will not allow for an emergency stop. the cycle time is very long between brake application on a dry road. sometimes the brake pedal will go all the way to the floor and no brakes applied. have had to steer sharply to avoid other cars, can not rely on the brakes to sop every time. *la
09/15/20032307509/05/2002
 2002 dodge durango. *jb
08/24/2003
 When coming to a sudden stop abs brakes failed and pedal would go to the floor, causing an accident. *ak
07/19/20034500112/28/2002
 When applied brakes to stop with plenty of distance and not a sudden stop, it kept on rolling nearly rear ending the car in front of us. we finally stopped about an inch from the car in front of us. it seems like the brakes were not working. *ak
06/18/200219000612/12/2001
 When having to make a sudden stop, not quick enough to normally cause skidding, the anti lock breaks will engage and not release causing an extended stopping distance. about 50% of the time when the anti-lock breaks engage, the break peddle goes all the way to the floor and the vehicle will continue to roll. we have had this occur several times. we have had to avoid other vehicles to prevent an accident as well as have rolled through a few red lights. each time the dealer does not find anything wrong with the vehicle. the replaced and adjusted the rear breaks once which did seem to help having the anti lock breaks engage so easily. today it happened again and we had to swerve onto the curb to avoid rear ending a vehicle which resulted in a broken rim on the vehicle. *nlm
05/30/20039252410/15/2002
 When having to stop when someone stops in front of you and put on your brakes all of a sudden, i have no brakes. my husband has already had 1 wreck and i have almost had 3. last friday while traveling to work a truck pulling a utility trailer suddenly stopped in front of me and i had to hit my brakes, when i did they went directly to the floor and since i wasn't real close i finally did stop about 2 inches from the utility trailer. when this happens and i put my brakes on i push the brake pedal down and hold it. but there are no brakes, it tries to brake but the pedal just keeps on going to the floor.i noticed afterward that the brakes seem to readust themselves. took vehicle to alexander dodge and they looked a brakes but did not find anything. this is very dangerous, since this time i almost did not get stopped. *ak
04/01/200330001
 When the brakes were applied, the pedal traveled to the floor, which caused the vehicle to experience extended stopping distance.*jb
03/26/2003101/19/2002
 Needed to do a hard stop. the anti-lock brakes seemed slow to engage, dis-engage, and re-engage during which the car would roll. basically, the abs would engage, then disengage, and before they would re-engage, the car rolled. it was a noticeable amount of time, and a noticeable roll before the abs re-engaged. it seemed like it took a second. since the car rolled and wouldn't stop, we needed to swerve to miss traffic. took it to a dodge dealer, and they said nothing was wrong. even test drove it with the service manager, pointed out the roll, but he only gave me excuses. i guess if the abs light doesn't come on, they don't think anything is wrong. *jb
12/01/2002
 Consumer was driving and applied brakes suddenly. brakes were functioning erratically and car would not stop, only barely slow down. abs did not engage and consumer had to drive vehicle off the road to effectively slow it down. dealer could not duplicate or diagnose problem. ts
09/01/2002
 When stopping quickly, but not in a panic. the abs brake system will sometimes brake and release. when the brakes are no where near lockup. this has caused the me to come close to rear ending a vehicle in front of me that should have been a slightly faster stop than normal, but no where close to causing an accident. i would prefer no abs system if this system on the durango is normal. no accidents for over 30 years, but two close calls with this vehicle. i know this is not normal for normal abs brakes. dealer found no problems with the brakes. dt
07/20/2002111/01/2001
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT
04/18/200850765110/11/2001
 Abs and brake light came on in the dash. the brakes did become spongy. vehicle was taken directly to the mechanic about 3/4 down the road. he found the clip to the rear abs sensor had broken and the sensor torn apart. further investigation showed that the sensor had been broken by the rear differential which had for no good reason shattered into pieces. this is a garage kept vehicle with 50,000 miles and no abuse. *tr
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
04/10/200510
 Occasionally under normal or slightly heavy breaking the anti-lock break system will kick in with a noticeably long pause between breaking and rolling. this causes our durango to take longer to stop than normal. i have had a couple instances where i stopped too close to the car in front of me or too close to the cross walk because the vehicle's breaking system failed. my wife rear ended another vehicle when the durango would not stop soon enough because of this problem.
04/01/2003200002
 When the consumer attempted to apply the brakes, the anti-lock-brake system engaged, which almost resulted in a rear-end collision. the dealer replaced the anti-lock brake system unit, however the problem recurred. *jb
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC
07/08/20031
 Consumer states vehicle pulls to the right when applying brakes. dealer notified. *ak
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - CALIPER
05/04/200779000108/06/2006
 Front left brake caliper locked during rush hour leaving washington, dc on a friday evening. the durango had 79,000 miles on it. the vehicle was purchased from a dealer's lot in august 2006. all maintenance has been kept up on the vehicle. we had to replace both calipers in the front. also, replace both brake pads and shoes. the brake shoes were brand new. they were placed on the durango a month prior.*ak
07/14/2004336001
 While braking steering pulled to the left. front caliper failed. smoke started to come from the front end of the vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - PADS
05/04/200779000108/06/2006
 Front left brake caliper locked during rush hour leaving washington, dc on a friday evening. the durango had 79,000 miles on it. the vehicle was purchased from a dealer's lot in august 2006. all maintenance has been kept up on the vehicle. we had to replace both calipers in the front. also, replace both brake pads and shoes. the brake shoes were brand new. they were placed on the durango a month prior.*ak
10/01/20041
 The vehicle in front of the consumer slammed on brakes. the incident was caused by pitted rotors. the brake shoes grabbed hard on the pitted rotors caused the abs to kick in which also caused the vehicle to jerk in stop and go motion. *ak *sc
06/10/200414000108/15/2002
 I purchased a new durango 2 years ago, and at present the suv has slightly over 14,000 miles. the dealer has informed me that the rotors must be turned and new brake pads installed. this type of work at 14,000 miles (7,000 miles per year) is unacceptable. at this rate 30,000 miles will require new pads and rotors. apparantly, the brakes/rotors are undersized for the size and weight of the vehicle or the pads and/or rotors are defective, both safety issues in my opinion. *ak
02/28/200234000305/15/2002
 I own a 2002 dodge durango with 35,000 miles that has always been properly maintained. i have already had the dealer replace 2 worn ball joints last week, i've had the brake pads replaced twice, and one rotor on one side (in front) turned, and i am still hearing strange noises. i would like an investigation done on my vehicle, as i am driving my daughter and myself around everyday, and my factory warranty is about to expire. its obvious daimler chrysler is not concerned with saving peoples lives, as i have just witnessed the march third evening edition of cbs news with dan rather. i am rather concerned that the transportation safety administration has let daimler chrysler get away with not recalling these problems considering the large amount of complaints with these suspension systems. please help me and contact me. thank you. email me at jcookie100@earthlink.net or phone me (858)220-0419. im not real sure what to do at this point. thank you. signed, a concerned parent and driver.*ak
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - ROTOR
01/01/1901300001
 Problems with brake equipment on 2002 dodge durango.*mr while applying the brakes the front end of the vehicle shimmied. upon inspection of the brakes the consumer noticed that the pads were like new but the rotors were corroded so badly that the metal was flaking off and leaving pits on the surface. the consumer believes that materials used were substandard. *nm *jb
04/20/200422458206/06/2002
 On april 20 my wife took our 2002 dodge durango to the dealersip to have a pa inspection performed. the inspection in 2003 was routine and showed no signs of abnormal wear. since the last inspection my drove the durango 10,010 miles. the vehicle is garaged each night at our home. the inspection mechanic at the dealership failed our durango due to the left front brake rotor being severly rusted. even the retaining clips that hold the brake pads in place are rusted off after only 10,010 miles from last year. how can a brake rotor become rusted when it is being driven each day by my wife. her work is eight miles from our home, one way. i suspect the rotor is made from defective steel. we have all the service records as the dealership services the durango when needed. total mileage on the vehicle is 22,458 over 2 years. we are paying to have the work completed but feel the rotors are defective as are the brake pads. i myself inspected the rotor and found the axel to be rusting along with the spindle arm attached to possibly defective ball joints.. common folks such as myself and my wife depend on your agency to represent us. had we know of the poor quality of the durango we never would have spent our money on it. i have contacted dodge customer service and they have been of no help. i have instructed the mechanic at the dealership to give me back all the parts being replaced so i will have them for evidence. i also have the supporting paperwork. unsafe vehicles should not be allowed on the highways where people can get killed. at 60 miles per hour if your rotor breaks or the ball joint pops out someone will be dead. thank you in advance for your help.*ak
02/28/200234000305/15/2002
 I own a 2002 dodge durango with 35,000 miles that has always been properly maintained. i have already had the dealer replace 2 worn ball joints last week, i've had the brake pads replaced twice, and one rotor on one side (in front) turned, and i am still hearing strange noises. i would like an investigation done on my vehicle, as i am driving my daughter and myself around everyday, and my factory warranty is about to expire. its obvious daimler chrysler is not concerned with saving peoples lives, as i have just witnessed the march third evening edition of cbs news with dan rather. i am rather concerned that the transportation safety administration has let daimler chrysler get away with not recalling these problems considering the large amount of complaints with these suspension systems. please help me and contact me. thank you. email me at jcookie100@earthlink.net or phone me (858)220-0419. im not real sure what to do at this point. thank you. signed, a concerned parent and driver.*ak
01/22/2004
 The brake rotors need to be turned or replaced at 25000 miles. the vehicle is too heavy/big for the smaller sized rotors. vehicle does not respond efficiently to brakes. in my case, the master cylinder needed to be replaced by the dealership at 25000 miles. this is a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed with dodge on the manufacturing of the durango.
10/29/200319254307/01/2002
 The brakes pulsated when they were applied. however, there wasn't any problem with braking. the driver took the vehicle to the dealer and the mechanic noticed that both front rotors were warped and needed to be resurfaced *ak after replacing 3 sets of rotors within six months the consumer feels that dodge auto parts are defective. *cb *jb
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DRUM
06/10/200414000108/15/2002
 I purchased a new durango 2 years ago, and at present the suv has slightly over 14,000 miles. the dealer has informed me that the rotors must be turned and new brake pads installed. this type of work at 14,000 miles (7,000 miles per year) is unacceptable. at this rate 30,000 miles will require new pads and rotors. apparantly, the brakes/rotors are undersized for the size and weight of the vehicle or the pads and/or rotors are defective, both safety issues in my opinion. *ak
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DRUM - SHOES/LININGS
05/04/200779000108/06/2006
 Front left brake caliper locked during rush hour leaving washington, dc on a friday evening. the durango had 79,000 miles on it. the vehicle was purchased from a dealer's lot in august 2006. all maintenance has been kept up on the vehicle. we had to replace both calipers in the front. also, replace both brake pads and shoes. the brake shoes were brand new. they were placed on the durango a month prior.*ak
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER
07/11/2005400005008/10/2004
 Anti-lock brakes - have to extend stopping distance more than any other car ever owned. anti-lock activates very easy, but does not cause durango to slow down quickly. dealership said master cylinder has internal leak and needs to be replaces - cost is over $500. durango only has 60,000 miles on it.