NHTSA Complaint #10029278 — 2000 DODGE DURANGO

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 DODGE DURANGO AT LEE AUTOMALL, SACO, MAINE, ON 03-06-03. I WAS INFORMED A 150 POINT CHECK HAD BEEN PERFORMED AND THE BRAKES WERE NEW ON USED VEHICLES ON THEIR LOT. MY FIRST MAINTENANCE/OIL CHANGE WAS 04/03 AT LEE AUTOMALL, AUBURN, ME. I PROVIDED A CONCERN THAT THE FRONT BRAKES HAD BEEN SCWELL'G AT EACH SLOW DOWN OR STOP AND THAT BRAKE DUST WAS ACCUMULAT'G ON THE TIRE RIMS. THE BRAKES WERE CHECKED AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND THAT THE SCWELL'G SOUND I WAS HEARING IS NORMAL PERFORMANCE DUE TO A NEW KIND OF BRAKE PADS THAT USED CAR DEALERSHIPS INSTALL ON USED VEHICLES. 2 DAYS AFTER THE FRONT BRAKES BEGAN TO SCWELL AGAIN AND BRAKE DUST WAS APPEAR'G ON THE TIRE RIMS. 2 WKS AFTER SVC/MAINTENANCE I NOTICED THAT EACH TIME I DROVE ACROSS A BUMP OR CEMENT BRIDGE THE DURANGO WOULD JOLT FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. WHEREBY, I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME CONTROL'G THE STEER'G. I BROUGHT THE DURANGO IN FOR SVC/MAINTENANCE ON 07/09/03 TO LEE AUTOMALL IN AUBURN, ME FOR F/U CARE. I EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE REP THAT THE FRONT BRAKES CONT'D TO SCWELL AND THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS NOT PERFORM'G WELL. I EXPRESSED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE STEER'G EACH INSTANCE THAT I DROVE OVER A BUMP OR CEMENT BRIDGE. I PHONED THE SERVICE REP ON 07/10/03 TO RECEIVE A STATUS ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL 4 SHOCKS (NO GOOD), 2 TIRES (WORN-NO TREAD), AND A SERPETINE BELT (CRACKED) HAD TO BE REPLACED. I OWNED THE DURANGO FOR 3 MONTHS AND I'M BEING TOLD THAT ALL 4 SHOCKS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I PICKED THE DURANGO UP ON 07/12/03 AND ALL WAS WELL UNTIL 07/13/03. THE SHOCKS WERE REPLACED, TWO NEW TIRES, AND THE BRAKES--I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, A GREAT AMOUNT OF PADD'G REMAINED AND THAT IT IS JUST A CHARACTER FLAW. AS OF 07/15/03 THE FRONT BRAKES CONTINUE TO SCWELL, BRAKE DUST COLLECTS ON THE RIMS AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME HANDL'G THE STEER'G WHEN I DRIVE OVER A BUMP OR A CEMENT BRIDGE.*AK