NHTSA Complaint #10030761 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

I PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND ASKED THE TIRE DEALER TO CHECK THE ALIGNMENT ON MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT DO IT DUE TO THE FACT THE FRONT END BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS WERE BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES. CHRYSLER SAID AT THE TIME THIS WAS UNHEARD OF AND SAW NO REASON FOR PREMATURE FAILURE. THEY WOULD NOT COVER THIS UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. THEY MADE ME PAY FOR THIS WITH MY CHRYSLER EXTENDED WARRANTY, CHARGING ME $50 DEDUCTIBLE AND I HAD TO PAY FOR A FRONT END ALIGNMENT THAT WAS NOT REQUIRED EXCEPT FOR THE CHANGING OF THE PARTS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED ON A VEHICLE WITH THIS AGE AND MILEAGE. CARS RUN FOR YEARS AND OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES AND DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER. LUCKILY, THIS WAS CAUGHT BEFORE THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON VACATION IN THE MOUNTAINS A FEW WEEKS LATER. *AK