NHTSA Complaint #10048861 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

WE HAVE BEEN DETECTING FRONTEND NOISES FOR SOME TIME NOW IN OUR 1999 DODGE DURANGO(VIN# [XXX]). ON FRIDAY MORNING, NOV 28,2003, THEY SUDDENLY BECAME MUCH WORSE. THE SUDDEN INCREASE CAME WHILE WE WERE VISITING FAMILY FOR THANKSGIVING SOME 350 MILES FROM HOME. I PROMPTLY TELEPHONED MY SERVICE PERSON AT HOME AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HE AND I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END AND HE HAS CONTINUALLY REASSURED ME THAT NO PROBLEM OF ANY SERIOUS NATURE IS DETECTABLE. ON THIS OCCASION, HE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD REFER ME TO ANOTHER DEALER IN NJ OR I COULD BRING IT IN TO HIM WHEN I GOT HOME WITH THE TRUCK. I DESCRIBED THE NOISE IN DETAIL, A METAL ON METAL GRATING NOISE WITH SQUEAKING THAT WORSENED OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR ON RIGHT TURNS. AT NO TIME DID THE SERVICE PERSON INFORM ME OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND DISCOURAGE ME FROM DRIVING THE TRUCK AT EITHER HIGH SPEED OR LOW SPEED. LATER IN THE DAY THE NOISE WORSENED EVEN TO A GREATER DEGREE. AT THIS POINT IT EVEN SEEMED THAT THERE WAS SOME DRAG ON THE TRUCK'S FORWARD PROGRESS. WE PHONED A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND BEGAN TO MAKE THE 5 MILE JOURNEY. APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM OUR STARTING POINT, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED. I HAD TO GET A TOW TO THE DEALER. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE COMPLETELY SPLAYED OUT AND I NO LONGER HAD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR