NHTSA Complaint #10049616 — 2001 DODGE DURANGO

2001 DURANGO R/T. SECOND FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION (11/26/03) @ 35000 MILES. HANDLED BY DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHY OR HOW TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. RPM TACHOMETER RACES BETWEEN 100 - 800 RPM DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS INCLUDING LOAD, LIGHT LOAD, FLAT TERRAIN, AND OCCASIONALLY DOWN HILL WHEN DRIVING OF SPEEDS GREATER THAN 45 MPH IN DRIVE AND OVERDRIVE. EXCESSIVELY HARD CLUNG WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND BETWEEN 2ND AND 1ST. 1ST FAILURE (2/6/02) WAS BEFORE PCM AND TRANSMISSION FLASH RECALLS @ 20000 MILES. SERVICE MANAGER INSISTED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL THING AND HIS JEEP DID THE SAME THING. AFTER MUCH CONVINCING THAT I WOULD PREFER THE OPINION OF A TECH INSTEAD DID THEY TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. VEHICLE WAS KEPT FOR AN ADDITIONAL WEEK THAN WHAT WAS PROMISED FOR DELIVERY. VEHICLE WAS KEPT IN GARAGE FOR THE 2 WEEKS AND WHEN PICKED UP ALL PERSONAL ITEMS, ELECTRONICS, TIRE JACK, ETC WAS MISSING (~ $2700 WORTH) AND ACCUSING ME OF LEAVING MY DOORS UNLOCKED (DID NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND HIS POINT AND AURGUEMENT SINCE IT SAT IN THE DEALERSHIPS GARAGE FOR THE 2 WEEK DURATION). SINCE ... TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO PARK AND OCCASIONALLY DRIVE, VERBALLY TOLD NOT A BIG DEAL BY DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION BEING FLASHED. NOTICED VEHICLE SURGING WITH RPM INCREASE AFTER DRIVING A WHILE. OH, BY THE WAY, YEA, THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED AT ~18000 MILES TOO (10/2002)!*AK