NHTSA Complaint #10057127 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

WHILE DRIVING OUR DURANGO AT NIGHT AND SWITCHING THE LIGHTS FROM BRIGHT TO DIM I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. THE LAST TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, I HAD USED MY BRIGHTS WHILE TAKING COUNTRY ROADS, BUT WHEN I GOT ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY, I-35 MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN WHEN I WENT FROM BRIGHT TO DIM ONCE BEFORE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE, THIS LAST TIME WAS SCARY. I HAD BOTH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE ON THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 30, 2004. THIS IS DEFINATELY A HAZARD AND COULD CERTAINLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MY HUSBAND WORKS 35 MILES FROM HOME AND WHILE GETTING ONTO ANOTHER MAJOR HIGHWAY HE HAD THE FRONT BEARING FREEZE AND THE CV JOINT BREAK. HE WAS ONLY GETTING ONTO THE ON RAMP WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THANK GOD HE WAS NOT ON THE FREEWAY GOING 60 MPH WHEN IT SNAPPED. I HAD DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE JUST 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THIS MIGHT OCCUR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HEARD SOME NOISE. THE WHOLE UNDERSIDE OF THE DURANGO WAS COVERED IN GREASE FROM THE BEARING. THIS TO ME MEANS THAT IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AND THIS WAS A FAULTY PIECE OF METAL. WHILE WE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR WE WERE TOLD WE NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE FRONT END SUSPENSION. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT THAT OLD AND WE NEED TO HAVE IT REWIRED AND THE FRONT END RE-DONE. I WOULD RATHER PUT MY MONEY INTO A DIFFERENT VEHICLE BUT FEEL WE WOULD BE PUTTING LIVES AT RISK IF WE SOLD THIS DURANGO TO ANYONE. I THINK THAT DODGE NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR PARTS, BECAUSE EVERYTHING I HAVE MENTIONED COULD BE LIFE THREATENING. IF A WHEEL SNAPS WHILE GOING 10 MH A POERSON CAN HANDLE THE VEHICLE, IF IT SNAPS AT 60 MPH SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE HURT. THE LIGHT ISSUE IS HUGE! YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIGHTS, NOT ONLY ARE YOU ENDANGERING YOURSELF BUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD WITH YOU. I THINK IT IS TIME DODGE WAS HELD RESPONSIBLE AND FORCED TO FIX THESE OBVIOUSLY FAULTY PARTS. *AK