NHTSA Complaint #10063951 — 2001 DODGE DURANGO

151 OLD FARM RD. LEOMINSTER, MA 01453 MARCH 26, 2004 DAIMLER-CHRYSLER CORPORATION PO BOX 610207 PORT HURON, MI 48061-0207 DEAR SIRS: MY FATHER ALWAYS TOLD ME, NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT. HOWEVER, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN LOOKING FOR A MID-SIZE SUV WITH A THIRD ROW I WAS TEMPTED BY THE DODGE DURANGO. HOWEVER, I KEPT HEARING MY FATHERS VOICE, NEVER BUY&.. BUT I THOUGHT, THAT WAS THE 1950S. YOU DONT SEE BLUE SMOKE POURING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE OF CHRYSLER PRODUCTS ANYMORE. SURELY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CHRYSLER PRODUCTS CAN COMPETE WITH ANYTHING ON THE MARKET. RIGHT? SO I RELENTED AND BOUGHT MY FIRST CHRYSLER PRODUCTA WELL-STYLED DODGE DURANGO. I WOULD PROVE MY FATHER WRONG. WELL-----? AFTER ONLY 60,000 MILES AND A $2,000 REPAIR BILL I AM NOW TELLING MY SONS, NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT. WHAT HAPPENED? AT 60,000 MILES I TOOK MY DURANGO INTO MY DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND A STATE INSPECTION. PLEASE TRY TO IMAGINE MY SHOCK WHEN I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMING ME THAT THE BALL JOINTS ON MY CAR WERE SO DANGEROUSLY WORN, THE CAR WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. IF I DID NOT GET IT REPAIRED THEY WOULD HAVE TO RED-FLAG THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO HAVE ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW REALLY, WHO WOULD WANT TO DRIVE A CAR THAT UNSAFE? I WAS RELIEVED THAT THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED IT AND POSSIBLY PREVENTED A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. I HAD IT FIXED. TOTALLY WORN OUT BALL JOINTS AT ONLY 60,000 MILES? AND THAT IS WHEN I HEARD MY FATHERS VOICE AGAIN, NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT. SINCERELY, IAN BOTHWELL CC: NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. *AK