NHTSA Complaint #10074987 — 2001 DODGE DURANGO

LOUD SQUEAKING UNDER THE FRONT END, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME VERY UNSTABLE AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WOULD ACTUALLY BOUNCE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP. TURNING THE WHEEL THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE IN THE WHEEL AND STEERING WHEEL. AT 41,000 MILES, BOTH OF THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR "EXCESSIVE WEAR". THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MOST BALL JOINTS DON'T LOOK THIS BAD UNTIL YOU'VE HIT WELL OVER 100K. WE DO NOT GO 4-WHEELING IN OUR DURANGO, WE DO NOT DRIVE RECKLESSLY. THIS VEHICLE IS OWNED BY AN AMPUTEE WHO USUALLY ONLY DRIVES IT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS COST US OVER $1,000 TO FIX, AS CHRYSLER WOULD NOT HELP. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND CHRYSLER HAS NOT ISSUED A TSB OR RECALL ON IT BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED. *AK