NHTSA Complaint #10078789 — 2002 DODGE DURANGO

OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, I NOTICED EXTENSIVE NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2002 DURANGO. IT GOT WORSE AND WAS MOST PROMINENT WHEN STRIKING POTHOLES OR CHANGES IN THE SURFACE ELEVATION WHEN DRIVING OR MOVING THE VEHICLE. AT 35,000 MILES I TOOK IT IN TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP FOR A CHECK UP. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BALL JOINT SITUATION, AS IT WAS QUITE A PUBLIC AFFAIR. THE FRONT END NOISE BECAME SO LOUD THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF SOMEONE WAS STRIKING THE UNDERCARRIAGE WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER.*AK IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL FOUR OF THE BALL JOINTS, UPPER AND LOWER, HAD FAILED, WERE WORN OUT. THEY WERE ALL REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME, AS THE REPAIR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THIS, AS THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SUSPENSION SYSTEM. I TRUST THAT THE NEWER BALL JOINTS, NOT TRW, WERE PLACED ON MY VEHICLE. IF THIS IS A REPAIR THAT MUST OCCUR EVERY 36K MILES OR SO, THIS WILL GET EXPENSIVE. THANK YOU.