NHTSA Complaint #10129566 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT OF 1999 DODGE DURANGO BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. BASICALLY, THE FRONT END WAS FALLING APART. UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FELL APART AND DESTROYED THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED. THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2000 MODELS THAT WERE RECALLED. THE OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS ON THE FRONT TWICE. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS THE ONLY PROBLEM THE OWNER HAD WITH THE SUV. OWNER HAS CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. CHRYSLER INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE OWNERS HAD NOT HAD ANY MORE CONTACT WITH CHRYSLER. SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THIS FAILURE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY CHRYSLER MECHANICS, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AND ASKED THE CONSUMER TO LEAVE. THE OWNER ASKED FOR A RECEIPT FOR THE OIL CHANGE AND CHECKING THE FRONT END. THEY WOULD NOT GIVE THE CONSUMER A RECEIPT AFTER THE OWNER ASKED THEM ABOUT THE RECALL. THIS HAPPENED ON MARCH 29, 2004. AS THE OWNER PULLED OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE BY THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. CONSUMERS THEN WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY PULLED ON THE WHEEL AND COULD SEE THE WHOLE FRONT ASSEMBLY MOVING. EVERYTHING WAS OUT OF PLACE AND MOVING. THE MECHANIC HAD TO FIX THE WHOLE FRONT END, AND THE OWNER RECEIVED A BILL FOR $1,800.00. *AK