NHTSA Complaint #10150243 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING OF ABNORMAL NOISES COMING FROM MY 1999 DODGE DURANGO SINCE MAY OF 2003, TO 2 DIFFERENT DODGE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. THE STEERING IS "LOOSE" AND THE TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE THEM ROTATED. AFTER A VERY SCARY ROAD TRIP WHERE I ALMOST VEERED OFF THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES, I BROUGHT THE DURANGO TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THEY IMMEDIATELY DETECTED THE PROBLEM OF FAULTY BALL JOINTS AND A BAD REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL. WHEN THE MECHANIC CALLED DODGE TO ORDER PARTS, HE WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DURANGO'S AND THE PARTS WERE IN STOCK. REPAIRS CONSISTED OF NEW UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, NEW FRONT TIRES (WITH ALIGNMENT) REPAIR AND REBUILD REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL. THIS WAS ALL PAID FOR BY ME PERSONALLY BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE 2005. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY IF IN MAY 2003 THE DODGE MECHANICS WOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE. *NM THERE WAS A WATER LEAK AT THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW. UPDATED 04/10/06. *JB