NHTSA Complaint #10174916 — 2001 DODGE DURANGO

I BOUGHT MY 2001 DODGE DURANGO SPORT IN NOVEMBER 2000. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SIX YEARS I HAVE HAD TO HAVE SO MANY REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS OF PARTS, BRAKES, TIRES, ELECTRICAL FUSES & RESISTORS DONE THAT I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE BIGGEST CONCERNS TO ME HAVE BEEN AROUND BRAKES NEEDING REPLACEMENT THREE TIMES, UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED DUE TO RECALL, LOWER BALL JOINTS EXHIBITING EXCESSIVE WEAR AS WELL (BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET DAIMLER/CHRYSLER TO FIX THEM BECAUSE IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY OR THE RECALL NOTICES) AND ABS & BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD SHOWING UP INTERMITTENTLY. I HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING LINE REPLACED COMPLETELY DUE TO IT RUSTING THROUGH AND CONTINUOUSLY LEAKING STEERING FLUID. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED MY STEERING FLUID AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE FINE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE PART CAME IN. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME AS SOON AS THE PART ARRIVED. TWO WEEKS LATER I HAD TO CHASE THEM DOWN TO GET AN ANSWER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE PART HAD ARRIVED AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK TO BRING THE DURANGO IN FOR REPAIRS. JUST RECENTLY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO ASK THEM TO LOOK AT IT AND THEY ASKED ME IF THE CAR WAS BUCKING OR STALLING. I SAID NO AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT THEN. I TRIED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT COULDN'T EVEN BE SEEN FOR A WEEK AND A HALF. I ASKED FOR A LOANER VEHICLE AND THEY SAID THAT CHRYSLER DOESN'T PROVIDE THOSE, BUT THEY COULD CERTAINLY GET ME A RENTAL...WHY BOTHER BUYING FROM A COMPANY THAT DOESN'T OFFER EVEN MINIMAL THINGS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS? *JB