NHTSA Complaint #10189685 — 2005 DODGE DURANGO

LEADING UP TO FAILURE: RAINY DAYS FAILURE: WHEN DRIVING DOWN WET CITY ROADS AND PAVEMENT IS PUDDLED, WATER IS SPLASHED ONTO THE UNDERCARRIAGE, I LOSE POWER STEERING. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT THE DURANGO HAD LOST POWER, BUT REALIZED IT WAS THE STEERING I LOST. THE STEERING BELT SCREAMS LOUDLY AFTERWARDS AS WELL. YOU HAVE NO WARNING WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN, BUT YOU CAN EXPECT IT ON RAINY DAYS. I PERCEIVE THIS AS A PROBLEM BECAUSE IF YOU ARE TURNING OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET, THEN LOSE YOUR POWER STEERING, IT POSES A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHER MOTORISTS. WE ALL KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO STEER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. WHEN WE PHONED THE MAINTENANCE SHOP WHERE WE BOUGHT IT, THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED, QUICKLY DISMISSED ME AND TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO DO IT FOR THEM AS WELL, OTHERWISE THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. WE HAVE SINCE DITCHED THE DURANGO AND BOUGHT A DIFFERENT VEHICLE FROM A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. I AM PICKING A RANDOM DATE FOR THE INCIDENT DATE, SINCE THIS HAPPENS ANYTIME IT RAINS. FOR NUMBER OF FAILURES - IT'S ANY TIME IT RAINS AND THE BELT GETS WET. THEY SHOULD PROTECT THE BELT BETTER SOMEHOW! AND THIS DURANGO WAS A 4X4 - YOU WOULD THINK IT COULD HANDLE ANYTHING, ON-ROAD OR OFF-ROAD! *JB