NHTSA Complaint #10480094 — 2005 DODGE DURANGO

THE VEHICLE WILL AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGE ITSELF INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE MODE. THE INCIDENTS USUALLY HAPPEN AT LOW SPEEDS. ALTHOUGH, THE INCIDENT CAN, HAS, AND WILL HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. WHEN IT OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE SLOWLY AND REFUSE TO TURN. WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WILL SEEMINGLY LOCK THE TIRES AND IF NOT HANDLED CORRECTLY THE DRIVER CAN LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE SUV. THIS PARTICULAR DEFECT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE AMONG DODGE DURANGO 2ND GENERATION OWNERS. MANY SAY THE DODGE DEALERSHIPS ARE SKEPTICAL ON WHAT EXACT REPAIR IS NECESSARY TO FIX THE APPARENT SAFETY ISSUE. DURANGO OWNERS EXPERIENCES WITH TECHNICIANS SHOW MANY TIMES THEY REPORTEDLY POINT THE FINGER AT VARIOUS HIGH DOLLAR REPAIRS. SOME HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH REPLACING THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR BUT SOME WHO HAVE PURSUED THIS REPAIR HAVE AGAIN REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE AFTER THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. ORIGINALLY, THE SAFETY CONCERN WAS EXTREMELY RARE. RECENTLY, THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME MORE CONSISTENT. IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD AS IT CAN CAUSE COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE LARGE VEHICLE. *TR