NHTSA Complaint #10521205 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2004 DODGE DURANGO SLT BEGAN DOING SOMETHING BIZARRE A FEW MONTHS AGO AT ABOUT 120,000 MILES. THIS HAS 4.7L V8 AND THE AWD-4HI-4LO 2-SPEED TRANSFER CASE. THE "SERVICE 4WD" AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, AND IT FELT LIKE THE TRANSFER CASE WAS STUCK IN 4HI WITH THE TIRES GRABBING ON A TURN. THE SELECTOR KNOB ON THE DASH WOULD NOT FUNCTION. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE FUNCTION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR, INSPECTED THE MOTOR AND WIRING, AND CHANGED THE TRANSFER CASE FLUID AGAIN. I CALLED MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO CHANGE THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR. THE MOTOR COSTS $1190 PLUS TWO HOURS LABOR AND TWO QUARTS OF ATF+4 FLUID. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK BACK TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTOR OR THE TRANSFER CASE OR THE DASH SELECTOR KNOB. HE SAID HE BELIEVES THIS IS A CONTROL MODULE OR PROGRAMMING ISSUE. I GOT A THIRD OPINION AT MY LOCAL LEE MYLES. THEY CONCURRED THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR AND THERE MUST BE SOME ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER, PROGRAMMING, OR ONE OR MORE OF THE CONTROL MODULES. THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME THING. THE MALFUNCTION CONDITION EXISTS APPROXIMATELY 65% OF THE TIME. I CAN'T AFFORD TO BRING TO THE DEALER NOW AND SPEND OVER $1300 FOR A REPAIR THAT I DO NOT THINK WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ON MANY MESSAGE BOARDS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2004-2006 DURANGOS AND CHANGING THE MOTOR, OR THE SWITCH DOES NOT HELP THE SITUATION. I ALSO NOTICE THAT AT TIMES WHEN I OPEN THE DOORS OR UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB, I CAN HEAR THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR CYCLING. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL OR PROGRAMMING ISSUE. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEELS AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN THE MALFUNCTION CONDITION EXISTS AND I FEAR THIS IS STRAINING THE TRANSMISSION. *TR