2003 DODGE DURANGO Steering Problems

THE STEERING COLUMN CONTAINS A UNIVERSAL JOINT WHICH CLICKS WHENEVER MAKING A TURN AND CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO BIND AND THEN RELEASE SUDDENLY WHICH CAUSES A DEGREE OF CONFUSION AND IF NOT REPAIRED COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT THROUGH THE COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROLL OR THE VEHICLE BY SEPARATION OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS CLICKING, BINDING AND SUDDEN RELEASE WITH A DEGREE OF CONFUSION HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS INCLUDING WHILE SITTING STILL!

I HAVE HAD 3 WRECKS . 2 I HIT DEER HEAD ON THE LAST, MY BRAKES FAILED STEERING FAILED AS I SKID AND I HIT A TREE IN FEB 2013. AT NO TIME DID MY AIRBAGS INFLATE. I WORE MY SEAT BELT ON ALL 3 OCCASIONS NOT INJURED EXCEPT LOWER BACK PAIN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. *TR

TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FELL OFF. 1260.00. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED, CAUSING INCREASED EFFORT IN MANEUVERING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECURRING FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,832. *TR

DRIVING HOME FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO NEW YORK, I-95, LEGAL SPEED LIMIT OF 65MPH, TRUCK SHUT OFF DISPLAYING "NO BUS" IN ODOMETER SCREEN. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY, THANK GOD, AND TURNED IGNITION OFF FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND THAN RESTARTED TRUCK. THANKFULLY IT STARTED UP AND I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED ON MY WAY. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES MORE WHILE ON MY TRIP TO NEW YORK. DRIVING LOCALLY DIDN'T ENCOUNTER ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. HAVE SCANNER AT HOME AS I'M A AUTO REPAIRMAN AT A NOVICE LEVEL, AND WAS SURPRISED THAT NOT ONE CODE WAS STORED IN THE COMPUTER. NONE OF THE FORUMS SEEM TO BE ABLE TO GIVE ME ANY INSIGHT AS TO WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM AS NONE OF THE RECOMMENDED CHECKS PRODUCED ANY BAD TESTS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIX BY THE CHRYSLER CORP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED....

I WAS HEARING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER THAT TOLD US THE ENTIRE REAR END NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. APPARENTLY THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE AXLES THAT MAKE THE PINIONED, DIFFERENTIALS AND AXLES TO GO BAD. PAID 3500.00 FOR THE REPAIRS TO TURN AROUND AND HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN JUST OVER A YEAR LATER. *TR

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A PROGRESSION OF INACCURATE STEERING, POOR TURNING AND SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE. DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE NOTICING A "CLUNKING" IN THE RIGHT PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END. NOTED PRIMARILY WHEN TURNING. STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO NOTED TO BE ROTATED OFF CENTER TO THE CLOCKWISE POSITION. BRAKING IS ALSO POOR AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO PASSENGER SIDE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, VEHICLE IS NOTED TO FEEL UNSTABLE AND IS VIBRATING WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS SEVERELY LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND WHENEVER THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AROUND A BEND OR REVERSING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 5 MPH. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,375.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SPORADICALLY BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAD TWISTED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE FAILURE POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT STARTED COMING APART AT JUST 47,000 MILES. I WAS LUCKY TO CATCH IT AS IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE WHOLE WHEEL COMING OFF THE VEHICLE AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF AT SPEED. TYPICALLY BALL JOINTS WEAR BEFORE THEY FAIL AND THAT IS USUALLY ONLY AFTER A HUNDRED OR A FEW HUNDREDS THOUSAND MILES. TO HAVE A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT AT JUST 47,000 MILES IS ALARMING. I DISCOVERED THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND A SILENT RECALL OF 2000-2003 DURANGO'S FOR THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED DODGE ABOUT THE REPAIR BUT THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT SAYING THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS A 2003, MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY VEHICLE IS THE SAME YEAR AND SAME EXTRAORDINARY AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR

POWER STEERING RACK FAILED AT 73,000 MILES. UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE STEERING WOULD FAIL WITH ONLY 73,000 MILES!! PAID $900 TO HAVE REPAIRED. THIS WAS 6 MONTHS AGO. NOW THEY ARE SAYING OUR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE FAILING AND ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BACK IN 2004. EVEN THOUGH THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT OUR WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FIXED. THAT SHOULD FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF THE RECALL FOR THE WHEEL HUB. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT THE COST OF $357.64. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,725. UPDATED 5/20/08 *CN UPDATED 05/20/08

FRONT END PROBLEMS WITH M 2003 DODGE DURANGO. HAVE HAD STEERING RACK REPLACED, INNER & OUTER BALL JOINTS REPLACED AS WELL AS BOTH UPPER CONTROL ARMS. STEERING WENT OUT ON MY WIFE WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN. BOTH INNER TIE-ROD ENDS SNAPPED OUT AND CAR LOST COMPLETE STEERING CONTROL. CAR RAN INTO PARKED CAR CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. BECAUSE OF THE LOW SPEED NO INJURIES OCCURRED, HAD THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ALONG WITH OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? FOR A FATALITY? DOES IT TAKE THE LIFE OF HUMAN BEING TO SAVE MONEY TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM SOLVED? PLEASE DO SOMETHING, I WILL NEVER NEVER BUY A DODGE AUTOMOBILE AGAIN AND IF I SEE SOMEONE MAKING THIS MISTAKE OR LOOKING AT DODGE I WILL ADVISE THEM OF ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT DODGE HAS AND ARE NOT WILLING TO...

STEERING FAILED WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN.*MR BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ANTI LOCK CONTROL MODULE AND THE MASTER CYLINDER. *NM