CarComplaints.com Notes: The second generation Durango was introduced in 2004 and instantly came under fire for, well, catching on fire.
From 2004-2006 electrical overloading in the driver's side instrument panel caused numerous reports of interior fires. The interior infernos became so commonplace that Chrysler eventually issued a recall.
The problems didn't stop there, however. Owners of the recalled vehicles complained about being treated unfairly and given take-it-or-leave-it low ball settlement offers. "They offered me $2000 under NADA retail as a settlement," said one owner, "and have been rude and hostile to deal with." Nothing says awesome service like treating your customers rudely after their cars have caught on fire.
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Driving home the steering became very stiff hard to drive, Made it home, power steering pouring out. found out the hydraulic transfer lines had burst Only 100,000 miles on durango. Lucky i was not driving on the express way. dodge durango 2004 5.7 L v8 2wd piece of junk
Vehicle will die without warning you hole driving causing a serious risk for collision. Engine stops running and is very hard to steer or stop with no power.
My 2004 Dodge Durango has the 5.7 hemi. During heavy rains the engine would start to run rough and the electrical system shut down on me three different times in the middle of driving due to the rain. During this electrical shutdown steering was impossible and I would have to stop the vehicle in the middle of traffic. The vehicle did this to me one time in the middle of turning at an intersection. Fortunately no accident occured. I found that the issue was being caused by a faulty seal at the wiper cowl. This leak later blew my engine as the water leak found it's way into the cylinders and blew a piston rod. I was told that this defect has been reported to Chrysler by hundreds of people.
Whenever it rains or I go through a car wash my car dies and the service engine light comes on. The steering wheel won't move, therefore I have no control over my car. We were in Tennessee the first time this happened and we were coming down the mountain when it died and we lost all control and almost got hurt and almost hurt others.
- Springfield, OH, USA
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The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. While driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the driver side air bag warning light illuminated. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred after the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 15V313000 (air bags). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,271.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled during inclement weather. The vehicle was able to restart after numerous attempts. The contact also stated that while driving at approximately 50 mph, the vehicle was driving unstable and there was a loud abnormal noise. In addition, the steering wheel seized and the brake pedal failed to respond. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and spun around causing it to roll over. The contact crashed into an embankment. The contact was unconscious upon hitting her head on the driver's side window. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the head, the chest that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,890.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while making a right turn at 25 mph, the steering wheel seized and the engine warning light illuminated. The failure occurred on five separate occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage and the current mileage was unknown.
I bought my 04 Durango from a dealer and im outside of warranty I'm a little irritated with my wife calling me complaining she is stranded! I paid big money for this truck and don't think I should be responsible for paying a mechanic to play guess and check. I have my truck randomly shifting in and out of 4lock mostly while driving slow but has happened on the expressway im worried for damage to my transfercase from this I cant afford to replace a transfercase let alone the truck its self I see alot of others with the same issue and I think it should be a recall before someone is hurt by this common problem.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized and made the vehicle very difficult to control. The contact mentioned that the failure would occur during rainy weather. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 121,000 and the current mileage was 131,000.
My 2004 Dodge Durango has stalled on me 6 times now without 'any warning', it simply shuts off and I have no control over the vehicle. The first two times it happened, we dismissed as some weird 'fluke', as the two times were about a year apart, so we never thought much about it. When it happened for the third time we realized something was most definitely wrong. We were shocked to see how many people were having the same problem, when we began to research the problem on line. Right after it happened the 3rd time, we took it in to our local mechanic; who indicated that it might be part of a faulty cluster problem that had been recalled. They replaced the cluster, and I felt so much better and safer. Approximately 4 months later, it happened again! I sent an email to the service department of the dealership to tell them what I experienced, after several unanswered emails and 4 months later, I decided that I needed to go in person. Just this weekend, before I went; it happened again as I was entering the freeway. I am scared to death to drive this Durango anywhere but on the side streets now. I had a child in my car when this occurred this past weekend, and they were very scared. Each time it has occurred has been at a slow rate of speed and always making a right turn. It is extremely frightening to lose complete control of your vehicle, and it is only matter of time before someone is going to die or cause a horrible accident when this shut down occurs. Why is Chrysler/Dodge not being made to address this problem? I was shocked to see still more complaints about this problem, the most recent was June 12, 2012 however these concerns are dating back to 2005! what needs to happen before this situation can be addressed and dealt with appropriately. This is not a small problem, this is a problem with potentially life threatening consequences, and no one is doing anything about it.
When driving through a puddle, the engine stalls and the power steering goes out. I was stuck in the middle of a busy intersection for 2-3 minutes until I was able to restart the car.
The outer passenger side tie rod end on our 2004 Dodge Durango came apart due to extreme corrosion. The ball completely separated from the housing. The rubber boot was still in place, but clearly had failed somehow. The result was the immediate loss of steering and vehicle control. Thankfully it was in a neighborhood and at low speed. The truck ground to a halt in the middle of the road. It was towed and ultimately repaired with a new tie rod end. I kept the old corroded tie rod hoping someone would care to see it. The should not have occurred in a vehicle 3X its age. The defective part is so badly corroded it looks like its been on the bottom of the ocean for 20 years.
The family & I were traveling back from NJ to fl. We stopped for gas & restrooms. As we were pulling out to get back to head back onto the road the truck would not steer in the right direction. We got out & noticed the tire was no longer connected to the steering rod. Luckily there was a Dodge dealership right down the road. We had to wait until morning to get it towed to the dealership. So we had to get it moved into a parking space at the convenience store & stay in a motel for 2days until the truck was done. It took two days because the part needed to be ordered. The staff at the Dodge dealership made us aware that this problem was common in Dodge Durangos.
We have not had an incident yet. We do have a problem with our steering wheel though. A little over a year ago we noticed that it seemed loose. It has gotten worse since then.
Car sometimes starts without electrical response: Turn the ignition on and engine starts but no electricity. Driving on interstate 95 and all electricity to all panels and power steering shuts off. This happens often and results in having to coast to stop on the side of the interstate with little control of the vehicle. I have to restart engine several times before electrical response is restored. A tumbler kit was installed under warranty (service at pritchard Dodge in ithaca, NY in April of 2005) to reset electrical circuit and it helped but never fixed the problem, but now problem is back and getting worse. I do not have the luxury to buy another car so I have used it, but now is too dangerous.
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. While making a turn at less than 15 mph, the vehicle stalled and the steering became locked. On a separate occasion, while idling at a stop sign, the steering locked and failed completely. In addition, the oil warning indicator was illuminated on the instrument panel. The manufacturer advised him to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic. The dealer was unable to produce an error code because the check engine warning indicator was not illuminated. The dealer cleaned the carburetor in an attempt to correct the failures. The current and failure mileages were less than 51,000.
Nighttime. Pouring rain. Turned a corner in a parking lot and the power steering just quit. Turned car off and restarted. Power steering was back. First and only time it happened so far.
I have had numerous engine stalling/loss of steering problems with my vehicle once the mileage exceeded 70,000 miles. It has stalled while stopping at a stop sign, upon accelerating into a turn, and many others. After diagnostic testing, we replaced 2 O2 sensors and the stalling still occurs. After a second diagnostic testing, we replaced all the spark plugs and ignition coils and the stalling still occurs. After a third diagnostic testing, we replaced the fuel pump and the stalling still occurs. Now the diagnostic testing indicated we need to replace the egr flow sensor. I currently have 74,836 miles. I have spent approx $1000 in parts alone to repair these items and the problem is still not fixed.
See first complaint 10237419. I'm having continued front end steering/suspension problems. Had the lower ball joint replaced on 09/28/07. By February of this year I'm experiencing what seems to be the same problems... clunking sound (metal to metal) that starts when engine area is hot. After 45 minutes of driving. Vibration can be felt in the steering and floor boards. The noise is getting progressively louder and I fear that safety may become a issue. The Durango makes a sound something like the tire and rim is going to vibrate right off the vehicle. I'm now on my third mechanic....richmond, ca. Hilltop Dodge, who test drove my Durango and heard the sound on 08/12/08. They inspected the front ball joints, tie rods, and assured that each area was tight. They deemed that the vehicle is safe to drive, but weren't sure of the problem. They think it may be looseness in the lower steering shaft. Dealer/mechanic said the problem needed to be more consistent to isolate the noise. Inspection charge $124.95. Problem has not been identified or resolved, but sounds similar to what has been investigated for potential recall in the past.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Southgate, MI, USA