2002 Dodge Durango Steering Problems

THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE. HAS A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. HAVE REPLACED TIE ROD ENDS. AT THIS TIME WE CAN NOT SEEM TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, GEAR SHIFT IS LOCKING IN PARK. AFTER STARTING VEHICLE AND TRYING TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE. HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES IN LAST TWO WEEKS. AFTER "PLAYING" WITH GEAR SHIFT, TRYING TO GET IT TO MOVE, I HEAR A CLICK AND THEN IT IS OPERATIVE. ON THE 3 OCCASIONS, TOOK FROM APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 3 MINUTES BEFORE HEARING CLICK. LOOKED UP ON LINE TO SEE IF OTHERS WERE HAVING ISSUE AND SEARCH LED ME TO A RECALL FOR2002 DODGE DURANGO ISSUED IN DECEMBER 2007. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AT THAT TIME. NHTSA ID # 07V555000 RELATED TO IGNITION/PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM BECOMING INOPERATIVE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS POSITIONED IN A LOPSIDED MANNER WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

HEAVY RUST BUILDUP ON FRAME BEHIND UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNTS. AFTER REMOVING RUST, FRAME METAL IS VERY THIN WITH HOLES THROUGHOUT. POSSIBLY LEADING TO FLEXING & CRACKING. DEFINITELY REDUCING CRASH ABILITIES.

I CURRENTLY AM HAVING ALL 4 OF MY BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO AND I NOTICED THAT MY UPPER RIGHT BALL JOINT IS ORIGINAL. THIS BALL JOINT WAS UNDER RECALL AND I CONTACTED DODGE ABOUT THIS. THEY SAID THE RECALL WAS REPLACED IN 2005. I ASSURED THEM THAT THIS BALL JOINT IS ORIGINAL AS IT IS PRESSED INTO THE CONTROL ARM AND ASKED IF I COULD SIMPLY BRING MY CAR INTO THEM AND HAVE THEM CHECK THIS OUT. THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE OF 104.00 AND THAT IF IT WAS FOUND TO BE ORIGINAL, THEN I WOULD POSSIBLY GET THE 104.00 BACK. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE NOW AND NOBODY WILL ALLOW ME TO QUOTE THEM THAT I WOULD GET THIS MONEY BACK IF THE RECALL WAS FOUND TO NOT HAVE BEEN PERFORMED. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S FAIR FOR ME TO PAY DODGE FOR THIS DIAGNOSTIC FEE IF THEY LIED ABOUT DOING THE RECALL IN THE FIRST PLACE. I AM DISGUSTED AT DODGE FOR NOT ONLY CLAIMING THAT THEY PERFORMED THIS SERVICE OF CHANGING THE UPPER BALL JOINTS IN 2005, BUT FOR REFUSING TO CHECK THE PROBLEM FOR FREE NOW. IF THIS DODGE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THEY ALREADY FIXED THIS RECALL, AND IT WASN'T REALLY FIXED, IT MAKES ME WONDER WHAT ELSE DO THEY DO, WHEN NOBODY IS MONITORING THEM. BALL JOINTS IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR ME, AS IF THEY FAIL, I WILL CRASH. I WOULD LOVE FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO BE PERFORMED AT THIS DODGE THAT CLAIMS THEY FIXED MY BALL JOINTS, BECAUSE THEY COULD BE RISKING OTHER LIVES AS WELL.

DURING BREAKING, STEERING, AND TURNING, I HEAR A "CLACKING" SOUND AND THERE IS A FEELING OF SOMETHING STICKING. WHEN THE SUV IS PARKED ON MY DRIVE WAY, I RELEASE THE HAND BREAK AND I CAN HEAR A STRONG "CLACK" SOUND. I HAD TIMES WHERE THE BREAKING SYSTEM WAS DIFFICULT TO PRESS. I TOOK THE SUV TO PEP BOYS AND THEIR EVALUATION SHOWS THAT IT NEEDS UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, FRONT BRAKES, AND SHOCK AND STRUTS. STEERING: TERRIBLE AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN (SUPER HARD TO STEER). SOME PARTS WHERE CHANGED BY PEP BOYS IN AN "URGENT" SITUATION. THE STEERING "BEARINGS" ?(A PART THAT GOES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL DOWN TO THE MOTOR) WAS CHANGED. (I HAVE A COPY OF THE WORK DONE).

WAS DRIVING DOWN WAYNE ROAD WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN EVERYTHING SEEM TO BE WORKING EXCEPT THE GAS PADDLE. I HAD MY FEET ON GAS BUT IT WAS NOT RESPONDING I QUICKLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT AS IT WAS HARD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS CARS BEHIND ME AND IT WAS SCARY KNOWING SOMEONE COULD HIT ME . I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND HE CAME THOUGHT HE COULD JUST GIVE ME A JUMP BUT HE SAID ITS NOTHING WRONG WITH BATTERY. IT LOOKS LIKE IM NOT GETTING ANY GAS. IT WONT TURN OVER SO HE PUSHED ME IN THE MALL. UNTIL I GET OFF FROM WORK. I WAS BLESSED THAT IT HAPPEN TO DO THAT ON THE DAY HE WAS OFF BECAUSE I JUST STARTED A NEW JOB AND I DIDN'T NEED TO MISS A DAY AS SOON AS I START WORKING. I ALSO READ MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS IS. THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND FAST. I THANK THE LORD FOR WATCHING OVER ME IN TRIAL MOMENTS. *TR

THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SWERVE INTO THE OTHER LANE ON THE HIGHWAY, AND AS I ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL WITH BOTH HANDS FIRMLY ON THE WHEEL, AND GENTLE STEERING, I FOUND I STILL HAD NO ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL WITH THE STEERING, IT WAS COMPLETELY LOOSE IT WAS DISCONNECTED. AT THAT SAME TIME, I WENT FOR MY BRAKES, ONLY TO FIND THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN WERE NOT FUNCTIONING EITHER. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY SWERVED INTO THE FENCE OF TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, THEN THE VEHICLE TO FLIP TWO TIMES. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT SELECTOR SOMETIMES WON'T ENGAGE IN PARK. THIS HASN'T CAUSED A PROBLEM YET. HOWEVER I AM VERY CAREFUL TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE SO THAT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T ROLL AWAY. I CALLED CHRYSLER TO INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL THAT AFFECTED MANY 2002 DURANGOS THAT HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE. THEY SAID MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH I AM HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR

VEHICLE FAIL TO ENGAGE IN PARK POSITION WHICH IN TURN LOCKS THE KEY IN IGNITION LEAVING IT SUSCEPTIBLE FOR THEIVES TO BREAK IN AND TO TAKE THE WHOLE VEHICLE AND ALSO VERY UNSAFE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR PARK IN AN INCLINE. *TR

THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SHIFT INTO PARK THUS KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED. *TR

I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AND THEN AN IMMEDIATE LEFT AT ABOUT 10MPH I HEARD A POP ON DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL AND THEN LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MY CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN TO THE LEFT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO SIDE OF THE ROAD EVEN THOUGH STEERING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I CHECKED THE TIRE IT WAS FULLY INFLATED BUT THE TOP OF TIRE WAS TILTED OUT AT THE TOP I COULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANY MORE DUE STEERING DIFFICULTIES. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD BY TOW TRUCK OPERATOR AND THE MECHANIC THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINT ON ARM HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ARM CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. A FRIEND STATED THAT DURANGO HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE. I CONTACTED MY MECHANIC AND HE IN TURN CONTACTED DODGE. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY CAR. I CHECKED YOUR WEBSITE AND SAW THAT OTHER DURANGO HAD IN FACT BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. I CONTACTED DODGE AND WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE MY DURANGO WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. I HAD MY MECHANIC FIX THE UPPER BALL JOINT. I HAD THEM CHECKED THE UPPER BALL JOINT ON THE OTHER SIDE AND IT WAS ALSO COMING OUT. I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON THE FRONT END OF MY CAR. *TR

I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT I WILL NEED TO INSTALL A COMPLETELY NEW SET OF FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS, TIE RODS AND BALL JOINTS AFTER FACTORY RECALL. ACCORDING TO REPAIR SHOP THEY INSTALLED THE SAME FAULTY COMPONENTS TO REPLACE THE ONES THAT WERE RECALLED. I WAS TOLD THEY SHOULD HAVE INSTALLED THE CORRECT UNITS WITH GREASE FITTINGS, THEY DID NOT. GOING TO COST $980.00 TO REPAIR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO DOWN THE STREET AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED ON ME. I COULD NOT TURN OR STEER THE VEHICLE. IT TOOK EVERY OUNCE OF STRENGTH TO FINALLY MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I AM A PRETTY BIG GUY. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND AFTER EXAMINING IT THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS SHOT. I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO SO THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I ENDED UP HAVING THEM REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND IT COST BE ABOUT $600.00. ITS A GOOD THING I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. *TR

THE LEVER FOR TILT STEERING WHEEL BROKE IN STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING WHEEL WILL NO LONGER CHANGE POSITIONS. ACCORDING TO DODGE DEALER, A NEW STEERING COLUMN IS THE ONLY REMEDY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING, WHINING, AND HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE DROVE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND A TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT: CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT) WAS REFERENCED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE COOLING SYSTEM HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE THE REPAIR. THE SWITCH TO OPERATE THE BLOWER MOTOR FAN ONLY WORKS ON HIGH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 07/15/08.*LJ THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. UPDATED 07/15/08.

ON 04/10/08 CUST#3792938 INV#15199 I TOOK MY CAR FOR RECALL #G28 IGNITION/PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK. I DROVE OFF THE LOT, NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. IT WAS NOT ON WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN. I WAS ALL READY ON THE FREEWAY & WAS ALL READY LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT. I COULD NOT MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEVEL I HAD IT BEFORE I DROVE INTO THE LOT. I TOOK MY CAR BACK THE 15TH FOR THEM TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL (I COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT). THEY TOLD ME THE STEERING WHEEL TILT KNOB WAS GONE. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY HELPFUL, TOLD ME HE WOULD ORDER THE PART AT NO CHARGE. I FORGOT TO MENTION THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I WAITED MORE THAN 2 DAYS. ON THE 19TH I RETURNED, INV# 151350, & WAS HELD UP FOR 1HR, ONLY TO BE TOLD THE PART HAD BEEN USED ON ANOTHER CAR. THE SERVICE ADVISOR WANTED TO BLAME ME FOR THE MISSING KNOB. HE WANTED TO CHARGE ME TO CONNECT THEIR DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE ON MY CAR. I TOLD THEM I WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS SERVICE. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE WAS BROKEN & THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER ANOTHER ONE. IT SEEMED FUNNY TO ME, BEING THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF CUSTOMERS AFTER I ARRIVED. WHAT KIND OF REPAIRS WERE THEY DOING ON CARS' WITHOUT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THEM? WHEN I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN THEY HAVE ALWAYS RUN THOSE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. I WAS TOLD ON THE 19TH BY THE SERVICE MANAGER HE WOULD ACCOMMODATE ME & HAVE SOMEONE GO OUT TO MY HOME TO PUT THE KNOB ON MY CAR. HE ALSO SAID STATED THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE CODE (CHECK ENGINE) TO SEE IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM PULLING APART THE STEERING COLUMN. WHAT CODE? BEING THAT HE TOLD ME THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE WAS NOT WORKING. NOW I AM WAITING FOR THE PART & MOST LIKELY WILL HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND WITH THAT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO HAVE THEM EVALUATE IT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WAS NOT A BIG ISSUE WITH THEM BEING THAT THEY WERE NOT THAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHEN THEY HANDED OVER THE CAR AFTER THEY REPLACE THE RECALL PART ON THE 10TH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE RATTLED, SHOOK, AND VEERED LEFT AND RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE REPAIRS COST $2,690.47; HOWEVER, THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER ALL OF THE REPAIR WORK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,961 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,930. UPDATED 03-11-08 *BF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE NOISY, THE SHOCKS WERE LEAKING OIL, THE POWER STEERING LINES WERE LEAKING. THE REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED, THE FRONT PINION SEAL WAS LEAKING. THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION HAD AN INTERNAL FAILURE. UPDATED

VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 74,000 MILES AND A VERY SLIGHT SHUDDER AND VIBRATION FROM FRONT WHEELS EVOLVED INTO HARD VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OVER 35 MPH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT BOTH FRONT HUBS AND BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF WEAR, AND THE TIE ROD ENDS ON BOTH SIDES WERE WORN BEYOND REPAIR AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE COST OF REPAIR TO MY VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY $1024.00. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LEG AND ARM INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS FAILED AND CAUSED THE CRASH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS OCCURRED AND STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE. IN 2005, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NUMBER 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT), IN WHICH THE TIE RODS AND BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD 46,000 MILES AT THAT TIME. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,000.