1998 Dodge Durango: engine knocking or ticking

Filed Jan 6, 2007 · Engine · AL

I have had the same problem with my 98 dodge durango. Vehicle ran fine for entire time we owned it. Maintenance was done properly, as my husband is a generator mechanic in the military and keeps a very rigid maintenance schedule for all of our cars. Mid may the vehicle suddenly lost oil pressure, after and oil change vehicle was fine for months. Then mid august it starts again, again oil changes were done at least every 6000 miles by chrysler's instructions. Before we can even get off of the interstate the engine started knocking and now will run but losses oil pressure before we get out of the driveway and knocking starts soon after. Compression is lost in two head gaskets due to this and the mechanic says the sludge is the problem, though the mechanic can't explain why because he knows how often the oil has been changed. He can only explain that an oil change does not drain the build up that is already inside of the engine and that it has just been developing over time but is very abnormal. Chrysler/dodge should take action, I have seen hundreds if not thousands of complaints of this exact problem online and am very disappointed in what I thought was going to be a good vehicle.

Filed Nov 21, 2006 · Transmission · 71,949 miles · NC

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was a knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was returned to the sales dealer for service, who determined the problem was with the transmission. The dealer sent the vehicle to a transmission shop. The knocking continued each time after 5 more visits to the transmission shop, so the sales dealer sent the vehicle to a service dealer. The knocking continued. The manufacturer was not notified.

Filed Feb 22, 2005 · Suspension · 110,958 miles · TN

Knocking in the front of the vehicle causing the truck to become out of alignment. I brought it in to have it checked and they said that I need to have the ball joints to be replaced and that there was a recall on this vehicle for this exact situation. I brought it to alexander dodge in franklin, tn and they said that the defect does not apply to my vehicle because of the year, which I find it hard to believe that the recall only applies to 1999 and after when my vehicle is a 98 and I find it hatrd to believe that the same problem did not occur to a vehicle made the previous year unless they had changed manufacturers in between.

Filed Dec 13, 2004 · Suspension · IA

A loud knocking was heard coming from rear. Consumer took vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic determined that both front d upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced due to corrosion.

Filed Dec 10, 2004 · Suspension · MA

Consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the front. Consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that both driver's side and passenger's side upper ball joints needed to be replaced. Consumer informed the dealer that this problem occurred more than once, and had not been resolved.

Filed Sep 8, 2004 · Suspension · MI

A knocking noise was heard coming from the rear of the vehicle. Consumer took vehicle to dealer for inspection,and mechanic informed consumer that the problem could not be duplicated.

Filed Aug 27, 2004 · Suspension · 107,398 miles · CA

Yesterday, 8/25/04, while exiting a highway the ball joints on my 1998 dodge durango slt 4x4 failed on me. As I was breaking the front suspension felt like it dropped down and I heard a clunk and temporarely lost control of the vehicle however I was able to gain control quickly and pull into a gas staion. I could not notice anything(but im not mechanically knowledgable) at first when I pulled into the gas station and got out to look around my wheels but as I went to drive away there was a knocking noise and a virbration coming from the front of the vehicle. Luckly I was close enough to midas so I went right to them and they put it up on a lift and showed me the ball joints. The bottoms had completely come apart(dropped out I think was the term) and the top ones were extremely loose and had a lot of play on them. I was told that I was lucky that it happened when it did and not on the highway where I was doing 65mph because there was a chance that the wheels could have actually fallin off my vehicle causing who knows what to happen (major accident, death, ect..) and that dodge durangos and dakotas are the most common vehicle with this problem. I had them repaired at a total cost of 942.30. They replaced the upper and lower ball joints on both sides of the front end and gave me the old ball joints to do with as I please. The only thing left to determine is why the knocking noise that arrose only after the ball joints failed on me is still there after having them replaced and I am going back to midas tomorrow to try to get a diagnosis of this problem.

Filed Aug 3, 2004 · Engine · 70,300 miles · IN

I purchased a 1998 dodge durango, slt, brand new. Over the last two years we have had the oil pressure gauge drop to zero and twice have replaced the oil sending(?) unit. In july, 2004, while on vacation, the oil pressure drops to zero, it starts knocking and before we can get to an exit it gets loud and dies. We coast into a filling station and the oil is running out on the ground. My husband walks to a u'haul and rents a truck and trailer, goes to a hardware store and buys a come-along to get the durango onto the trailer to tow it home. After doing research on the internet, I find this is a common occurance among the dodge durangos. When we started out for vacation, the durango had 69,000 miles on it. I had to rent a vehicle to tow mine home, buy a new engine, rent a vehicle to get back and forth for the next few weeks and without even being close to finished with this nightmare, I am at the $3,000 mark. I also bought the extended warranty. Any recourse possible?

Filed Jun 29, 2004 · Suspension · 48,000 miles · CO

When driving at any speed, the consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the front of the vehicle. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection and the mechanic determined that the left upper ball joints failed. The consumer will have the mechanic replace the upper ball joints. *ak the upper and lower ball joints were undersized at the time of make. This caused the tie rods to fail due to the undue pressure. *sc

Filed Apr 20, 2004 · Suspension · MI

While driving 55 MPH a loud knocking noise was heard coming from the passenger side wheel. Consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that both upper and lower ball joints needed replacing.*ak ball joints failed on both front and rear suspension. *la

Filed Mar 16, 2004 · Suspension · SC

While driving 50 MPH a loud knocking noise was heard coming from the front left tire. Then, vehicle stalled. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that left front upper ball joint. Failed.

Filed Mar 15, 2004 · Suspension · IL

While driving 55 MPH, a knocking noise was heard coming from driver side wheel. Driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic replaced both upper and lower ball joints due to worn out parts.