While I love my 2001 dodge durango rt, there are a couple of serious problems / safety issues the vehicle has. Number one is the passenger front seat is very loose and rocks back and forth during acceleration and braking which could cause severe injuries if the vehicle was in a wreck, whiplash etc. In doing my research the average fix that the dealers will do costs between 600-800.00 which is to replace the motor assembly. There are links on various forum for instructions to fix yourself for about 40.00 orovoodmg a better fix that the dealers will not provide, but it is complicated and very labor intensive. My number one concern is to be safe and have safe passengers! To be able to bring this into dodge and get this permanently fixed at no cost to me. There are untold amounts of dodge durango owners out there with this same issue, which dodge currently will not recall. The other two issues are incredibly defective ball joints. Since dodge recalled these trucks for the ball joints many including mine previous to me buying it, we're brought in for recall repair in 2006. Please note the suspension components company called "moog" fixed this dodge engineering problem for this year make and model with their own specially designed ball joint. As far as the brakes go this a very heavy SUV, in which if one needs to stop quickly and the brakes fail or skid the wheels due to lock up this again like the seats is a very important safety issue that dodge needs to correct. I have faith that dodge will take care of more consumer issues than ford ever will.
2001 Dodge Durango: ball joint or control arm failure
227 of the 665 complaints about the 2001 Dodge Durango describe ball joint or control arm failure.
- owner complaints
- 227
- of this car's complaints
- 34%
- typical repair cost reported
- $968
- typical mileage
- 48,000
- recalls
- 1
Ball joint or control arm failure by model year
What owners say
2001 dodge durango. Consumer writes in regards to ball joint failure during an auto accident. *ld the consumer requested information concerning recalled ball joint failure that may have been the cause of an accident.
I purchaced a 2001 d0dge durango used about a mpnth ago and already I was driving to town and the driver side wheel felt like it was wobling and had a roar. Pulled over didnt see anything , so went on home took it to gateway and was told it was the ball joint. Now im paying payment on a vehicle I cant drive.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge durango. While driving various speeds and making a right turn, the vehicle pulled to the right and a cracking sound was heard from the front suspension. The contact indicated that the cracking noise was caused by faulty ball joints. In addition, the brake lights would not illuminate and the light bulb and socket was replaced on several different occasions. Also, the plenum gasket leaked oil from the engine, which caused the engine to lose power. The cause of the failures was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,000.
I purchased the vehicle on 7/11/16 and the same day the tire blew due to the upper ball joint which does have a recall. Mine was completely disintegrated, but supposedly the recall was closed as it was to have been serviced already. Either it wasn't serviced or there is still an issue. I contacted the federal safety agency and they put me through to dodge who spoke with me about there only being one open recall on it and I told her about the ball joint and she told me they would cover the repair and tow and sent a tow truck and towed it to motor village but did not tell them that they would be covering the ball joint work so they told me to have dodge contact them in the morning. When I did contact dodge, the first rep couldn't get through and so she opened a case. I then called motor village to get the service admin's phone number to give to dodge and when I contacted dodge the 2nd time, I was informed that now they would not be covering it and that they are sorry for the misunderstanding. They also won't be towing it back either and I do not have money to do so as I am facing eviction and just purchased that car to get ready to move and now I have no idea what to do. I would not have sent it to dodge if they didn't represent they would fix the ball joint and now all I have from them is an apology for the misunderstanding and no way to fix or get my car that I just purchased out.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge durango. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel in either direction, an abnormal noise was present coming from the front drivers side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the driver side ball joints needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge durango. While attempting to reverse the vehicle, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle. In addition, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front tie rods needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage and VIN were unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge durango. While driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle shook. When the steering wheel was turned in either direction, there was an abnormal grinding noise coming from the front wheels. The failure recurred continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front ball joints failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v596000 (suspension). The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.
I was driving down the road with 2 of my kids.. I started to smell antifreeze going into my car, all of a sudden there was smoke bursting out of my car. We replaced the thermostat 3 different times with in 3 months, the radiator house burst. And no lights came on.. The oil pressure also dropped. Took it to shop to have it fixed, cracked head gaskets and blown motor, now we are with out a car.... Sad because I will never buy another dodge. We were also never notifies about the recall about the ball joints and paid cash for them to be replaced.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge durango. The contact stated that the front passenger's side tire was becoming prematurely worn due to defective tie rods. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who inspected the vehicle and advised that there was excessive wear in the upper and lower ball joints that had separated from the tie rod. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, who stated there was a recall for the failure but the contact's the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v596000 (suspension). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 124,127. Updated 3/13/13
Upper ball joints clunking noise over every bump.
I had my 2001 dodge durango inspected to get my license plates renewed and was told the ball joints were bad and needed to be replaced.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Suspension: front: control arm: upper ball joint
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. This could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which may not always be heard by the vehicle occupants.
- Risk
- Excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front suspension upper ball joints. This safety improvement campaign began on december 21, 2004. Owners can contact daimlerchrysler at 1‑800‑853‑1403.
Recall number 04V596000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2001 Dodge Durango ball joint
Is ball joint or control arm failure a common problem on the 2001 Dodge Durango?
227 of 665 owner complaints about the 2001 Dodge Durango (34%) mention ball joint or control arm failure. The model year with the most reports is 1999.
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the 2001 Dodge Durango?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $968 (median of 13 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2001 Dodge Durango?
There is 1 recall and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2001 Dodge Durango
Headlights 22Check engine light 21Engine failure 21Stalling 20No deployment 18Premature wear 17Grinding brakes 16Wipers 16Knocking 15Fire or smoke 14Pulling 14Airbag light 13Overheating 13Slipping 13ABS 11Harsh shifting 10Adaptive cruise 9Door locks 9Transmission failure 9Jerking 8Loss of power 8Seat belt 7Tire blowout 7Power windows 6Coil spring 5Fuel pump 5
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