1999 Dodge Durango Wheels Problems

DT: THE CALLER SAID THE VEHICLE HAD THREE CRACKED RIMS. SHE TOOK THEM OFF THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE. HAD A FLAT TIRE AND PUT AIR IN THE TIRE. WHEN SHE ARRIVED HOME THE TIRE WAS FLAT AGAIN. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTION STATION, AND THEY TOLD HER THE RIMS WERE CRACKED. DEALER SAID RIMS DID NOT CRACK. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP FOR FREE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVEN TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.*AK *JB

WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT 15 MPH FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE LUGS: NUTS HAVE BECOME SO STUCK ON THE RIMS DURING A TIRE CHANGE THAT THE STEMS BROKE OFF. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME AT TEXACO LUBE DURING A TIRE ROTATION; SECOND TIME AT COSTCO, AGAIN DURING A TIRE ROTATION. HAD TO HAVE ALL STEMS REPLACED AT DEALER AND GET REIMBURSED FROM TEXACO LUBE/COSTCO. DEALER SAID THE STEMS ARE VERY BRITTLE AND THAT DODGE KNOWS ABOUT THIS ALREADY.*AK

1999 DODGE DURANGO. THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT WHEEL HUBS ON THE NON ABS AND NOT 4 WHEEL DRIVE DURANGO IS A PROBLEM. THE NUT IS TIGHTEND CLOCKWISE BUT THE WHEEL SPINS COUNTER CLOCKWISE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE NUT TO UNSCREW ITSELF WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE WHEEL FALLING OFF. LUCKLY I CAUGHT IT JUST BEFORE THE WHEEL WAS GOING TO UNSCREW ITSELF OFF. IT WAS WITHIN 2 TURNS OF HAVING THE NUT COME OFF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *AK

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON THE ROAD. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. VEHILCE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

I BOUGHT A 1999 DODGE DURANGO ON 9/19/03. SOON AFTER PURCHASE I TOOK MY FAMILY TO TAMPA, FLORIDA FOR VACATION, WHEN UPON ARRIVAL THE CAR WAS MAKING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. WE HAD IT LOOKED IN TAMPA AND THE MECHANIC AT" ALLIED" TOLD US THE HUB AND BEARING OF THE LEFT FRONT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, TRASMISSION WAS LEAKING AND POWER STEERING PRESSURE PUMP WAS ALSO LEAKING. I DROVE VERY SLOW HOME PRAYING THAT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEND TO US ON THE WAY. WHEN I ARRIVED I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE HAD MADE IT HOME BECAUSE THE WHEEL COULD HAVE COME OFF.I HAVE SPEND OVER $400.00 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. NOW THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING IS ALSO BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS WELL.THE DEALER I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM (KENDAL KIA) TOLD ME I BOUGHT THE CAR "AS IS" AND THEY DON'T GIVE ANY WARRANTY. THEY ALSO NEVER OFFERED ME EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR. *AK

LEFT REAR TIRE RIM SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE. CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. WHILE DRIVING AROUND A SMALL BEND IN THE ROAD THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DRIVER TRIED TO STEER THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE BUT LOST CONTROL IF THE VEHICLE. IT SPUN AROUND, HIT A BARRIER WALL AND CAME TO REST FACING TRAFFIC. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL SEPARATED AND WAS FOUND ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS DETERMINED BY AN INVESTIGATOR THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE/RIM SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. *NLM

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING 50-55 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION PASSENGER'S FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

THE ENTIRE FRONT WHEEL HUB ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 56,740 MILES, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THESE WERE EASY HIGHWAY MILES. IT HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING, I WAS DRIVING WHEN I NOTICED A LOUD RUMBLE AND VIBRATION UNDER MY FEET WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY, I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO MY MECHANIC AN WAS SURPRISED WHEN HE PUT IT ON THE RACK AND BOTH WHEELS ROCKED BACK AND FORTH!! THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD THEY LET GO WHILE TRAVELING 50MPH. JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM? MY HUSBAND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE LEASED IT TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY COMPLAINTS AND THEY REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. WE JUST FEEL AT 56,000 HIGHWAY MILES THESE SHOULD HAVE PLENTLY OF LIFE IN THEM YET.

THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THAT THE STUDS HAVE BROKEN OFF. TWO STUDS BROKE WHILE CHANGING A FLAT TIRE IN AUGUST 2000, AND WHEN THE DEALER WENT TO REPLACE THEM (AT MY COST) A THIRD STUD BROKE OFF. LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS HAVING THE WHEELS ALIGNED A FOURTH STUD BROKE AND AGAIN I AM HAVING TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. AS THERE IS ONE OTHER REPORT SIMILAR TO THIS ONE POSTED ON THIS WEB SITE I AM WONDERING IF NHTSA IS LOOKING INTO THIS? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT DEFECTIVE WHEEL STUDS/LUG NUTS CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT BOTH NHTSA AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD WANT TO SEE REMEDIED.*AK

DEALER DRILLED A WHOLE IN WHEEL RIM OF CAR WHILE IN FOR SERVICE.*AK

I HAVE HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL,WHEN I WAS CHANGING THE TIRE,I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE WHEEL STUDS BROKE OFF,WHEN I WENT TO MY DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED,TWO MORE WHEEL STUDS BROKE OFF WHEN THE DEALER WAS FIXING IT,TOTAL WHEEL STUDS THAT BROKE OFF THE SAME WHEEL WAS 3, MY CONCERN IS, MY TRUCK IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND ALREADY 3 WHEEL STUDS HAD BROKEN OFF THE SAME WHEEL,ALTHOUGH THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY MY DEALER UNDER WARRANTY, I AM JUST WORRIED HOW MANY MORE WHEEL STUDS WILL BREAK AND LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME THE STUDS BROKE, BUT WHAT IF I WAS DRIVING? WHAT THEN COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME AND OTHERS? I DON'T EXPECT YOU AT NHTSA TO ASK DAIMLER-CHRYSLER TO MAKE A RECALL JUST BECAUSE OF MY CASE,BUT PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION.*AK