Problems with 2004 Dodge Durango ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I bought a 2004 dodge durango in november 2004. vin [xxx]. [xxx]. i have had numerous problems with the vehicle, including the vehicle silently ceasing to operate. this has happened 3 times in motion, very nearly causing very serious motor vehicle crashes. 1 occurrence happened while stationary and in park. all of this has happened in the 1st year of ownership. additionally, the vehicle failed to come out of park numerous times; when placed into drive, failed to engage and would simply idle; and had numerous electrical quirks that are not safety related. each time we have taken the vehicle into the dealer, simply to be told "unable to duplicate." just recently, we were told chrysler was aware of the vehicle ceasing to operate without warning while driving. we were told chrysler refused to acknowledge the issue or fix it, and have been pressuring dealerships to send the vehicles back out with the customer in the same unsafe and deadly condition. chrylser refuses to acknowledge us or the problem, and 3 times now my family has been placed in peril because chrysler won't recall these defective vehicles or spend money to fix them.*jb updated 07/18/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Approaching a left turn, while braking, the engine stalled. approximate speed at the time of failure was 15 mph. had to make a difficult left turn against oncoming traffic without power steering, causing the vehicle to strike a curb. no damage was done to the vehicle or injuries to the occupants. put vehicle in park and restarted the engine. vehicle seemed fine after that. *nm

On three separate occasions over the past 6 months our 2004 dodge durango stalled while traveling at speeds up to 45 mph. we took it to the dealer each time and they can not identify the problem. this is a safety issue which is not being addressed. i talked to another dealership service department and they said it is a common problem and "they have no idea what is causing it or how to fix it". i am very concerned what will happen when my wife is driving it on an off ramp at 50 mph next time...she will go right off the side and probably roll it with no power steering or brake. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 dodge durango. while driving approximately 15 mph and making a right turn, the vehicle completely shut off and had to be restarted. the vehicle has not been taken to a dealer for inspection. the current mileage was 43,000 and failure mileage was 20,000. updated 02-14-08. *kb the dealer refused to the look at the vehicle without charging the consumer 100.00 an hour. updated

Dt: the contact stated while driving at normal highway speeds the vehicle stalled without warning. when the stalling occurred the vehicle lost power. the first time this happened the vehicle was taken to the dealership for diagnostic testing. the dealer flashed the computer, and determined this would fix the problem. the vehicle operated normally for one and half months. the stalling returned suddenly without warning , and the vehicle was returned to the dealer a second time. the dealer determined the computer was bad , and it was replaced. again the vehicle operated normally for two to three months, then the stalling returned the vehicle was taken back to the dealer a third time. this time the dealer determined the egr valve was stuck . also, there was a short to the ground on the engine. the vehicle had the same type problems once again. also, dealer replaced seat belt anchorage. *ak

I purchased a 2004 dodge durango with the hemi engine in april of 2004. in july 2004 the check engine light came on and the engine failed immediately. i had it towed back to the dealer ship (towne & country dodge conyers ga). they fixed it and did not tell me what it was. in march 2005, the same thing happened again. this time they replaced a valve spring in the 3trd cylinder. two weeks ago, it happened again. this time they told me i needed a new battery. i complained and they recharged the old one. when i went to pick it up, there were warning lights on and the cd player did not work. they are charging me to do a diagnostic test. i have complained to dodge with no satisfaction. *jb

2004 dodge durango with hemi engine has stalled twice without warning in past 6 months. when the engine loses power steering the vehicle is almost impossible. the engine has stalled while merging onto a freeway and also on a residential street. on the residential street i went up on the sidewalk due to lack of steering.

As i was driving down us41, i felt an "internal kickback", definitely not due to acceleration or other driver input. right after, the "check engine" light turned on. the same incident occurred again in october 2005 when we were pulling out of a parking lot. my husband thought that he had been rear-ended, but i recognized the kickback and saw that the "check engine" light had turned back on. the truck is a 2004 dodge durango. *nm

2004 dodge durango ltd. 5.7 hemi fails to start, after several attempts and stepping on the gas, the car starts, but idles very rough. dealer (stanley motors, old saybrook ct) could not fix the problem, after having the car for seven days- they installed new valve springs. the car is still not starting easily, and is idling very rough, condition seems to be getting worse. i'm concerned there will be long term damage to the engine, and i will be left stranded with the family.

Vehicle has completely stalled twice in traffic. once on the freeway while slowing down and once on the city streets while slowing down. several other times it has acted like it wants to stall.*jb

Events leading up to engine stall while driving. every gauge on dash broad will light up and then the engine will stall while driving. everything then goes dead. this is the forth time this has happened. everytime we bring it into a dodge service depart. they tell us that they can't find anything wrong and send us back on the road. was even told that the owner of the dealership drove it and it didn't stall so nothing wrong with it. it has been happening every two to three months. most recently july 1, 2005. this time it does have a co-pilot attached, but was told by dealership, that it probably won't find anything. the dealership has records of the exact dates. it has happened four times in a ten month periiod. i have had the car the whole time; brand new off the lot. my complaint is that all the dealership is doing is putting on the computer and sending us back on the road with an unsafe and dangerous vehicle.

My previous odi is 10126311 this vehicle was picked up in clovis, nm this morning. bender dodge had just replaced my short block due to a snapped number 7 rod between the piston and crank journal. the trip was over 250 mile for us and about 10 miles before we reached belen, nm my check engine light came on. the idle was high and the rpms were jumping up and down. i called chrysler roadside assist and they could not advise me if i should call a tow truck or drive it. i hung up my cell phone and called bender dodge and spoke to eric in their service department. he thought it sounded like a intake air line and told me it would be fine to continue driving to auge's dodge in belen. auge's had the vehicle for a couple of hours and seemed to think it was just a censor, they reset it and waited for the vehicle to cool off and sent us on our way. on the way home the check engine light never came on but the car is now idling very high and when you let off the gas the whole vehicle jerks. daimler/chrysler is not easy to deal with and have been very unhelpful to us. i see a long road with a vehicle that won't get us down it. i have a vehicle that is not going to be reliable and want a replacement vehicle so i can get to work and back each day and enjoy trips with my family.

On june 5, 2005 we towed our boat to conchas lake for vacation. the next afternoon the motor began to knock after launching our boat. on the morning of june 7, 2005 i called roadside assistance and they towed my car 118 miles to clovis nm. my car needed a new motor. bender dodge has had the vehicle since june 7, 2005, today is june 23, 2005 and it is still not ready. i recieved a rental car for 5 days because of my extended warranty, kept it for 7 days and had to pay for the other 2 days. my boat is in storage in conchas, 188 miles from home. my 2004 dodge durango is in clovis, 244 miles from home. this vehicle was purchased new and needed a new motor after 17,169 miles.

Durango 2004 5.7 hemi 4x4 slt. three times in two months, i have been driven at low speed either in a car park or making a turn from a stop and the engine stalls. i then put it in park or neutral and then it starts fine and i'm able to drive it. this is highly dangerous and was lucky i could pull over and restart it. dodge needs to look into this before someone dies.

There have been several incidents where my dodge durango has stalled when i attempted to accelerate across traffic.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 dodge durango. when the contact first purchased the vehicle, the oil light would illuminate, indicating that an oil change was needed. the vehicle also shut off at least five times on the freeway. it would usually immediately restart, but then kick back after it would start. she took the vehicle to the dealer and asked about recalls and other complaints and was informed that none were available. she received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 03v528000 (electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash). the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and was informed that they did not have the parts available. she took the vehicle back to the dealer numerous times, but was informed that the parts were unavailable. she constantly changed the oil in the vehicle and would go three weeks before the oil indicator would illuminate again. the vehicle began to smoke under the hood and she returned to the dealer. the contact noticed a chemical smell and used an extinguisher to prevent any further damage. someone attempted to place the vehicle into drive, but it would not budge. the vehicle was then placed into reverse, which caused more smoke emission. the vehicle was towed to the new dealer and the cluster was replaced with a defective part. the contact then noticed headlight, dome light, vanity light, and window issues. she took the vehicle back to the dealer and they charged her for the diagnostic and stated that the cluster was defective. after they repaired the cluster again, the issue seemed to worsen and the horn began honking intermittently. she spoke with the dealer and manufacturer, but they offered no assistance. the current mileage was approximately 72,300 and failure mileage was approximately 5.

I bought a 2004 dodge durango in september of 2004. i have since driven the vehicle 35500 miles with no problems until now. the vehicle stalls prior to stopping. a vehicle was turning left in front of me and i slowed to prepare to stop. the vehicle turned left before i reached them and my vehicle stalled. the vehicles behind me were not expecting me to stop and almost rearended me. this happened 4 times. it also stalled at the top of exit 87 off i-40 near jackson. i restarted the vehicle. upon attempting to turn left, the vehicle stalled again, this time with oncoming traffic in both directions. i was nearly hit by one of the oncoming vehicles. this is very dangerous! i also should add that i had left the dealership who "fixed" the problem 6 hours prior to these occurences. it happened once the day before and i took it to service immediately the morning in question.

Stalling without warning in middle of intersection. has stalled three times. dealer says no codes found. can not duplicate. through research i have found this is a common problem with this vehicle and daimler chrysler has not been willing or able to fix it. *jb

While driving at low speeds engine failed. as a result, the steering and brakes become inoperable. *ak this failure occurred three times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but they have been unable to find the cause of the problem. the vehicle has been at the dealer since feb 24,2005. *nm dealer service manager said there was a software fix but admitted there has never been a problem with hemi engines. *eh

Since purchasing dodge durango 2004 hemi 5.7 in februrary 2004 an engine stalled 3 times without any reason. all times it happened after a complete stop at stop light or in a parking lot. the only way to restart an engine was to turn off a key, wait a little bit and start an engine once again. dealer (westgate dodge in raleigh, nc) made an investigation and didn't find anything wrong. the only thing what he did was to flash pcm, which leads to reducing an engine power and decreasing a fuel economy. i don't feel safe because this may happen somewhere in a middle of a road, which may lead to an incident and/or crash.

Engine shut off while in a left turn. loss of all electrical & power. was able to stop vehicle. took 6 tries to restart vehicle. *nm

Our durango had experienced numerous problems, since we purchased it new in 5/04. the engine surged, it stalled, and it felt like the brakes did not grab in the rear. it also racked up more miles on the odometer, than it actually drove. on 12/16/04 we brought it in to the dealership for a recalled battery cable. the next day the engine caught on fire while driving. it was towed to the dealership, the transmission was replaced, and we picked it back up 12-28-04. on 1-16-05 we had a second fire in the engine while driving. this time it was in the shop until 2-1-05. the dealership overhauled the transmission, but did not replace it. on 2-2-05 again while driving, our durango's engine caught on fire, this time the fire was so big, and so fast my husband barley had time to get our kid out before it exploded, and burned to the ground. it took the fire department over an hour to get the fire out. i had sent a certified letter to daimler chrysler, asking them to buy the durango back under the lemon law on 1-20-05. to this day there has been no response to that letter. my husband and children were almost killed! *jb

My vehicle has stalled while driving on 2 occasions. steering and braking are seriously affected. *jb

Dt: consumer states that in january her vehicle stalled while slowing with no warning during the day. she then pulled over to the side of the road, put the vehicle into park and was able to restart it. then on february 6,2005, this happened again, while going 60 mph, there was no slowing involved. this happened at night the dash board lights stayed on but she did lose all power to the vehiclet, she put the vehicle into park and the vehicle did restart restart. at that time she took the vehicle into the dealership and was told that because they couldn't duplicate the problem they couldn't do anything but she should check back for computer updates. the vehicle is currently in the service department and they are trying to find the problem with the vehicle. *ak

While driving the vehicle started to shake. consumer pulled over to inspect the engine, and found nothing unusual. he reentered the vehicle and started driving when the engine burned. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the transmission was replaced. consumer was driving the vehicle when the same thing occurred for the second time, and the vehicle experienced another fire. this time the dealer did not replace the transmission. consumer experienced a third fire and the vehicle was totaled.*ak

While driving vehicle stalled. consumer was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer. mechanic informed consumer that the problem could not be duplicated. *ak

When driving down a hill the vehicle accelerated up causing the rpms to go up to 3500. the consumer had to ride the brakes continuously. the dealer stated that this was a characteristic of the dodge . *ak on terrain where one would like to go slow down slope, one could idle down to 2 mph but if one touch the gas to increase, it would go to 1500 rpm and if one does not hit the brake, it would slow down continuously increasing to 3500 rpm without touching the gas more. *sc

While driving at any speed vehicle stalled. *ak

Dodge durango, hemi 5.7 liter engine went out. started out with a ticking noise that i wound out to be the #7 cylinder connecting rod was bent and hitting the baffle above the crankshaft. it broke, as i was driving it onto the lift, and sent the rod through the side of the block. engine is dead, 116k miles. *tr

Vehicle is experiencing problem with engine stalling. vehicle has been to the dealer on four separate occasions, and they are unable to duplicate the problem. *ak

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge durango. the contact stated that the accelerator pedal went all the way to the floorboard when depressed. in addition, the radiator constantly overheated and the speedometer was registering hot. the dealer replaced the radiator, and stated that it was clogged and no longer under warranty. another dealer stated that there was a hole punctured in the radiator. when the contact returned to the original dealer, they stated that they also noticed the hole. the instrument panel indicator light illuminated, and the passenger's side windshield wiper constantly became unscrewed. this was the contact's second dodge durango, and was having the same failures. she stated that she never received any recall notices for any of the ones that existed. the dealer did not record the vin to research if the vehicle had any defects. the vehicle was brought to dealer for service for all of the failures except the instrument panel light and windshield light. the current mileage is 68,000 , and failure mileage was 30,000.*ak

I am leasing a 2004 dodge durango equipped with a 5.7 liter hemi engine that stalls during regular driving applications. i have had the vehicle in to the dealer several times with no action taken. i have called the chrysler hotline twice with my concerns about the obvious safety issues related to these failures. my 9 month pregnant wife drives this vehicle on a daily basis and she transports my other two children to school. it is just a matter of time before this vehicle is going to stall in a dangerous situation and someone is going to get killed or seriously injured. vin# [xxx] thank you, [xxx] *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

To whom it concerns: my wife and i lease a 2004 dodge durango equipped with the 5.7 liter hemi engine. over the last several months the vehicle engine stalls and quits during day to day driving. there is no pattern to the stalling. we have taken the durango to dealers in tyler (add name) and huntsville (team dodge) on several occasions. neither dealer has been able to fix the vehicle. we have also contacted the chrysler "hotline" with no resolution. my wife drives this vehicle every day. she is now 9 months pregnant. we also have a son (12) and a daughter (9). my wife is the usual "victim" of the stalling. it has happened in dangerous situations such as turning in traffic. she is a nervous wreck because she never knows when it is going to happen. shortly she will be driving this vehicle with an infant. my family is at risk every time we start the engine. team dodge met with the chrysler regional manager to plead our case and seek a remedy. his response was callous and uncaring. we could turn the vehicle back subject to penalties for early termination and mileage. if we simply turned the vehicle back, chrysler would classify it as a "repossession." chrysler is essentially forcing us to continue to operate a vehicle that is dangerous to us and the driving public. why are we being penalized for chrysler's defective product? if we can not come to a resolution that is harmless to us, we will have no choice but file a lawsuit against chrysler. sincerely yours, jason miller

While driving the vehicle on several occasions the vehicle turned off while making a turn. the consumer stated that the dealer has been unable to diagnose the problem. *jb the dealers were unable to duplicate the problem. the engine light had never come on when it stalled. *sc

on september 24, 2004 the battery was replaced. on december 29, 2004 the battery cable was rerouted per recall. on may 6, 2005 the vehicle overheated, the following parts were replaced the hub/drive fan, thermostat, water pump, and the spark plugs. on may 16, 2005 overheated the radiator had to be replaced. on august 12, 2005 the vehicle overheated. the following parts were replaced the heads, valves, camshaft,and sprocket. on october 18, 2005 the vehicle had squeaky brakes, brake pads replaced and rotors turned. the right rear axle leaked and needed to be replaced. on january 17, 2006 the radio cut in and out, dashboard controls were flickering on and off. no problems were found. also, i asked for the brakes to be checked for the same type of vibration. stated there was no safety issue, but rotors needed to be replaced. on january 20, 2006 the vehicle was again brought to the dealer for the radio, dashboard, and stalling. the car was kept for two days and returned without any solution. on s january 22, 2006 again my vehicle stalled at a traffic light. on january 24, 2006 was again brought in to the dealer. i spoke with the service manager on january 25, 2006 and he told me that chrysler said static electricity from the seat caused the problem. he was then advised to spray the seats with something to eliminate the static electricity. the car was to be delivered to me by an employee of the dealer, when the gentlemen arrived he told me that the car radio started cutting in and out, and the dash board went crazy, he then left with the loaner car and i proceeded to call the dealership, driver came back to pick up my car once again to return to the dealership. when he tried to start the vehicle it would not start, a technician was sent to my home to replace the battery. the battery was replaced, an vehicle was off to the dealership. *ak

I was getting on the freeway and accelerated to get on the freeway, car in front of me slowed to exit the freeway so i had to lift my foot of of the gas - rpm_x0019_s dropped, oil pressure light came on and the car stalled in the right lane of the freeway - luckily i was able to pull over to the offramp. restarted the car with no problem. i have taken the car to the dealer several times for this problem but they say they cannot fix it because they cannot duplicate the problem. *ak

Not even making my first payment yet, my car has seen the shop several times and still not fixed. my brake line was "cross treaded" in the assembly line. there for i had very little brake fluid left (only 2 weeks after buying the car) and the fluid leaked on my rim which now has to be replaced but is on back order till "whenever". i was with out my new car for over a week for this problem. then i have to get the bumper replaced due to fading which the service dept says has happened to several durango's and pt cruisers. this will be a 2-3 day process once chrysler figures out how they are going to repair since they have stopped replacing. (this will be more time with out my new car.) then it was in the shop because the radiator cap was not put on correctly during assembly and it loosened. all the coolent leaked and caused the car to overheat. last but not least the air bag light came on and they said that they have to replace the impact sensor switch...which you guessed it... is on backorder. this might or might not be the problem but they can't go any further until this is changed out. so once again i will be with out my car. i have talked to another service department and they warned me that i shouldn't be driving this car because with out the impact sensor switch, the airbags won't deploy on imact. this car has been too much trouble and not worth the hassle.this is my first dodge and i would never recommend buying one. i understand that sometimes there are just bad apples in the bunch, but chrysler and the dealership hasn't made efforts to fix problems. i just get the typical run around.

Intermittently, the vehicle stalls without warning. when this occurs the vehicle loses brakes and power steering. various repairs have been performed but the failure still exist. the manufacture can't guarantee the fix or remedy performed. *nm

When turning from a stop, the vehicle stalled. please provide more information. *jb

While making a left turn, the engine shut off. loss of all power. was able to pull the car over, avoid an accident and stop car. was able to restart engine. *nm

2004 dodge durango stalling while driving at highway speed at 3 different times- dealer denied any problems with such stalling and couldn't do anything about it unless it stalled while one of their mechanics in car when it happened- car was only a few months old when this started - lucky not to have caused seroius and deadly multi-car accident-this is a very serious problem and it needs immediate attention!

2004 dodge durango experiencing alot of mechanical problems making the vehicle inoperative on numerous occasions.*mr the vehicle's engine blew two months after the vehicle was purchased. the engine was replaced under warranty. the vehicle started idling rough but the dealer could find anything wrong. one month after the engine was replaced it blew again.

On three separate occasions the consumers 2004 dodge durango stalled while driving. *jb *sc *jb

2004 dodge durango stalling while driving at highway speeds.*mr the consumer stated the stalling occurred on 3 separate occasions. the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. *jb

Instant stalling, whether turning or going straight. warm or cold doesn't matter. dealer has no clue.

My 2004 slt 4.7 durango had been idling, what seemed rough for a new vehicle for a few day (after a hard rain) when the engine light came on and the idle became very pronounced. it was taken straight to the dealer where it was found that the cylinders were misfiring. they pulled the sprk plugs and found corrosion and rust covering the plug and told me that water was getting into the firing area. i saw the plug and it looked like it came out of a much older vehicle, not a 2004. well as luck would have it, we had another hard rain and guess what. this time i was told that engineers were going to design a deflector shield to stop this problem as although it hasn't happened often it has happened. only thing is, no one can give me a time line on when this might begin, let alone be completed. and being a female, who travels alot and alone.....well, now thats why i purchased a new vehicle in the first place... to feel somewhat safe.*ak

While driving smoke was coming from vents. consumer was able to pull over and extinguish the fire. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced due to worn out parts. *ak

3x now my 2004 dodge durango slt (hemi) stalls coming to a stop. 1st time took it to the dealer for a ecu reflash. didn't fix the problem. i hear others are having this problem. it is actually quite dangerous. vehicle has 2700 miles on it and is 2 months old.*ak