Problems with 1999 Dodge Durango ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

During all driving conditions during the last 6 years and while being driven on the road my 1999 dodge durango periodically shuts down. the engine, power steering, and power breaks fail and the vehicle exhibits a "no bus" in its odometer. after stalling this way it will restart after 10 minutes to an hour. the shutting down at freeway speeds is dangerous; however, after repeatedly taking the vehicle to different dodge dealers they can not properly diagnose or solve this life threatening problem. *tr

1999 dodge durango shuts down while driving ,you can't steer and the brakes dont work . someone is going to die if this problem is not corrected. *tr

Driving down the highway and suddenly there was zero oil pressure. i pulled to the shoulder of a dangerous highway hoping the problem might remedy after some cooling down. i went to restart the engine and it made loud knocking sounds. i immediately shut it off and had it taken to the dealership where i had purchased it (now under new ownership). they had replaced my oil pump when the vehicle was still under their warranty but hadn't told me that these engines have oil sludge buildup problems that cause the oil pumps to fail. now my warranty just expired last year and the dealer told me i have a seized engine. *tr

Here is a copy of my complaint that i emailed directly to dodge: i have done alot of research and have found that the dealers do not know how to fix this problem and there are numerous web sites with fellow 1999 dodge durango owners who are experiencing the same problem and we are looking for your recall to permanently correct the matter. your dealers have not been able to correct the problem at any price. when the outside temperature of where ever you live gets warm, the vehicle will stop with no warning and you lose control of your vehicle. the dash says "no bus" where the mileage usually is. it is unpredictable and dangerous to drive this vehicle although i love everything else about it. i am sad to see that there are several years of consumers asking dodge for help with this problem and yet there is no answer from you. please explain to me what you can do about this. i do not want to be a statistic about driving a 1999 dodge durango and dying from it. please do something. i can't drive the vehicle in the spring or summer but don't feel right about trying to sell it and pass it on to someone else who doesn't know any better. i am sure that you are very aware of this problem and can find several web sites with consumers asking for help and reporting similar problems just by googling 1999 dodge durango but here are a few links for you to visit too. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints/results.cfm http://www.carcomplaints.com/dodge/durango/1999/electrical/vehicle_shuts_down_without_warning.shtml please do the right thing and offer your consumers the help that they need. this is not an isolate problem and you are surely aware of it. i will await your answer about a recall that will correct this. *tr thank you, leah

1999 dodge durango stalls out on the road/highway with a no bus warning in the odometer window no power steering no abs brakes just a dead stick to control at highway or city speeds. *tr

I have an engine problem that i thought was an oil pump that was bad but when i took it to the mechanic he told me that i needed to replace the entire motor. i came back home and did some research on the 1999-2001 series of the dodge durango and came across a staggering number of complaints to the same effect of what was happening on my car. the website that i found these on is http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/dodge_dur_oil.html please go on this website and read these complaints! something has to be done about this! obviously there is a defect in these motors and this is a hazard to people driving on the road! one complaint on there was from a man who was driving his wife to the hospital because she was in labor when his engine quit on the freeway! that is dangerous! i would truly appreciate any form of investigation into this continuing problem! thank you deeply for your time! sincerely, a concerned driver. *tr

I was driving on the expressway and my dodge durango began to stall. i put on my hazard lights immediately. cars began to swerve to avoid me. i tried to pull off to the shoulder of the road but the engine cut off and then the brakes would not work until i tried to restart the car in neutral. i could not restart the car for 20 minutes. when the car did start i proceeded home. the car stalled three more times on the way home. *tr

The fact that when i am driving with my 5 children and my dodge durango shuts off and you loose all power! *tr

1999 dodge durango 4x4 bought in sept. 07, within two weeks lost of oil pressure during highway driving just over 150 miles, oil pressure goes to zero and engine light comes on. had to put 4.5 qts of oil. later on during the trip the speedometer quit working unless going above 50 mph. also at the same time the abs light and brake light illuminated and stays on. going to start with replacing the speed sensor on the transmission. hopefully this solves the abs and brake light problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge durango. while driving 65 mph, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the engine. she attempted to immediately pull off the road, but the vehicle lost power. the contact took the vehicle to the mechanic and he stated that the engine burned out and a new one was needed. the vin, engine size, and number of cylinders were unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 120,000.

1999 dodge durango slt 4x4 5.2 l. vehicle suddenly stalls. this has happened several times and at no time of the stalls was my family safe. no indication or warning signs. chrysler corporation cannot or will not properly troubleshoot the problem, each part they replace i am paying for and its not the issue but they do not refund my money, it time for the feds to govern auto repair dealerships. my vehicle will no longer start and is useless. i am informing as many people as i can about this safety issue that chrysler is having and refuses to acknowledge responsibility. i have talked 8 people into purchasing other makes of vehicles and researching all possible safety issues before purchase. *tr

I am a 99 durango 5.9 owner, experiencing the same problems with the stalling/no bus signal. so far we have replaced the crank sensor, the engine auto-shutdown relay and the front oxygen sensor with out any success. spoken to two dealers, they play stupid, bring it in next week and we may have time to look at it. (nice customer service). after about 20 miles or the temp gauge reaches 210 degrees it dies. if i sit for 10 minutes with the hood open it will start right back up. so sad when the manufactures play so stupid, we don't know what the problem is. maybe they should read this web page. i was thinking about trading it in on a new dodge, let them deal with the problem but after reading these comments i am thinking twice about that. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge durango. while driving between 10-20 mph, the vehicle stalled and the power steering and brakes failed. the vehicle was able to be restarted after two attempts. the road conditions were wet. the vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer. the failure mileage was 59,000 and current mileage was 59,700.

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge durango. while driving 55-60 mph, the contact stated that the vehicle stalls in hot conditions. the word "nobus" appears on the odometer. through internet research, she discovered several others who are experiencing the same failure. the contact took the vehicle to different shops and they stated that the cause of failure was the pcm. she recently took the vehicle to the dealer and is awaiting the diagnosis. the current mileage was 148,000 and failure mileage was 147,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge durango. while idling at a red light, the engine stalled and the vehicle shut off. a warning indicator light illuminated and read, " no bus". the failure recurred while driving 55 mph. the vehicle would restart after 30 minutes. the mechanic diagnosed the cause of failure as the fuel filter. the filter was replaced and the transmission was rebuilt, however, the failure still occurred. the current and failure mileages were 200,000.

Car stalls. my car stalls while i am driving or at a stop light, just idling. it has stalled on the freeway, which is very dangerous. before the car stalls the battery voltage sensor and the fuel level indicator goes all the way down. then the odometer starts blinking and saying "no bus". the autoshops i have been to do not know what "no bus" means. i have to turn the ignition off and on several times before the battery voltage and fuel indicator go back up. it takes anywhere from a couple seconds to 20+ minutes for the car to finally start. sometimes it won't start. the check engine light comes on, when the car stalls. but once the car starts, the light goes away. i have took the car to several mechanics. they ran diagnostic testing on it. the obd found no problems. my injectors and everything are working fine. pls help. these is one of several problems w/ these car. coolant leaks, ball joints always going out. i fixed these problems several times. i am tired of this car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge durango. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle struck a light pole while attempting to avoid crashing into two other vehicles. the drivers side air bag failed to deploy and the contact sustained a large bump on his head and a cut on his upper lip. the contact has a police report and the report of the damage to his vehicle. the vin, purchase date, and engine size were unknown. the current mileage is 167,883 and failure mileage was 1676,833. the consumer stated have been through alot with this vehicle prior to the incident he has had the engine replaced twice in the car and rebuilt the transmission prior to the car having 38000 miles on it and now he has a defective air bag. the consumer stated would like chrysler to pay the remaining balance on the car. the consumer provided pictures of the vehicle. updated 07/10/07 *tr

I am the owner of a 99 dodge durango slt since 12/31/98. about 14 months ago it started dying on me without any apparent reason. i have had it serviced 7 times at 2 different dealerships. all with the same result, temporarily fixed. the last 2 times being the worst. each from a different dealership. i have been driving on the freeway at 70 mph and had it die. this shuts all power steering and braking down. luckily, i've been able to avoid being rearended or hit as i coasted to the side of the road. i stopped driving with my wife and kids in the truck, in case of being hit. the service depts have: checked connections, replaced speed sensor unit, central timer module, crankshaft module and are now telling me i need to replace the pcm. have seen on the web that this is not an isolated incident. i love the truck, but it's inoperable by most standards. *tr

I purchased a 1999 dodge durango from a private dealer last year. not long after the purchase, while driving the vehicle down the road at about 50 mph, the engine shut off...barely any brakes, unable to steer. this happened several times after that, eventually leading to me not driving it anymore. while researching what was wrong with the vehicle, i came across many other people with the same problem, same make, year and model vehicle. many were reporting their "close calls" with mva's due to the engine just shutting off and them losing control of the vehicle. this is obviously a wide spread and dangerous problem, that thus far, dodge has failed to recall. i, as well as many others, do not have the money to put in to the vehicle for computer changes and uncertain mechanical work to get our vehicles in safe operating condition. i believe it's time that dodge do a recall and fix this dangerous problem. *tr

Over the last three years of operating the vehicle (2005-2007): 1. fire in the front wheel assembly after 1.5 hours of 4-wheel drive - 1100$ replace 2. speed sensor failure ($500 work) 3. engine failure on the highway @80 mph - $7000 replace and other costs, lucky survived 4. joint balls replace (about 400$) 5. ac failure ($960 repair) 6. now parked - transmission/engine joint oil leak, estimated $1200 repair. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the electrical system continued to function, however the vehicle was unable to be restarted immediately. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who was unable to determine the problem.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the oil pressure gauge dropped to zero. this happened intermittently. the vehicle was maneuvered off the road and let cool. it was driven to the dealer who determined the engine needed to be replaced.

Engine dies suddenly at random times including in traffic. odometer shows no bus. any speed, weather, road conditions. dealer no help - no codes - could not replicate. eventually became frequent enough that i traced problem to pcm with use of heat gun. see internet blogs. seems to be frequent problem for this year. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph in 80 degree weather, the vehicle completely shut off, accompanied by a warning light on the instrument panel which read "no bus". the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road, where it sat to cool down. the vehicle had previously been taken to a service dealer for the same issue. the dealer was unable to determine the problem.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled multiple times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who could not duplicate the problem.

Car stalls, idles erratically and stalls when falls below 500 rpms. a/c blows hot air when idles falls below 1000 rpms. this has been happening for months, no rhyme or reason, no codes. sometimes so bad that car stalls as soon as you let off of the accelerator to go around a curve. when will a recall be issued? there is obviously a problem. dodge needs to step up to the plate. does someone have to die before its fixed? do a search on the internet. complaint are everywhere.

Vehicle shuts down without warning. while driving down the road, on the interstate or city street the vehicle looses power to the fuel pump & fuel gage and shuts down. this happened to me numerous times before the mechanics could fix the problem. luckily i live in a town with very little traffic and this did not result in any traffic accident, the dealership replaced the timer module & computer at a cost of $1,200.00. i have had the car back for four days and the problem has not recurred. *nm

My dodge durango (1999) started stalling at random times two summers ago. it took me many trips to the dealer and alot of research on the internet and a yell fest with the dodge field rep. but i got it fixed. they had no idea what was wrong with it, it is the pcm(power control module).....finally convinced them they didn't want a lawsuit on their hands if my family was killed due to this major defect in durangos, mainly 1999 from what i have read. pcm replaced, no problems with stalling since. *tr

Truck stalled as i was doing 60 mph, the brakes went as well. i put it in neutral and coasted into a gas station. tried turning it on and it started right up. this was the third time in two weeks. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the engine stalled while driving at various speeds. the vehicle has stalled a total of 4 times. it will not restart for at least 30 minutes after the failure. as a result of the vehicle failure, there has almost been an accident. the dealership and manufacturer have not been alerted.

Computer chip failure causes vehicle to shut down. dealer contacted but wants to charge $1000 for an emissions covered failure. claims anti-freeze caused failure. separate auto mechanic says computer is in gel pack and wasn't effected by anti-freeze and connectors are not corroded. *jb

We recently purchased a 1999 dodge durango slt from a private party. this is a well maintained vehicle and has no history of problems. within a few days of having this vehicle it began to stall for no apparent reason. this would be at 65 mph or stopped. if you wait 5-20 min it will restart. we have had this car looked at and have replaced the crank sensor to no avail. while doing an internet search it appears this is not a new problem and many other owners are experiencing it as well. the mechanics get no code from the stall and no one can pinpoint the problem. we are frustrated and pretty unhappy to find out this is a recurring problem with this vehicle. this is very dangerous as everything locks up when it stalls. *jb

1999 durango stalls without warning at highway speeds creating dangerous situation. dodge dealer unable to diagnose problem and returned car without repair. problem continues. dealership unresponsive to repeated telephone calls asking for assistance. *jb

I have e a 1999 5.9 liter 4x4 dodge durango. this spring it began to just stall out intermittently. it will turn over but not crank for sometime 30 minutes but then suddenly start and run fine until it stalls again. it will stall while driving with no warning. it is july 25th and it has been in the shop all summer with no codes being found. i have had it in 4 shops now the third being the dealership and they said something no one else said and wanted a ton of money to fix and i took it for second opinion and they said the dealer was wrong. as it is i have about $1000.00 in parts that have been changed trying to fix this and now they are saying it is the pcm. i am at my witts end because i do not have my car and it is very unsafe when i do have it because there is no warning when it stalls it just suddenly dies and you loose steering and brake power. it is very dangerous. i have searched the internet and found tons of the same troubles with other people. i think a recall is needed because dodge must know of this issue. the dealers all want different prices to change the pcm and when you call looking for them around the country suppliers say they can not keep them in stock for the dodges. please help!! *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that the engine malfunctioned in the vehicle as early as june first of 2005. the vehicle was taken to the dealers and left with them for one week to under-go diagnostic testing. the dealer determined through the testing that the problem was pertaining to the fuel pump and replaced the part. the vehicle began to experience more problems concerning stalling and all the warning lights illuminating. the vehicle was taken back to the dealers who replaced the water pump. one week later, the vehicle experienced similar problems including water dripping from the bottom of the motor. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced gasket of the water pump. the vehicle stalled while driving on the highway during morning rush hour traveling at 30 mph. it was towed to the dealer who determined that the #3 cylinder had no compression, the coolant was coming out of the freeze plug, transmission fluid was dripping and the motor was shot. there were no further services done to the vehicle due to the extensive costs.

Engine failed at 60,400 miles. vehicle was properly mainatined all work done at the dealership. *jb

I purchased a 1999 durango in jan of 2000. i have had numerous problems including rebuilding the transmission. my biggest complaint is the engine sludge and spark knock. i have had the oil pump and screen replaced twice as well as the upper intake gaskets. it is my understanding that the upper intake gaskets leak internally causing oil consumption, spark knock, and eventually oil sludge and engine failure. chrysler should do something about the thousands of vehicles that are experiencing these issues. *jb

Defective joints & tie rods, faulty oil pump, transmission shifting problems, faulty water pump, bad rotors. *nm

Warm or cold engine engine stalling been in the shop for weeks and they cant find the problem. *nm

Dt: the contact stated while driving heard a knock in the engine. a local mechanic found the engine threw a rod. as a result, it needed a new engine, tie rod, and serpentine belt. the vehicle was taken to a dealership, and they state it needed a new rod and crankshaft. the manufacturer instructed the dealership to take the engine apart to locate the internal problems. this has not been done at this time, and no repairs have been made. *ak

I have a 1999 dodge durango with 73,000 miles. we had the transmission replaced and other major repairs done to it last year. since then it has given us nothing but trouble. this car is our family car so we travel everywhere with the kids in the back. it has stalled and died on us often. at times on the freeway in the middle of traffic and other times in the middle of intersections. the power steering goes and so do the brakes. i have been lucky so far in avoiding accidents. the mechanics can not find out what is wrong with it so nothing is done about it. the fuel lines have been checked and replaced and so has the fuel pump and the same problem continues. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalls consistently, sometimes taking up to 4 hours to restart. according to a independent repair shop, the power control module has become defective and needs to be replaced. the stalling occurs 3 to 4 times a week in the summer. in the winter, it stalled twice a month.

I have had repeated problems with my '99 dodge durango that started with the engine light going on in september 27, 2005 and is now the need for a new cpm. the car intermittent stalls while riding down the road at 55mph or after idling at stop light & turning left (power steering goes out and car blocks intersection/traffic) - "no bus" appears on mileage, everything shuts off. seems to happens on days when the environmental temperature exceeds 75 degrees and disappears once car has sat (wherever it stalled) for 20-30minutes. no diagnostic code appears when put the car is put on the computer and i was advised by more then one dealership that the problem had to get worse and produce a code before dealership or anyone else could diagnose the problem. now that the 8 yr federal powertrain warranty has expired for me, it seems the problem is &always was that the powertrain control module (pcm) is malfunctioning &needs to be replaced. this major component is covered thru 8yrs/80,000 mi by federal law but even though problem began prior to 8th year, because this problem was not diagnosed until after my 8 yrs had been exceeded, it is now my $800-$1200 bill to pay (since sept '05, have replaced most components of coolant system, intake manifold pan gasket, head gasket &still have problem with alignment/ball joints& repeated window modulator problems). *tr

Dt: on july 31, 2005 the check engine light came on. she took vehicle to dealer and had it fixed. the next day the light was still on. vehicle was taken back to the dealer. currently, the check engine light, abs light and a brake light were on. vehicle had been to the dealer 4 times and still couldn't find the cause of the problem. manufacturer had not been contacted . she has paid for all the trips to the dealer and they haven't fixed it yet. she could not afford to continue paying for all repairs. *ak

Dt: the vehicle is 1999 dodge durango. the consumer needed the tires replaced and he had an independent mechanic check the ball joints at the same time. the mechanic told him that the front top and bottom ball joints were going bad, this was in 12-2004. the consumer knew there was a recall on similar vehicles. he contacted the manufacturer and they told him that his vehicle was not included in the recall. the consumer had to get the engine replaced because of a sludge problem. the engine blew up because of the oil pressure had failed on the vehicle, on 7-17-05. about 3-4 months prior the consumer had the oil and oil filter changed; and the bearings replaced. on 7-19-05 the engine was replaced. he had them check the ball joints again on 7-20-05. they told him that they would be afraid for him to drive it off the lot. consumer feels that the manufacture should replace this at their expense. *nm

dt: consumer stated the vehicle stalled while driving about 30 mph. the service dealer could not duplicate the problem. it has happened 3 times today and has happened for the past 3 weeks, it appears to be getting worse. after putting the vehicle into park, the vehicle will sometimes start immediately, but sometimes the consumer would have to wait for about 10 minutes to restart it. *jb

Dt: the consumer kept up the maintenance on the vehicle. while driving on the highway a through rod entered the oil pan and it destroyed the engine. there was slug built up in the bottom of the oil pan that caused the pump to fail. there was no for warning, but one could hear metal against metal grinding. oil light did not come on. spoke with the dealer and chrysler, and they said there was nothing they could do because warranty expired. this happened on june 5, 2005. had the engine replaced and the consumer paid the cost out of pocket. *ak

1999 dodge durango, bought new, has 53,000 miles, i was driving on a highway on 4/22/05,"check gauges" lit up on dashboard, oil pressure gauge went to zero, car still drivable, pulled over after 3-4 miles into turnpike service area, checked oil stick and it read full, continued additional drive to destination of approx. 5 miles and dropped off at nearby dodge dealership, their diagnosis is sludge in engine and oil pump has to be replaced and the entire engine will have to be replaced, they suspect lousy maintenenace by car owner regarding oil changes, i have documentation that car was well maintained, on a internet search, i found that hundreds of durango owners have experienced the "exact" problems with this type of vehicle. in addition, i have experienced other problems with my vehicle: replaced window moter, replaced leak in cooling system thermostat, replaced switch assembly for a/c heating unit, replaced brakes and rotors on front.*ak

Started with rebuilt transmission, then sludged in motor. had to replace motor with only 120,000 miles motor and transmission 5,000. also had to replace ball joints, tie rods and bearings cost $1,000*ak

Pcm is located on the right fender well. the radiator fan also blows onto the right fender. the extreme heat causes the printed circuit board inside the pcm to warp when it gets hot and causes the engine too stall. once the printed circuit board cools and flatten outs it runs fine until it gets so hot that it warps again. i was able to duplicate this problem by using a blow dryer on the pcm. when it got hot the engine stalled. as soon as it cooled it restarted. i resolved the issue by covering the pcm with a heat deflecting insulation wrap and by also running an air duct from the grill directly to the pcm. the problem could be solved by creating some electrical pigtails that would allow you to relocate the pcm to the left fender away from the direction of the radiator fan heat. *tr