Problems with 1999 Dodge Durango ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Coolant leak due to gasket failure on intake manifold. this is the 3rd time this has happened, twice in just over one year.*ak

Going on a trip oil pressure gauge went to 0 then back up to normal then back down to 0, check gauge light came on. pulled off interstate, listened to motor sounded normal, checked oil which was fine, decided it must have been the oil sending unit gone bad gauge had went back to normal, so started back on the road. then gauge started dropping again, stopped and put 1/2 quart of oil in, engine still sounded fine, started back on the road. went about 30 miles, motor started knocking. pulled off the interstate, engine knocking really bad. turned motor off then back on, engine sounded so bad cut it off and called a wrecker $50.00. towed it to a dodge dealership who said the motor was blown would cost approximately $5000.00 to fix. had to rent a car $35.00 a day. motor never let on there was anything wrong, never used oil, never smoked.*ak

The driver noticed that the vehicle started jerking uncontrollably and hesitating without warning. driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and pulled over. then, the vehicle stalled. driver turned off the vehicle for ten minutes, and then restarted. few miles down the road the vehicle stalled again. driver tried to restart vehicle, but was unable to do so. driver had the vehicle towed to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. due to sludge build up. *ak

In the last 4 yrs i have to replace the engine 2xs @$2500 per episode. despite regular oil changes, the oil pump is the first to go. i have repair men look at me like i do not change the oil because the oil is burnt to the pump. they have to clean the oil trap and replace parts. then less then 3 months later, that engine goes. i end up having to replace the whole engine. the first time it happened was at 51,000 mile. i contacted that company and they send "sorry, you're past the warranty" next, it happened at 75,000 miles. and, on the second experience, i had to replace the oil pump a 2nd time w/in 3 months because when the technicians started my vehicle and the burnt-type oil in the oil trap went back into the engine clogging the pump. thus, they made me pay for that too. please note i may be off on the date below. *nm

While driving, the vehicle shut off leaving the consumer with no power, no power steering and no power brakes. *nm the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. *sc *jb

Lower ball joints on both sides of vehicle. *bf the vehicle failed inspection due to worn front upper and lower ball joints. the consumer stated that he is having the same problem with his vehicle as the later year model listed in the recall. the vehicle as a result of the failed ball joints has uneven tire wear , brake problems , oil pressure problems, sludge build up, and speed sensor issues. *tc

Vehicle was purchased on august 21, 1999. the ball joints were same type as those on recall for year beginning 2000. *bf two years and four months later the ball joints failed. the front passenger side power window had broken along with the two back power windows. there was also a cracked serpentine belt, the tensioner had frozen, the throttle body was dirty and the gasket was leaking. *sc *jb

I own a 1999 dodge durango. i am about to have to replace the driver's side upper ball joint. i started hearing a noise about 2 weeks ago. i called the dealership and they told me that i am not included in the recall. i have researched several websites and there are 100 of 1999 durangos that are having the exact same problem. i also had to replace my engine. *ak

No oil pressure, engine sludge, cleaned. *ak

Consumer was driving on the highway and suddenly engine's oil pressure meter dropped to zero. then, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. she took vehicle to dealer to get serviced, but the engine light still came on. also, mechanic determined that the vehicle had worn out upper and lower ball joints. vehicle could not pass inspection due to the engine light.*ak

When trying to start vehicle it fails or it starts and dies. it has also stalled when driving several times, locking up the power steering, almost causing accidents.*ak

I have a 1999 dodge durango, brakes repaired. the vehicle overheated, radiator, air compressor and more problems. *bf the consumer was told that the ball joints were gone and the transmission was sticking. *sc *jb

The consumer checked the oil and noticed that the oil reading stick was showing i quart short. the consumer was traveling on the highway, and when the consumer reached the next city he checked the oil again and the same reading appeared, add 1 quart. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and the mechanic determined that the intake gasket needed to be replaced. *ak *sc

Transfer case failed, timing belt broke

1999 dodge durango engine ceases along with ball joint problems. i had to have my engine replaced in the 5 yrs that i have owned it twice! that is not normal on a vehicle that is suppose to be tough and get more than 36,000 miles to the engine! i have called damlier chrysler about the situation and they cannot compensate me in any way and he wasn't allowed to say if that was normal for a brand new truck to have the engine replaced twice within five years! and by the way i have reciepts for my work done and the proper maintence of the vehicle within that time span!v i paid $30,000.00 for the brand new truck plus one engine costing me $4100.00 and the second engine costing $4300.00 besides the ball joints. the first time theree was a crack in the engine block this time the engine ceased and started rattiling like a bunch of tin cans because suppose broke loose inside the engine and my drive cam also had to be replaced due to a crack in it!*ak

While driving check engine and abs lights came on. all the gauges did not work. vehicle shut down. after pulling to the side of the road vehicle would not start for approximately 30 minutes. after restarting there was a loud noise. vehicle had to be towed. it was discovered that the engine was defective.oil sludge caused premature engine failure.*ak

Oil pressure indicator would go off and the pressure gauge would drop to nothing. driving car stopped running in intersection. car was towed to dodge who repaired car. light is still on and pressure continues to drop to nothing intermittently. dodge has list of repairs needed. initial dodge assessment at purchase stated new ball joints needed in feb 2003 at 57,000 miles. *ak

I don't who else to go to, dodge durangos need a recall on several issues. ball joints for one, plenum gasket, and the computer brain system is junk and dodge will not take any responsibility for these issues. these trucks cost too much money to have the issues they have. these are lemons and once you buy it your stuck with it. i have owned mine a little over 2 months and i think i have been able to drive it a total of 3 weeks, not all in a row. it is junk and how can i resell junk? i don't want to have someone come back to me because i sold them junk, but i can not afford to own this vehicle. something should be done.*ak

1999 dodge durango. multiple problems with vehicle. 6,000 miles freeze plug; 48,691 tie rod end outer, serpentine belt; 63,851 transmission speed sensor; 66,002 miles ball joints front upper; 68,175 miles ball joints lower.*ak consumer paid out-of-pocket for each incident. i had extended insurance that was paid for when truck was bought, but was not given any information about it. never recieved any info from fedelity insurance about extended insurance. during investigation, by myself, to report incidents to daimler chrysler discovered on bill of sale that extended insurance had been paid for. contacted daimler chrysler and fidelity insurance. daimler chrysler reimbursed for parts of tie rods & upper ball joints; they refused to pay for anything else and claimed it was due to consumer's failure to maintain vehicle. fidelity insurance would only refund up to a year from initial report of 08/04/04. refused to reimburse for anything before. submitted all documentation to fidelity, but have yet to recieve any reimbursement. final incident on 09/04/04 has not yet been addressed by daimler chrysler nor fidelity insurance. truck has had multiple incidents of needing service -- all of which should not have to be replaced under 68,000 miles. dodge refuses to take responsabilty of defective parts and vehicle. i have read multiple incident on-line of other durango owners and mine is minor compaired to some. everyone has had to replace ball joint, but multiple people have had to replace transmittions a number of time. i am stuck with a defective vehicle that if not gotten rid of will cost me thousands of dollars. my truck is paid off as of 10/2004, extended insurance is up at 72,000 miles. i am unable to afford buying another car that is appropriate to my family situation.

Ball joints. engine under warranty 3 times. *jb

Truck stalls often, while driving or waiting at a stop light. brakes go out, power steering goes out, all gauges go out. very dangerous on freeway. wait 5 to 45 min and cars starts and runs fine. *jb

The consumer had to replace several tires due to worn upper and lower ball joints. *ak the consumer experienced the same recall problem as the 1998-1999 models. the right front and left windows were inoperative, there was noises coming from the serpentine belt, the vehicle had taken too long to crank after sitting for a while and the intake manifold leaked oil. *sc *jb

During a routine inspection the consumer was informed that the front ball joints were loose. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the vehicle would also die while in motion. *sc

While driving at various speeds vehicle stalled. consumer towed the vehicle to the dealer, but technician could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak

At 41000 miles my 1999 durango 5.9l experienced spark knock and heavy oil consumption. oil changed at every 3000 miles. called chrysler for help. they said too old and did not offer any help. i replaced all the valve seals. did not fix. replaced the plenum gasket as stated by the technical bulletin. did not fix. finally, tore down engine and found a broken oil ring on #8 cylinder. replaced all rings and bearings. finally fixed all at my cost. chrysler did not offer help. only one thing to say to chrysler, you have one less customer. *ak

I was driving my 1999 5.2 dodge durango the warning light came on i lost oil pressure and my motor stopped. i had to have it towed and the garage told me the engine was seized. i don't think that this should have happend and have been told this is a common problem with these motors. *ak

Intermittently check engine indicator light illuminated on dashboard. while driving at highway speeds and without any warning engine slowed down. vehicle was taken to the dealer were they replaced engine sensor.*ak

Ball joint failure on 1999 dodge durango @ 53,000 miles head gasket failure on 1999 dodge durango @ 53,000 miles

While driving 70 mph a loud knocking noise was heard coming from underneath the hood. driver applied the brakes and pedal went to the floor. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pulled over. then, vehicle stalled. consumer tried to restart vehicle, but was unable to do so. consumer had vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that engine needed to be replaced due to sludge built up. *ak

1999 dodge durango with 42,000 miles - faulty both upper and lower ball joints - both inner tied rods - water pump - excessive tire wear even though the tires were rotated every 6,0000 miles. *jb

While driving about 70 mph i heard a loud noise coming from under my 1999 durango, i took the vehicle to a local firestone, they discovered that the drive shaft had fell from it's housing, so i then took the vehicle to a transmission shop, cottman. the shop informed me of the following, the yoke and the bolt that retained the drive shaft in the transfer case had broken off some how, due to this occurrence, the transfer case was damaged, because all of the oil leaked out. also in 2003, had to have the ball joints replace and, also the engine head because the vehicle was burning to much oil and damage the heads.*jb

While driving 35 mph engine failed without warning. dealer stated sludge built up in the engine compartment.*ak

1999 dodge durango. bought used in 2003 w/70k miles. before it hit 80k the motor had blown and lost all power while driving down i-95. no warnings. towed to garage and needed top end rebuilt due to lack of lubricant in the top end. private warranty company covered half the cost claiming my lack of maintanace. just before 100k it would lose oil pressure when warmed up and the vehicle came to a stop. took it to garage and they replaced the oil pressure sending unit claiming it was blocked with sludge. within 500 miles the motor blew again. had entire motor rebuilt with new top end and bottom end, new bearings etc. flushed and changed oil every 3k miles from then till it reached 125k miles. once again while stop at toll booth vehicle lost oil pressure but would come back up when i applied a little throttle. tried to pull off the road but within 100 feet the motor started banging and then lost power and shut down. towed it back home and checked oil. dipstick showed nothing. 2 days later when i checked the oil the level was good. oil must have gotten trapped in the top end and caused the bottom end to be unlubricated and fail. what a poorly designed engine. vehicle sits in my backyard with another blown motor. thanks chrysler. *tr

Burnt valves at 57,000. *ak

While driving at 60 mph engine revved up but vehicle wouldn't accelerate. consumer pulled off the road, and let vehicle sit for a few seconds while idling. then, pulled back onto the road. consumer drove home at 15 mph. the cause of vehicle's failure to accelerate properly has not been determined. *ak

We have been told by our local dealership that the ball joints are worn, and are excessively wearing our brand new set of tires. we are very upset that dodge is not doing anything about this obvious problem. we have never had a vehicle with so many issues before, the intake gasket, the abs sensor, the seal on rear axle, a seat belt that wouldn't work, and now this. very unhappy with the vehicle as a whole.*ak

Dodge durango 5.2l v-8 engine motor blew up after 54k miles. complete motor failure required motor replacement. *jb

Purchsed a 1999 dodge durango in fall of 1998. when truck was two years old, oil pressure guage went to zero repeatedly. i immediately took it to dealership. was told the oil pump needed to be replaced. i had the work done. over the course of two years the guage would intermittenly go to zero. had oil pump checked. it was deemed to be okay. shop could not duplicate problem. during the last 6 mo.s problem continued more often. took to shop. i was told it was an electrical problem with the oil pressure guage. on one occasion, truck abruptly quit while i was going down a hill. kind of a scary experience! the shop replaced a fuel pump. on feb. 28.2004, truck's oil pressure guage went to zero, a loud noise was heard, and truck,s engine quit.(while i was traveling at 60 mph.) engine is history. my truck now has no trade-in value. after reading about identicle complaints on this web site, and consumer affairs' web site, it is obvious to me that dodge has a problem. i believe that this problem could even result in injury or death. i know that i will never purchase another dodge and will tell everyone i know about my experience i have had for three years with this truck. thank you.*ak

Ball joints and steering knuckle replaced at a cost of $1200 + with only 58000 miles on it at that time. now the oil pressure is fluctuating wildly which could be an indication of premature engine failure. vehicle now has approx 72000 miles on it now. *jb

While driving at 60 mph, vehicle began to lose power and lurch. shortly after, smoke began to appear from center console and hvac ducts as engine stopped running. vehicle was safely maneuvered onto shoulder and stopped; by then heavy smoke was pouring from center console area and hvac vents. driver bailed out and watched from the side of the road as interior completely filled with smoke. vehicle was towed to mechanic, subsequent examination determined underbody sound dampening mat had been ignited by overheated catalytic converter. burning underbody mat subsequently caused extensive thermal damage to center console, carpet, and hvac ducts inside console. root cause of catalytic converter overheating was attributed by dealer mechanic to possible intermittent connection of coil wire, allowing excessively rich fuel/air mixture to be passed to catalytic converter. *ak

We have several complaints about our 1999 dodge durango. we have had the pcm go in 2003, luckily my wife did research and found out there was a recall and it was covered. the front suspension ball joints are blown and now our dealership has informed us that we need to spend $5100.00 to repair the engine due to the oil pump is blown. the engine will seize if my wife attempts to drive the durango. there just seems to be a common thread here since most of the complaints i have read about are the same complaints we have. *la

Purchased durango in may 02,and performed regular maintenance on it.on 11/20/02 my family and i were on our way to michigan and the check gauges light came on and the oil pressure dropped to 0,the motor started to knock.we were on the ohio turnpike,(with 5 children),and had to find a place to pull over before the engine would blow.this was odd with only 46300 miles on the motor.luckily we were next to an exit,we pulled over and called the chrysler garage,they said do not drive the vehicle any further your oil pump is more than likely bad.the garage told us that there had been sludge build up in the motor which clogged the pickup tube which made pump fail,all do to lack of maintenance.the oil pump was replaced and got the vehicle back on 1/9/03 at the price of $350.90.the vehicle stil had a tapping sound coming from engine and the mechanic told me it was the lifters and it would go away.in october 2003,my sister and i were packing the car to go to my aunts funeral 250 miles from home,i started the car to go, we heard a knocking noise from the engine and the check gauges light came on and the oil pressure gauge dropped to 0,so we called the garage again.they said to bring it in they will replace the oil pump again. the vehicle had 55626 miles on it at the time, and they told us that there was still a problem with sludge in the motor from lack of maintenance.they told us they flush the motor with clean oil over and over for two days to remove any sludge,fixed my car free of charge and this time i had it back in a week.january 18,03 at 11:00 pm i was picking up my husband from work and the check gauges light came on again and oil pressure gauge was at zero.the garage said to bring it in and they would once again change the oil pump, free of charge, but still continue to tell me that there is still probably sludge in the motor,due to lack of amintenance and that they may not have gotten all it.the mileage now stands at 58300. 300 miles away from the next oil change.*ak

I purchased my 1999 durango in march 2001. in dec 2003 i had to get the driveshaft rebuilt. the velocity joint had worn out. then in jan '04 i was traveling about 65mph on an interstate just outside of town. my check engine light came on. i started to here a knocking sound along with feeling like there was a cylinder down. i got my truck towed back home and replaced the disributor cap since the points were worn. didn't take care of the problem. towed my truck to my mechanic. after checking several items he determined that cylinder 1 and 8 were not firing. he also checked the oil. it had gunk in it and told me that the manifold gasket and/or plenum gasket had failed and the oil looked like it was mixed with antifreeze. i then had checked to see if anyone else had experienced problems of this kind. i was suppressed to find out that there was 30 to 40 similar complaints like mine on your website alone where the engine had failed with the oil gunking up. i have not had the oil pump checked but since reading the complaints, assume that this had some cause to the problem. my truck only has 72000 miles on it. i agree that the 5.2 engine that dodge had put in the durango is junk as well as everyone else. it is a shame that dodge does not stand up behind the engines it builds. if you have this many people with problems, then it is time to do something about it. i am going to trade this off as soon as my mechanic can get it running. i will back up the next person that happens to buy my "now" piece of junk when they have to take it back to dodge. i will not buy another dodge product!!! *la

At 50,625 miles oil pressure on my 1999 dodge durango droped to zero. had oil pump replaced and dealer found "sludge" in oil pan. now 1 1/2 years later 68,000 miles pressure dropping again after only 17,000 miles! going to call dealer tomorrow and ask for advice, however, from what i've read i'm sure i'll be told it is my fault. i change oil every 3 to 4 thousand miles and have recipts to prove it. also, engine cuts out unexpectedly?*ak

Oil pressure drop on dodge durango leading to engine failure. many people having the same problem due to engine sludge. even with regular oil changes the engine eventually fails. dodge has sold bad engines and is now trying to cover it up. *la

Purchased used oct 13, 01 41,626 miles oil change dec 12, 01 46,722 mies. oil change feb 23, 02 50,310 miles. may 15, 02- replaced oil send unit, cleaned / adjusted the rear brakes, system check /reprogramed enignine controller. ext day oil guage light / fluctuating 0-110. 3 days later oil change , pcv valve replaced, 55,669 miles. *ak july 12, 02 engine blew #2 rod busted . warrenty company denied repairs due to sludge in engine. proved 3 oil changes in 6 months i owned vehicle engine & battery cables replaced . august 14, 02 after engine repair drove car to gas station ,turned e off, filled with gas, wouldn't turn over. car engaged, ticking noise, service dept said normal. purchased battery. sept 13, 02 check gauge light on, temperature gauge fluctuate 0-260, oil temp gauge to 110. told no coolant, told looking for leaks. told coolant topped off sept 16, 02 oil temp light fluctuated toward 110 mark. checked oil - quart low. added quart. sept17 , 02 green fluid leaking, vehicle towed to dealership. water pump/ by pass hose replaced. drove off the lot found air cond not working, compressor not connected sept 22, 2002 engine rev / tachometer stick at 4-5 check transmission / oil levels. oil 2 quarts low. oct 10,02 tachometer reved car would not engage . sensor in transmission out. replaced sensor. left shop , at 60 mph could feel vibration by gas pedal, engine would rev, tachometer would jump. unable to dup the prolbem. vehicle hooked to computer no abnormal readings 10/22/02 replaced upper ball joints, tie rods, and shaft, front end alignment. 12/02 purchased 2 tires. 6/03 replaced alternator purchased 2 tires front end alignment . 11/03 replaced starter /battery cables 12/26 dealer service department , engine reving, tachometer jumping, crunch in the front end, car not going into reverse. replace lower ball joints /4 tires due to ...

Vehicle was taken for a routine general maintenance, and the mechanic noticed that all four ball joints felled worn out prematurely. also consumer had problems with water pump and the serpentine belt.*ak

While driving 60 mph on the florida turnpike in miami, the check engine light came on, the oil presure gauge dropped to zero and all power to car was lost. no steering, braking or control of any nature over the vehicle was possilbe. this i may add occurred while heading for a toll booth.while still coasting i tried to restart the engine in an attempt to regain power to the steering and brakes, the engine would not restart. i tried to apply brakes but could not depress the brake pedal it was as if i were pushing on a concrete wall. after going through the toll booth i tried to steer the car to the right shoulder, i could only move the steering wheel about 1/2 inch, luckily this was enough to allow the car to gradually make it to the shoulder. i coasted to a stop about 1/4 mile or more past the toll booth. fortunately traffic was light as it was a sunday afternoon and i made it to the shoulder without incident. i tried to restart the car again and it would not crank. i did have electrical power to the lights and emergency flashers. i raised the hood and checked the oil level, it was fine, the motor was not excesively hot, in fact the temperature gauge never went above normal operating range. the car is at my mechanics now being checked for possible problems. i did not take to the dealer as i do not trust their honesty nor work, after all they built this inferior death trap called a durango. i truly beleive this car is unsafe, no car should loose complete steerage and stopping ability under any conditions. i was traveling at 60mph in a heavily congested city without the ability to steer or brake a 2 ton hunk of steel. how lucky was i and other motorists on the road to be alive and uninjured? *ak

The vehicle's oil does not distribute properly. as a result sludge builds up in the engine and causes the engine to fail. please provide additional information. *ph

Engine lost oil pressure first at 39933 miles while the car was still under warranty. the dealership changed the oil pump and advised us of sludge build up in the engine. the same problem at 63025 miles along with a transmission overhaul. the dealership at which we purchased the truck replaced the oil pump again, advised of sludge build up and overhauled the transmission under warranty. they also checked on the cost of a new engine but chrysler would not cover it, so they simply replaced the oil pump. same problem for the 3rd time at 73825 miles, less than 12 months and 12000 miles later. the service department at the dealership admits that replacing the oil pump will not help. they need to clean the sludge out for it to run better but even this will not solve the problem. unless the entire engine is taken apart and soaked clean or chrysler supplies a new engine, we will always have this problem. regular oil changes were completed on this vehicle. after the first oil pump the dealer advised that i using synthetic oil, which was done. after the 2nd oil pump was replaced the dealer said that the synthetic oil would not make any difference. *nlm