Faults:

In the first year I owned my Durango, I replaced the tensioner pulley, water pump, power steering pump, air conditioning unit, ball joints, u-joint, tie rods. Costing over $1800 in parts alone (my boyfriend is a mechanic, so no labor cost).

I have also had problems with the rear brakes hanging up and locking up. Every piece of hardware, adjuster, wheel cylinder, brake lines, calipers, pads, rotors, and anything else related to brakes has been replaced twice with the brakes continuing to drag periodically. My boyfriend did them once, and then took it to a local shop with no luck in fixing the problem.

Now overdrive has gone out in transmission, requiring a rebuild.

General Comments:

I love my Durango, and think it's a great SUV. I love the look of the older models.

My 5.9L is quick on the street, and has the power to go off road with no problems.

Faults:

This Durango stalls and was cutting off with no warning. Everything is good on it, but my mechanic found that the computers in these trucks go wacko, and the main wacko problem is shutting down the fuel pump, so we changed the computer. That didn't work, but he ended up running a wire from the fuel pump fuse under the hood, to the fuel pump fuse in the car, and it worked.

These are some raggedy cars, and to stop the stalling in this truck, you have to use premium gas. Every time I use a lesser grade, this truck shakes, rattles, stalls, you name it, but runs very smoothly off premium.

General Comments:

I agree with a recent comment that you actually have to take care of the vehicle. Owners manuals should be read and followed.

I bought my 99 Durango new and really have not had any major problems. Automatic transmission back flushed at 30K miles, and recently a fluid and filter change, never a problem with the transmission.

Warranty covered issues:

1) Fan clutch.

2) Manifold leak.

Previous problems at 80K miles:

All speakers blew.

Right front ball joint.

Right front axle.

My advice, maintain your vehicle. I'm in the car business, and people really should take better care of their cars.

Faults:

I owned the car for 9 years, and finally sold at 115000 miles.

It was a solid 4x4, but bad on gas and constantly having problems with no oil pressure (after 80k miles).

I found fix for this after I sold car, and I have not heard of this fix before, but I was told from a very reliable source (mechanic), the oil sump screen on bottom of engine sludges up and clogs. Remove the oil, and using a flashlight and long screwdriver, puncture holes into the sump screen, which is a bit visible thru drain hole. The screen holes are too small, and this engine generates sludge. Once the holes are in, it can't clog again. He has performed this fix on many Dodge 318 Durangos, and it has worked without fail. Use only synthetic oil.

Before I would just have the screen cleaned; this would last 30k miles.

Also the tranny was slipping intermittent; complete tranny flush and filter made it work much better, but not perfect.

General Comments:

Be careful buying a Durango that might have suffered through the no oil pressure problem, because this is damaging to the engine's life. I had to have my lower bearings replaced due to this as well.

Faults:

I own a 1999 Dodge Durango 5.9. It started dying on me twice in the last couple weeks. My battery was testing bad, so I replaced it, but a couple of days later it wouldn't start; it would crank, but nothing. After 10 tries and some time sitting, it would start like new, only lasting 5 minutes...

All in all, a new computer was the fix; a new ECM.

Dodge should really have a recall on the ECM; it's really a safety issue and expensive. I got mine for $350.00; real easy install.

General Comments:

Nice truck.