1999 Dodge Durango SLT 5.9 V8 from North America

Faults:

Fog lights sensor replaced week after purchase. Dealer replaced no charge.

ABS sensor replaced at 70,000miles

Ball joints upper and lower replaced at around 80,000miles

Nothing else.

General Comments:

The truck has been very good to me since I purchased in 04. I have done preventative maintenance on her like engine flush, new plugs and wires, breaks and rotors, Ball joints upper and lower, serpentine belt replaced K&N Air Filter and new tires. All were expected due to the mileage on the truck except filter. I have had oil changes every 3000miles with a synthetic blend. Will go full synthetic at the next oil change. I know it will cost more, but I have heard nothing, but positives about it and how it can be good for the engine.

She is very good in 4x4, and with the new tires (Goodyear Fortera's) she goes through the snow without any trouble at all. The tires are expensive, but man are they worth it. The ride is much smoother and neither my wife or I slide around on wet surfaces. This was a problem before. I love having a third row that you can put up or down as needed. I have two children and we have been able to take us, their friends and other family members at different times without feeling cramped.

I do have a few minor drawbacks. The cargo area with the seat down is vast which is a plus, but putting groceries back there can be a small problem. Everything slides at every turn. The gas mileage is not good either, which I did know before purchasing the truck. I guess it's worse since the price of gas has gone up so much.

She has been very reliable to date and has never stranded me. I have taken road trips from Pa. to Mass, Pa. to Conn. and Pa. to NY. The truck road very well on the interstate. I hope my luck continues without some of the problems that many have had. I must admit, if I did see this sight before I purchased the truck, I might not have gotten it. However, I have been pleased with it so far. Good luck to all Durango owners out there!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th July, 2007

1999 Dodge Durango SLT 2wd 5.9 Gasoline from North America

Summary:

Complete garbage and a disgrace to America!

Faults:

O2 sensors (15,000 miles and 38,000 miles), differential (45,000 miles), ABS sensors (all the time), transmission governor (64,000 miles), transmission (67,250) and kept leaking and burning oil all the time (all seals replaced only to see the problem return)

General Comments:

Bought the car brand new September 1999. This car was a great vehicle when it was new. It had the most powerful engine I have ever felt in a modern truck (execpt a turbo diesel). But after a few problems the first three years the I woke up one day and the car felt like it was 20 years old. The differential just went out for no reason and all the exterior and interior parts started falling apart over the next few months. Then the tranny stopped shifting and only would shift when it red-lined and by the time it got in the shop it wouldn't up shift at all. Dealer fixed it, but like the differential the car was out of warranty leaving a huge bill. Never got totally fixed and tranny blew. Got rid of it and trade in was only $2,500 ($35,000 new). Terrible gas mileage too (12-15 MPG). This truck brings a bad name to American Trucks and SUV's and I hope Chrysler continues to fail in it's sales. They should consider the customer for once. Also Chrysler should not trust the Germans to restructure their company!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th December, 2006

30th Dec 2006, 15:01

A MAJOR clue to your problems with this vehicle is the statement that you bought it new in September of 1999. Being a 1999 model, that strongly indicates that it sat on the lot for a long time. The WORST thing a new vehicle can do is sit in the hot Sun for months unused. Some years ago I worked for a dealership. The absolute worst nightmares our customers had were vehicles that had sat on the lot for more than 6 months. Every seal in them inevitably dried out and leaked. In addition, other components can also suffer major damage by sitting unused for long periods. I've owned 3 Chrysler products, including the Dakota truck (which the Durango was based on). These vehicles performed flawlessly and never had a single problem. One of them went 240,000 miles with only routine maintenance. I suspect your problems were due to "premature aging". When buying a vehicle, ALWAYS look for the date of manufacture (located on a plaque on the door post on most models). If it has been more than 3 months since that vehicle was manufactured, run from it as fast as you can.

20th Jan 2007, 18:24

Comment above is not always true. I have bought several year end cars, all Toyotas, with virtually no "premature aging" problems. Each 120k + before moving parts began to need replacing (water pumps, alternators, etc.) However, bought a brand new, ordered, factory made 1996 Dodge Neon, and it was a candidate for lemon law from the first few months. I agree with the original writer, Dodge needs to make a vehicle to outlast the payments, and compete with the real quality makes and models. I'm through with Dodge/Chrysler. Replaced tooo many air conditioners in their cheap cars!

25th Jan 2010, 13:10

If they are moved around at least once a month and driven 20 minutes, I see no issue with seals and flat spotting tires. My concern would be old gas and batteries depleting with slow power drains with no maintainer present.