2001 Dodge Durango SLT from North America - Comments

3 of 4 seats have trouble reclining.

I think that this is a good vehicle. Some things have gone wrong, but they have been minor. The performance and comfort of this vehicle far outweigh the problems. Its powerful, roomy, comfortable, and plenty of features when loaded, and I think it looks great. I am an auto mechanic at a Dealership in Ohio. I have worked on my fair share of Durangos and have come to this conclusion, PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR CARS!!! Every person I ask says that they change their oil regularly and do routine maintenance on the vehicle. When I ask them what routine maintenance they are talking about, they stutter. I check the problem and it is caused by lack of oil changes, or other ROUTINE maintenance problems. Its like going to the dentist and he/she asks you if you floss your teeth regularly and you say yes. Then he/she opens your mouth and sees tons of food stuck in between your teeth. Its just that obvious that the person is lying. You can't just buy a car and expect it to last forever with just oil changes. If your car hits 60,000 miles on it you should have replaced all fluids at least once, done a full tune up, and it is now time for a point by point inspection. These couple hundred dollars will save you huge hassles and thousands of dollars in the long run.

Hi, I don't know more about car maintenance, but I do regularly going to the mechanic to check everything in my car.

So far I have run already 85000km, and as far as I know, they changed only the engine oil regularly.

Can you please be specific. What are all the fluids you were saying should be changed when it reaches 60000 miles or km?

I read also, somewhere in the engine, which also has a deep stick, it was written there don't change the fluid if it's not necessary, on which every time my mechanic is checking it.

Sorry so late. Routine maintenance at 60,000-70,000 miles include tune-up, transmission fluid, filter, and gasket change, and greasing differentials. All hoses should be checked every two to three years for cracks, bulging, and wear. Oil and filter should be changed every 3,000 miles. Also a couple of good tips for safety, better horsepower, and better fuel economy are replacing your air filter when dirty, fuel system cleaner (its ten bucks, and you just pour it in your gas tank when 1/4 full then fill it up, it costs 5-10 bucks and will save you that much at least in a month anyway) and also make sure your tires are inflated properly. Some of these things can be expensive if done at a dealership or shop. But most are fairly inexpensive, and although it may seem like a lot, it really isn't especially since the expensive stuff only has to be done every 60,000 miles. Just keep a good record of all that was done and when and what mileage. If you do this maintenance work I promise you will only ever have minor problems if any.