2001 Dodge Dodge Truck

RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS WEARING EXCESSIVELY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 4X4 WERE FAILING RAPIDLY (HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY). MY MECHANIC WENT ON TO SAY THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY THIS HAD NOT COME APART WHILE DRIVING AS IT SURELY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A ROLL-OVER. HE FURTHER ADVISED ME TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE WATCH FOR ANY SIGNS OF DETERIORATION. DEALER SAYS I HAVE TO BUY THE ENTIRE STEERING UNIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT APPROXIMATELY $750, BUT THEY ARE ON A 45 DAY BACK ORDER. IT SEEMS THEY CANT BE MADE QUICK ENOUGH. I WAS TOLD THE BALL JOINT WAS WELDED AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THIS IS INCORRECT AS I REMOVED MINE QUITE EASILY. AFTER A LITTLE HEAT AND CAREFUL HAMMERING, I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE PLAY TO WITHIN ACCEPTABLE TOLERANCES. THE HEAT WHICH ALLOWED ME TO RE-FORM THE STEEL, ALSO SERVED TO ANNEAL THE STEEL, THUS MAKING IT STRONGER THAN THE ORIGINAL SOFT, UNHARDENED STEEL. ASIDE FROM USING UNHARDENED STEEL, I NOTICED SOMETHING ELSE THAT WOULD MAKE A FIRST YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENT SICK: METAL ON METAL WITH ABSOLUTELY NO LUBRICATION AND WORSE, NO WAY TO LUBRICATE IT IF I WANTED TO. THIS IS HORRENDOUS ENGINEERING AND A COMPLETE FAILURE ON THE PART OF CHRYSLER! *JB

I OWN A DODGE DURANGO 2X4 YEAR 2001. MY COMPLAINT IS RELATED TO FRONT WEEL JOINT NOISE, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TAKE A SHARP "U" TURN I EXPERIENCED A REPEAT CLONKING NOISE, IT FELT LIKE THE WHEEL WILL FALL OFF. I ALSO EXPERIENCED UNEVEN TIRE WEAR ON THE SAME SIDE. SO I CALLED THE DEALER IN IRVINE CENTER WITH THE COMPLAINT THIS WAS A YEAR AGO, THEY SAID THEY WILL CHECK IT BUT I HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL THE EXPENSES, BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL AND MY WARRANTY IS OVER. THANK GOD I DID NOT EXPERIANCE ANY FAILURE YET, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SYSTEM, BEFORE I EXPERIANCE ANY INCIDENT, CRASH, OR INJURY. YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK

THE DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE RUBS ON THE LOWER CONTROL ON A FULL LEFT TURN SCORING THE TIRE AND CREATING THE POSIBILITY OF A TIRE FAILURE WITH THE POSIBILITY OF DEATH OR INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST ATTEMPT BY CHRYSLER WAS TO REPLACE THE STEERING BOX WHICH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NEXT CHRYSLER ATTEMPTED TO CENTER THE STEERING, AND STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NEXT CHRYSLER IS GOING TO TRY SOME SHIMS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE 5 MORE TRUCKS EXACTLY LIKE THIS ONE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK