1998 Dodge Durango engine and engine cooling problems

“62K MILES DOING THE SPEED LIMIT ON I/70 EAST OF MT COMFORT EXIT. OIL PRESSURE WENT TO 0 BEFORE I COULD SLOW AND GET TO THE SHOULDER THE ENGINE BLEW A ROD THREW THE OIL PAN. HAD IT TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP. HE TOOK THE PAN OFF AND SAID HE THOUGHT THE OIL PUMP HAD FAILED FROM WHAT HE COULD SEE. LOCAL DEALER DID NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM OF THE FAILURES I HAD FOUND ON THE INTERNET AND HE REFERRED ME TO DODGE AND HUNG UP. DODGE REPLIED TO MY INQUIRY BY TELLING ME TO TALK WITH MY LOCAL DEALER. *TR”

“I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 98 DODGE DURANGO. VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR ENTIRE TIME WE OWNED IT. MAINTENANCE WAS DONE PROPERLY, AS MY HUSBAND IS A GENERATOR MECHANIC IN THE MILITARY AND KEEPS A VERY RIGID MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR ALL OF OUR CARS. MID MAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST OIL PRESSURE, AFTER AND OIL CHANGE VEHICLE WAS FINE FOR MONTHS. THEN MID AUGUST IT STARTS AGAIN, AGAIN OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT LEAST EVERY 6000 MILES BY CHRYSLER'S INSTRUCTIONS. BEFORE WE CAN EVEN GET OFF OF THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND NOW WILL RUN BUT LOSSES OIL PRESSURE BEFORE WE GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND KNOCKING STARTS SOON AFTER. COMPRESSION IS LOST IN TWO HEAD GASKETS DUE TO THIS AND THE MECHANIC SAYS THE SLUDGE IS THE PROBLEM, THOUGH THE MECHANIC CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW OFTEN THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED. HE CAN ONLY EXPLAIN THAT AN OIL CHANGE DOES NOT DRAIN THE BUILD UP THAT IS ALREADY INSIDE OF THE ENGINE AND THAT IT HAS JUST BEEN DEVELOPING OVER TIME BUT IS VERY ABNORMAL. CHRYSLER/DODGE SHOULD TAKE ACTION, I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM ONLINE AND AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO…”

“DT: ENGINE KEPT OVERHEATING. HAD TWO NEW ENGINES PUT IN THE VEHICLE, AND OVERHEATED A THIRD TIME, AND VEHICLE WAS BACK IN THE SHOP. FIRST TIME MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO OIL LEAKING. SECOND TIME DEALER GOT A USED ENGINE THAT WAS CRACKED, AND THIRD TIME WANTED TO PUT ANOTHER USED ENGINE . *AK”

“OIL PRESSURE ON 1998 DURANGO KEPT DROPPING TO 0. MANY TRIPS TO DEALER WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. SEPT '01, ENGINE FAILED. REPLACED ENGINE AT COST OF $4500. SLUDGE WAS FOUND IN OLD ENGINE. CHRYSLER TRIED TO SAY IT WAS BECAUSE OF IMPROPER OIL CHANGES. NOT TRUE. MARCH, 2005 OIL PRESSURE IS DROPPING TO 0 AGAIN. CAR IS AT REPAIR FACILITY. THEY SAY IT NEEDS A NEW OIL SENDING UNIT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ENGINE WILL FAIL AGAIN DUE TO THE APPARENT DEFECT IN THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE CHRYSLER MAKES. WHAT CAN BE DONE? DEC. 2003 WE REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS FOR $1300. FIND OUT IN 2004 THAT CHRYSLER RECALLED 2000-2003 DURANGOS FOR DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS. WHY WERE THE 1998 AND 99 MODELS LEFT OUT? IS THIS NOT THE SAME PART AS THE 2000? CHRYSLER MERELY SAYS NO MORE INFORMATION OTHER THAN 98 IS NOT INCLUDED.*AK”

“WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE OUR SERPENTINE BELT, AND TENSIONER AT CONSIDERABLE COST. THIS IS NOT A STANDARD WEAR ITEM, AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE REPLACING THESE BELTS AND TENSIONERS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE DESIGN AND PARTS OF THIS SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER SYSTEM ARE DEFECTIVE. *JB”

“THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. *PH A FAULTY INTAKE GASKET CAUSED AN OIL LEAK. THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT. *NM *SC *JB”