1998 Dodge Durango service brakes, hydraulic problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DURANGO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED GREATER FORCE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. SUDDENLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V341000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES). THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL; HOWEVER, IT WAS INSUFFICIENT IN REMEDYING THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,000.”

“I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN THE LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER '08. I HAD MY BRAKES DONE BY AN INDIVIDUAL MAYBE TWO WEEKS LATER. A COUPLE OF DAY LATER DRIVING HOME FROM WORK I STARTED HEARING A REAL LOUD IRON GRINDING NOISE. THE NEXT DAY I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AAMCO, WHO TOLD ME MY CALIPER PINS HAD CAME OUT, AND I WOULD NEED A NEW STEERING KNUCKLE AND A SET OF CALIPER PINS.THE TRUCK WAS FIXED COSTING ME $525 (NOTING: MECHANIC USED A USED STEERING KNUCKLE.) NOW 2 MONTHS AFTER THOSE REPAIRS I NEED A WHEEL SPINDLE, AND CALIPER BOLTS BECAUSE THE THREADING HAVE STRIPPED AWAY AND SOMETHING TOTALLY UNRELATED A NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. COSTING ME $580. I WAS TOLD THAT BY FIRESTONE WHO TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW TIE RODS AND THEN CORRECTED THEMSELVES BY TELLING ME I NEEDED A NEW STEERING KNUCKLE - WHO WOULDN'T EVEN WORK ON MY CAR BECAUSE OF LIABILITY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE COULD LITERALLY FALL OFF DUE TO LACK OF SUPPORT AND CAUSE A MAJOR OR SERIOUS ACCIDENT, AND THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE IT BACK TO AAMCO. I DIDN'T WANT TO BECAUSE I FELT AAMCO SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS THE FIRST TIME. BUT AFTER FIGHTING WITH THEM AND READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS MAYBE…”

“DODGE DURANGO 1998 BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH . I CHECKED YOUR WEB SITE AND FOUND RECALL ID NHTSA:99V341000 WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED . I CONTACTED TWO DODGE DEALERS , AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NEVER ANY RECALL FOR THAT PROBLEM . *TR”

“WHILE MY 1998 DODGE DURANGO BEING DRIVEN A ON SURFACE STREET, ONE OF TWO 8 MM STUDS THAT ARE WELDED TO THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER AND THAT ATTACH THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER TO THE POWER BOOSTER SUDDENLY BROKE DURING BRAKING WHICH DISENGAGED THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH THEN CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE HYDRAULIC BRAKING. TO AVOID A REAR END CRASH THE VEHICLE HAD TO CHANGE LANES AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS USED TO EVENTUALLY BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND THE MASTER CYLINDER IS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED OR SERVICED SINCE IT WAS INSTALLED BY THE FACTORY. *JB”

“WHILE REPLACING THE FRONT DISC BREAK PADS I OBSERVED THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER CALIPER BOLT WAS NO TIGHTENING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I OBSERVED THAT THE THREADS IN THE KNUCKLE WERE STRIPPED COMPLETELY. THE PRICE TO FIX IT WITH A HELI COIL REPAIR WAS AROUND 250.00 NOT INCLUDING LABOR OR 750.00 FOR A NEW STEERING KNUCKLE NOT INCLUDING LABOR. *NM”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A TIRE REPLACEMENT AND ALIGNMENT THE DEALERSHIP OBSERVED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE TIRE REPLACEMENT. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V596000, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: UPPER BALL JOINT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES. SINCE PURCHASE, THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE. AS A RESULT, SMOKE COMES FROM THE WHEEL WELL AREA. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT.”