Posted by RWR on Thursday, February 02, 2006 at 1:00PM :
1999 Dodge Durango 4x4 with 70,000 miles. Wife's car - she knows absolutely nothing about it, or its care. Anyway, November 2005 its taken to Dodge dealer because it won't shift out of 4 wheel drive. No "idiot" lites to so indicate, but you can obviously feel it "binding" or "fighting" when turning corners and especially when backing up. Anyway, service man says its a relatively inexpensive "washer" on linkage inside the t-case that needed changed, and charges me $735.00 to supposedly fix. Get it back and seems to drive fine in 2 wheel but don't use 4x4 for about 4 weeks. Early Dec 2005, put in 4x4 on a Sunday to drive up a snow-covered driveway. Immediately afterward, it exhibits those same "binding"/"fighting" symptoms (same symptoms originally leading me to take it in) even though the "idiot" lites indicate that its no longer in 4x4. I screw around - follow manual procedures, etc - trying to get it to shift back out of 4x4. No lites to indicate its still in, but I'm not sure whether it ever shifts out. Think to self, and tell wife, this thing needs to go back to the shop. Anyway, next day, wife takes it on 120 mile freeway business trip at 65-70 mph. About 110 miles into trip, she notices a "smell" but keeps chugging; eventually, it starts grinding/clanking, etc, but she still keeps "chugging" until it starts to billow smoke and make loud noise. She pulls over on interstate. Car is towed to local dodge dealer. Dealer says front Differential is completely "toast." Car is trailered back to my original dealer who confirms the complete diff/axles, and even integrity of all housing gone; says, never seen anything this badly destroyed. I ask, did this have anything to do w/ it possibly being stuck in 4x4 and not wanting to "shift" out of 4x4 for which I had it in here last month for $735.00?. He essentially evades answering, and blames it on fact that front tires are unevenly worn (in rotating, my local gas station guy put "new" spare on front left, and left "worn" original on right - but it was driven this way for no more than maybe 500 miles before diff/axle burned). Anyway, they locate a complete junkyard diff/axle (everything) and change it out for another $2000.00. When I get car back this time, he says, "there is a bulletin" on this shifting stuff, and gives me a long written list of procedures (mostly, whats already in the owners manual - which I've followed before w/out success) to follow if symptoms continue. He also makes note of "tire" mismatch and strongly recommends I cure. Note, however, none of this "tire" or "shift bulletin" was mentioned when I paid $735.00 in Nove 2005 for this so-called "internal washer" replacement inside the tcase. However, in fairness to all, I've never changed diff fluid which, dealer says, should be done every 15-18000. Other than being driven by my wife who drives fast, and burns up brakes, truck has rarely been in 4x4 its entire life. Its been limited to town/interstate driving. However, 2 years ago wife was rearended hard enough to spin the car completely 180.
Bottom line is this: have I been dealt with honestly by the dealer?
Appreciate your opinions before I do anything rash like accusing the dealer of wrongdoing.
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