My well-maintained 2004 Dodge Durango slt began doing something bizarre a few months ago at about 120,000 miles. This has 4.7L V8 and the AWD-4hi-4lo 2-speed transfer case. The "service 4WD" and the traction control light began flashing, and it felt like the transfer case was stuck in 4hi with the tires grabbing on a turn. The selector knob on the dash would not function. I brought the truck to my mechanic who checked the function of the transfer case motor, inspected the motor and wiring, and changed the transfer case fluid again. I called my local Chrysler dealer and they advised that they would need to change the transfer case motor. The motor costs $1190 plus two hours labor and two quarts of atf+4 fluid. I brought the truck back to my mechanic and he said there is nothing wrong with the motor or the transfer case or the dash selector knob. He said he believes this is a control module or programming issue. I got a third opinion at my local lee myles. They concurred that there is nothing wrong with the transfer case motor and there must be some issue with the computer, programming, or one or more of the control modules. The truck continues to do the same thing. The malfunction condition exists approximately 65% of the time. I can't afford to bring to the dealer now and spend over $1300 for a repair that I do not think will correct the problem. I have read on many message boards that this seems to be a very common issue with 2004-2006 Durangos and changing the motor, or the switch does not help the situation. I also notice that at times when I open the doors or unlock the doors with the key fob, I can hear the transfer case motor cycling. This seems to be an electrical or programming issue. It is very difficult to turn the wheels at low speeds when the malfunction condition exists and I fear this is straining the transmission.

- Edison, NJ, USA

Purchased vehicle on 2/19/13 drove it for 2 weeks. Was driving on the highway and heard a loud noise followed by clunking noise which sounded like a flat tire but wasn't. took it to my mechanic who told me that the front differential needed to be replaced. Fixed that problem. 2 weeks after that on 3/29 was getting off the highway when I heard another loud noise followed by a clunking noise this time I lost steering and barely made it into a parking lot. Had it towed to my mechanic to find out it blew a rod and needed to have the engine replaced. After having this vehicle for 6 weeks I have had 2 catastrophic failures. My dealership will not help me and I cannot afford to replace the engine on my own. I purchased this vehicle to be a safe and reliable mode of transportation for me and my 4 children. Now I am out $6000 and have no vehicle. Something needs to be done about this. People should not be forced to pay for an issue that is known to be a problem.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

I went out one morning to due my daily running for the day and when I turned the key and the vehicle started it made a sound like the starter was stuck. I turned it off and called my husband and when I started it again there was a loud pecking in the motor. I took it to a local garage and the man listened to it and told me that the noise was coming from inside the motor and that he did not do motor work. So I found another garage and took it to them and they told me that it was the starter that was bad and that they wouldn't be able to get to it for a week or so. So I called the lot that the vehicle was bought from and he sent me to his garage and the man there told me that he would take a look at it and get back to me. Well he called the next day and told me that all of the noise was coming from the transmission and that it was the fly wheel so he replaced the fly wheel and the called me back and told me that the torque converter was what was making the noise. That the veins in it was bad and rattling around so I had to wait another three days for the part to come in. After he replaced that part and put it all back together and called me and told me that it was done and that it was still making that noise, and that he could not figure out where it was coming from. He started that he called the Dodge garage and talked to the about it and they told him that the crank was bad. And that there was nothing that they could do about it. So I asked them about rebuilding the motor and he laughed at me and told me that if I could find someone that would attempt to rebuild it that he would shake their hand that no one will attempt it. All I could do is have another motor put in it. We have had that 2004 Durango 5.7 for only a year and we still owe the bank for the vehicle. And an engine is going to cost us $3400 not to mention labor fee for putting it in.

- Grafton, WV, USA

Had driven truck earlier in day had no issues at all. Drove and sounded like it always did!! went to start it that evening to get daughter from school event and it made a horrible noise and wouldn't start! mechanic said it was starter. After 2 days of waiting for a starter that noone keeps in stock! put it on and nothing! mechanic said it was stuck flywheel. He got it to turn over but the motor was knocking very loud!! now I'm without a car because I do not have the money for a new motor!!

- Hawesville, KY, USA

Vehicle started to run a little rough. Wife was at a stop light accelerated upon green and heard a loud noise and a jerk. She nursed it home about a mile or so. Pulled into the driveway and shut it off and oil was everywhere. I looked around and discovered a hole in the engine block behind the passenger side tire about the size of my fist. Have had the Durango since it was brand new. Its always ran great. We love our Durango. Very upset that this happened. We do not have much money to spare at months end, but we needed a car so we were forced to go buy another. Would like to maybe get the Durango fixed. But that might take a little while to get the money now. Be nice if Chrysler could send me a new engine or something. I have owned a total of 5 Chrysler brand vehicles.

- Levittown, PA, USA

Similar to all other complaints I read. Was driving the vehicle during rain, engine started ticking. Stopped and had it towed to mechanic. Bent rod and busted piston.

- O'fallon, MO, USA

My truck goes in and out of 4WD on its own. Truck can be on, off, driving, parked, it doesn't matter. Apparently a lot of others are having this issue as well.

- Mesick, MI, USA

2004 Dodge Durango limited 5.7L hemi 4X4 my vehicle was already running for approx 3-5 minutes, warming up, after I had finished working a full 12-hour night shift. Time is 0640 hrs, outside temp is approx 30 degrees. Vehicle running normal, no alarms, no warning indicators. I was pulling out of driveway of my employment onto the roadway and accelerating on a completely straight roadway. As vehicle was passing 20-25mph and with no fore-warning, heard loud 'bang' from the engine compartment and vehicle started shaking. Vehicle's reaction was immediate. Violent vibrations, tappings and metal to metal sounds, I immediately shut down the engine and drifted off to side of road. My vehicle has never been pushed or worked hard. Never hauled heavy loads or trailored. Body is in very good condition and vehicle maintenance has always been performed on regular basis (approx 1000 miles into current oil change). At first I thought I had thrown the serpentine belt, but within seconds I knew it was much worse, shutting off the engine. Two checks of the oil level, assured me that there was in fact oil in the engine. There were no external leaks found and there did not appear to be any oil/coolant mixing. After towing the vehicle, to my mechanic, they have since reported what they believe to be as a "catastrophic loss of the engine". I have reported this failure to Chrysler Corp. And they have opened a case number for me, but they have not made any commitment, if they will cover the failure. After some of my own investigating, I have discovered there are numerous complaints, of the exact same nature as my failure, with this identical make/model year and 5.7L hemi engine, with many failures occurring in the 80-120K mile range (my mileage 97K). Very angry and upset about this failure, but thankful I was able to safely pull over without any further incident and injury.

- Limerick, PA, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for an emissions test but did not pass. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician advised the contact that the PCM would have to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and was taken back for emission testing twice but did not pass either time. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the PCM was replaced two additional times. The vehicle was not further repaired and the failure persisted. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

Auto drove properly previous day, started the engine at 6pm and it sounded like rocks in the engine. A puddle of oil was visible underneath the parked SUV. Car has been properly cared for, no warning lights on the dashboard ie: Oil, engine light - just loud clanking and not drivable. Edmunds and other auto information complaints are exactly like ours. This issue has been fixed in the 05 models but not in the 04. It rained a little earlier in the day and this video shows what is transpiring in the 04 models: Hydrolock= broken rods www.youtube.com/watch?V=I_thrvtmlx4 Chrysler needs to answer the hundreds of complaints that are documented. We cannot afford a new family car. Thank you for your time and I hope that you help us find a solution and hold them accountable.

- Homer City, PA, USA

I've owned my 2004 Dodge Durango 5.7 hemi since 2005. With only 151,960 miles - taking excellent care and pride in it, the #7 rod has been bent. Water has somehow gotten into my motor causing all kinds of issues. Within the past year, it has had issues running hot, running poorly when it rains and rough idle on occasion. After sitting for 24 hours, I went out to crank it and it jumped (I thought a small animal had crawled into my motor) and it shut off. I then re-cranked it and it sounds like a sewing machine. I had to have it towed and am now looking at $4000 for another motor. I've have researched the internet and am totally blown away at the others having the issues with the same exact make and model of vehicle. This is something Chrysler should make right. I am a single mother and live week to week, I can not afford to do this, but I have to. Working full time, caring for a 10 year old and now applying for a part-time job is what this extra expense is causing me to do. I think someone should do something - if I win the lottery, you best believe I will. Chrysler do the right thing....this is happening too much and is a defect - no doubt. Toyota did a recall - maybe if I'm ever to buy another vehicle, atleast they would make it right. *kicks soapbox*.

- Lyman, SC, USA

1. engine light remains lit: Service can see no reason from computer diagnosis. 1A. engine idles rough for several minutes after a rain storm. 2. engine won't start unless gas pedal fully depressed: Then stalls unless idle remains at least 1500 rpms. 3. took to service shop: Diagnosis is cylinder # 7 has no compression and computer shows 8 system faults relating to failure of cylinder # 7. research from internet forums shows this is a common problem and the only solution is to replace the engine at a cost between $4000 and $5000. No guarantees replacement engine will not have same problem.

- Columbus, GA, USA

I own a 2004 Dodge Durango and let me tell you the problems I have had with it!! the radiator, throttle position sensor and brakes. The biggest problem is when it rains. The truck just shuts off, no matter where you are when this happens. You could be on the highway going 65mph and it just shuts down. I thank god that I haven't gotten in to an accident yet. It is so dangerous to drive it like that not knowing if when you re out and its starts to rain I head for home because I am so worried. I don't even let me teenage daughter borrow it in cause she is out and god forbid it starts to rain. When it shuts down there are no brakes no nothing. Someone has to do something about this. There are so many complaints and no recalls on this part. That is insane!!!! someone somewhere is going to get killed!!! Dodge - you have to do something!!!!! I will never buy another Dodge again!!!

- Sandy Hook, CT, USA

I have a 2004 Dodge Durango hemi 5.7 with 62K miles. I maintained the car well. I have two major problems: 1) while driving on the highway the checking engine light and the lighting rod light comes on and the car jumps out of overdrive and remains in 3rd or 4th gear. My temporary fix would be to pull over, turn off the car wait 3 seconds then restart. The check engine light stays on but the lighting bolt goes off and the car is able to shift back into high gear. 2) recently the while driving the oil light comes and the car stalls leading me to stare the car off the road without any power. This is extremely dangerous!! I have no fix to date.

- Queens, NY, USA

I have a 2004 Dodge Durango slt in which the engine stalls and the vehicle cuts off. This normally occurs when braking, deceleration, traffic lights, low speeds. Also the passenger seat airbag is not working according to the visual lighted display in that area. I recently purchased this vehicle this year.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

2004 Dodge Durango limited hemi engine. For no reason driving down road the SUV will stop running at any speed, you lose all power steering and brakes, and are just coasting. Happened 4 times in 3 months, "no one at Dodge knows why" even though every site on the internet, shows this to be a problem on all the 2004's with no answers from Dodge. Then after 4th time went to restart engine and engine blew, a connecting rod snapped in half, which is obviously a forgery/metaligy issue. Everyone one who has looked at this says so and is a common problem in all the 2004's. this was a $49,000 SUV, and this is terrible, Dodge just says $9,000. No comment. I'm sure people have died from the first issue, loss of power, without steering or brakes, but does the engine freezing like that, instantly, cause the weak connecting rod to snap. If someone there is doing there job, this should be recalled asap. I'm sure people are dieing over this and Dodge does not care, will not fix, and will not even comment on. I have been trying since July. Please help is there any way to see the other complaints that have been filed about this. I have talked to 14 other people with the same hemi engine, same year with the same exact problem, but had to find them myself searching the internet. It's an obvious problem, that's been proven, repeatedly, what can we do to change fix/this. Thank you, tom

- Brunswick, OH, USA

The problems with the vehicle started with a battery issue, my wife went to get in the SUV and all of the lights came on as normal, when she put the key into the ignition to start it everything shut off and the dash panel lights started flickering. We had the vehicle towed to Dodge dealership and they told us that the battery was dead and we had it replaced. Two days after picking the vehicle up my wife went to make a legal U-turn and the vehicle shut off, in the process of the U-turn she pulled into the gas station and re-started the vehicle since then it has happened three other times, most recently she made a right at a stop sign onto a busy intersection, and almost got rear ended at 60mph because her vehicle cut off in the middle of a turn. Luckily the driver behind her was able to swerve into the next lane to avoid hitting her.

- Virginia Beach , VA, USA

Have no clue as to why or what actually causes this failure, but the gear shift will all of a sudden and unexpectedly lock up when taking the running vehicle out of park. This has occurred a various times through out the past year, not showing any real reason or consistency with weather, or other elements playing as a factor for this to occur. One would go to pull the gear shift down and it just was as if it was jammed or locked, during these past times of occurring tried turning the car off and back on, or just releasing the brake and pressing back it (sometimes several times) and it would all of sudden move and allow it to go into gear, until the other day this happened and upon entering the running vehicle and going to place it into gear the gear shifting cable broke. The vehicle is being taken to the garage to have the cable replaced.

- Oneida, IL, USA

2004 Dodge Durango 5.7 hemi engine limited 4X4 engine stalls when I slow down to stop or make a turn, loss or power steering and brakes. It is only a matter of time before someone gets into a serious accident. This problem is well documented on the internet. Recall needed.

- South Amboy, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. Once the vehicle is started, the contact is unable to depress the brake pedal. The vehicle jumps into gear and moves forward without warning. There are no recalls for this failure. The dealer stated that the repairs would be the contact's responsibility. The failure mileage was 52,000.

- Crestline, CA, USA