Durango decides to go into 4 wh drive at random without input from the driver to do so. Steering becomes heavy... often this occurs when the driver is making a turn at slow speeds. Depending of the strength of the driver this can easily cause a crash. The motor rpms are pulled down as the driver makes the turn and can cause the car to stall...making the steering very heavy. This is a known problem with the Durango... faulty transfer case motor. This should be replaced by Chrysler.

- Bexley, OH, USA

My 2004 Dodge Durango 5.7L AWD is engaging in four wheel drive at high speeds on its own on the interstate. It made a very loud grinding and clunking noise, the service 4WD light will come on and then turn off and then the 4WD lo light will come on and turn off. I was forced to pull off the road and it felt like the car was stuck in four wheel drive and will not come out. I tried to put it in gear while just sitting still and it just makes that grinding noise. I had to have the car towed as I am afraid that driving it would cause myself or others physical harm. Please consider looking into this matter because as I am reading on several Dodge forums this is a common problem and can be very serious to drivers and others. I have read that there are several problems with the transfer case in 2004 and 2005 Dodge Durango. A big company such as Dodge should investigate the need for a possible recall since these problems are being addressed on Dodge forums. As far as getting it fixed or trying to figure out how to get it fixed is the next problem.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

Service 4WD lite came on, truck started jerking and binding on turns. Cycled switch thru AWD, 4lock and 4 lo, seemed to be ok for awhile then locked in 4lock and stayed there until driven a mile down a bumpy dirt road. Repair shop serviced transfer case but now its stuck in 4lock, they suspect shift motor but none are available. Internet complaints seem to point to electrical issue, temporary fix is to unplug shift motor if you can get it into AWD but Dodge needs to come up with a permanent fix for this.

- Los Lunas, NM, USA

My 2004 Dodge Durango limited 4X4 5.7 hemi has experienced the same transfer case issues that many other owners have experienced. The vehicle will randomly try to shift itself into 4 wheel drive low without the driver changing the switch from the AWD to the 4lo position. Fortunately we were moving slowly when it occurred but this could be very dangerous at higher speeds as all four wheels lock up and the vehicle cannot be turned. After reading all of the complaints about this issue I decided not to attempt to have it repaired as many owners have stated that dealers have replaced very expensive parts such as the transfer case, transfer case shift motor, and transmission control computer without the problem being resolved. I elected to disconnect the transfer case wiring harness as I was 1000 miles away from home on vacation with my family at the time and needed to drive home safely. It has been disconnected ever since then and I am afraid to reconnect it as I am afraid that I will lose control of the vehicle if it occurs at a higher rate of speed. If I could be sure that the dealer could definitely correct the problem I would consider paying to have it fixed, but it is evident that Dodge/Chrysler is really not sure what the cause of the problem really is and is just guessing at the proper repairs. I believe that this should be considered for recall as it poses a serious safety concern. I am not sure if any serious accidents or deaths have resulted from this issue but it should be addressed before a fatality or serious injury occurs.

- Newton, NJ, USA

As I was turning from the light and preceded to accelerate not even doing 5-10 mph, I heard a sound, which I thought was a blown tire. I turned off the truck to see if I had a flat tire. None of the tires where flat. So I called my husband, he looked at it, thinking it was the throttle body, due to the light that flashed on the dash. So he bought a new throttle, that as well as new spark plugs, and still nothing. It seems it wants to start, but isn't starting. So if this is the hydolock that is causing water to flow into the engine, you all need to pay for this. I have heard that you all know about this issue and has done nothing about it. Lawsuit? I hope not. I just want my truck fixed, because I really like. Please get in touch with me as soon as possible.

- Indianapolis , IN, USA

I was entering interstate 25 North from denver Colorado's 19th street when I heard a bang and my 04 Durango began to shake violently. I believed it was a tire that popped even though I have new ones and so I continued down the ramp to a safe place where I pulled over and stopped. That's when I noticed the vehicle was still shaking and I then believed it to be a serpentine belt until I turned the vehicle off. I opened the hood and found the belt intact. I then looked under the vehicle and could see engine oil dripping off the back of the engine block & onto the ground from some unknown location of the motor. I attempted to pull the dipstick out of the engine but was unable to because it was stuck until I tried cranking the motor once again which allowed me to then pull the dipstick out, but I was never able to get it back in. I had the vehicle towed to my house and then eventually to a dealership after the motor was attempted to be started again. Flame shot out from underneath the hood along with smoke and a lot of white smoke from the tailpipe. The engine is blown it would have to be replaced and I had 12 payments left for about $5000. I was in a negative equity situation with this vehicle now & I didn't have warranties or any ability to get help from Chrysler or Dodge. There have been almost a thousand other people to register complaints for the same problem. The engine hydrolocked because water leaks through the cowling between the windshield and the hood and drains all over the entire engine. It happens at approximately a hundred twenty thousand miles, allowing water to get inside the motor eventually. I took care of this vehicle better than any other vehicle I'd ever owned.

- Westminster , CO, USA

Was slowing down to make a right turn and the car shuddered and came to a halt. Then would not move. Looking under the car found that the drive shaft had fallen out of the rear axle area. Had it towed to shop.

- Corpus Christi, TX, USA

Started car for first time after bad rainstorm over weekend. Heard very loud clanging noise. Hole in oil pan, oil leaked out everywhere. After taking apart the motor, service center discovered a rod shaft had sheared in half and shot through the engine block and oil pan. Discovered it was caused by water getting into engine through spark plugs. Because of this, the warranty company won't cover an engine replacement. We have taken in this vehicle to same service station before over the two years we have owned it because it would stall while driving in bad rainstorm. Could never find a problem. Read a lot of articles online attributing all of this to a design flaw in the hood of this vehicle. I know we are not the only owners of a 2004 Dodge Durango who have experienced this. Something needs to be done to resolve the design flaw and compensate us for having to replace an engine that, apart from being in a poorly designed car, is otherwise in great condition.

- Salem, OR, USA

Noticed the svc 4WD light came on the dash board and then the vehicle's rear wheels locked when making a tight turn into a parking space. The vehicle stopped and was unable to move as if brake had been applied very hard. Unplugged the battery for about a minute to allow the system to reset. The svc 4WD light doesn't come on. However, the vehicle still locks its rear wheels when making a tight turn into a parking space.

- San Jose, CA, USA

The vehicle goes into random 4 wheel drive at various speeds. The problem is intermittent. This is clearly a safety issue while changing lanes or making turns. The 4 lock, svc 4WD and 4 lo also will randomly flash. Clearly, there are a lot of the same reported issues. Its frustration to know of a potential safety issue and no one will address it. Some type of user advisory should be issued.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

When turning at low speed the wheels locked up and could not move.

- Parish, NY, USA

Vehicle suddenly shifts electronically into four wheel drive mode. This causes loss of driveability at slow speeds and the ability to easily turn corners on dry pavement. If this electronic shift control were to shift the transfer case to neutral, the vehicle would lose all power to the wheels and if it were parked could roll away. The transfer case shift knob includes the following user selectable modes: AWD, fwd high, fwd low, neutral.

- Marshall, TX, USA

I was pulling away from a stop when the engine suddenly made some loud noises sounding like grinding and the vehicle lost all power, steering and brakes. I had to navigate over railroad tracks with a train coming and onto a side street and a ditch. I was the only one in the truck at the time and was not hurt and there was no damage to the vehicle. If it had been one of my kids or wife driving it would have been tragic due to no power and trying to steer a 5000lb truck across traffic and railroad tracks with a train coming. This vehicle was well maintained and had an oil change two weeks prior to the failure. Within the past year this I had the vehicle completely gone thru by dealer mcinerney in mi and they got it ready for what I thought would be the next 100,000 miles. After I had the vehicle towed home due to the estimated $7000 repair bill, I called several Chrysler mechanics who told me this is a known issue with that model and engine year due to both water leaking into the engine compartment (tsb issued) and a possible problem with the crank main bearing. I called Chrysler customer service (joke) and both the people I talked too "literally" asked why I was calling since the warranty had expired and it was no longer Chrysler's problem. I told them because warranty has no bearing on a known defect. The second person I talked to literally laughed at me on the phone and refused to let me talk to someone higher than him stating "I am as high as it gets" and told me "Chrysler is not going to do anything for you". I asked his if this is the new Chrysler after "I" helped bail them out, he said they bailed themselves out. This is the same customer service that told me there were no electrical issues, then 6 months later recalled my truck due to electric fires. If this does not get resolved by Chrysler, I nor will a anyone in my family ever buy another Chrysler product.

- Southgate, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that the vehicle would stall sporadically. Additionally, the transmission would slip and the vehicle would engage into any gear independently. The contact also stated that the engine rpms would increase excessively and the vehicle would exhibit an abnormal noise when first started. On one occasion, the contact secured the vehicle in park and exited when she noticed the vehicle had rolled away. The contact was able to re-enter the vehicle however, it proceeded to crash into a tree. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle had been taken to an authorized dealer multiple times where the fuel pump and the alternator was replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not further repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76000.

- Clinton, MS, USA

During medium/heavy rain the engine stalls badly or completely dies. Also happens during car washes, though not a safety issue then- just aggravating! :( restarts only after rain subsides. This creates a very dangerous driving condition- for myself and those vehicles around me. My research shows this is a very common problem for this vehicle. Despite countless complaints, it appears Dodge has refused to acknowledge or address it for several years, alienating many previously loyal customers (this was a very popular SUV). The factory waranty was expired/near to expire when most of us began to experience this so we had little recourse. As my vehicle was purchased new and has low miles for its age, I plan to keep it for the foreseeable future- circumstances permitting... thank you for letting me post my concern here! I hope something can be done to correct this very serious issue. Long overdue! step up Chrysler and stand behind your product. Thank you again for giving attention to my concern. :)

- Evansville, IN, USA

Goes in and out of 4 wheel drive by itself.

- Everett, PA, USA

Transfer case shifted into four wheel drive lock without input of the driver. The vehicle was on straight level hard surface road. Transfer case will not shift out of four wheel drive lock.

- Mount Pleasant, NC, USA

As with many other complaints with this same issue, I have experienced problems with the vehicles service 4WD light coming on. Took to dealer and they said transfer case motor was bad. They replaced the motor and the light still comes on. Vehicle gets 'locked' in 4WD mode and cannot select the standard AWD driving option. There should be a recall on this. Owners shouldn't have to keep replacing the transfer case in hopes it resolves the issue. Dodge/Chrysler needs to really look into this.

- Linden, VA, USA

The 4 wheel drive engages on its own while driving or just being parked.

- Bailey, CO, USA

While driving my 2004 Dodge Durango 5.7 hemi the svc 4X4 light went on at the time I was driving 35mpg in 70 degree weather and did not have my 4X4 on. I took it the mechanic shop and they said I needed to replace the 4X4 shift motor, so I bought a new 4X4 shift motor and they replaced it but my 4X4 was still not working. I have taken it to two different mechanic shops and they keep saying its the 4X4 shift motor so I exchanged the new 4X4 shift motor thinking it was defected and once again bought a new one and had it replaced and at this point the mechanics don't know what else it could be because it still didn't work.

- Denver, CO, USA