2003 Dodge Durango Seats Problems

Your engine stalls when you're slowing down, stopping, or at a complete stop, causing the RPM to drop dangerously — you've nearly been rear-ended multiple times with passengers in the car. A repair shop has tried replacing hoses, valve gaskets, and performing a tune-up but hasn't solved the problem. Additionally, your front driver and passenger seats slide back and forth when braking, which is unsafe, and your engine hoses keep falling off repeatedly.

TAKATA RECALL: ELECTRIC POWER FRONT SEATS MOVE FRONT TO REAR, WHEN YOU STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE.

WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATE AFTER BRAKING, THE DRIVER SEAT SLIDES BACK AND FORTH ABOUT AN INCH. ALSO, WHEN I'M AT A RED LIGHT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. BOTH OF THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ISSUES AND SHOULD BE RECALLS. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT IN THE VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD AND BACKWARDS WHILE STARTING AND STOPPING, AND OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH. IT IS CALLED A "ROCKING" SEAT AS DESCRIBED BY HUNDREDS OF DODGE DURANGO OWNERS ONLINE AND IN DODGE FORUMS. IT CANNOT BE FIXED, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE SEAT MOVEMENT IS DISTRACTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. I AM AFRAID THE PROBLEM WILL GET WORSE, TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE UN-DRIVEABLE. HELP! I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE TAKEN GREAT CARE OF IT. THANK YOU. *TT

THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH ON THE TRACKS AND IS EXTREMELY LOOSE. I HAVE ONLY 89000 MILES AND IT STARTED AROUND 48000 MILES. TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH DODGES QUALITY AND WORRY ABOUT ISSUES WITH SAFETY. *KB

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) OWNERS OF 1999-2003 DODGE DURANGO OWNERS ARE REPORTING A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT POWER SEATS. MANY OWNERS EXPERIENCE A "ROCKING BACK AND FORTH" OF THE SEATS WHEN ACCELERATING AND STOPPING. MY VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT TURNS OUT THERE IS A "WASHER" THAT KEEPS THE ROD THAT CONNECTS TO THE POWER SEAT MOTOR UNIT UNDER THE SEAT. THERE IS A HEX SHAPED WASHER THAT HOLDS THE ROD IN PLACE. THIS HEX SHAPED WASHER SNAPS AND BREAKS OFF. THE RESULT IS A WHIP-LASH TYPE JERK WHEN COMING TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS IT IS COMMON AND SUGGEST THAT THE COST OF REPAIR CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM $500 TO $700 FOR PART AND LABOR. THE FIX SUGGESTED BY DEALERSHIPS IS TO REPLACE THE MOTOR, THOUGH IT IS THE HEX NUT HOLDING THE ROD FROM THE MOTOR THAT IS THE CULPRIT. THE FIX SIMPLY REQUIRES A NEW HEX WASHER WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE SEAT BRACKET ALONG WITH NEW BOLTS. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THAT IN AN ACCIDENT OR EMERGENCY BRAKING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER IS WHIPPED FORWARD AND BACK WHICH CAN CAUSE INJURY TO THE NECK AND BACK. ATTACHED ARE LINKS TO A SITE WHICH DESCRIBES A FIX TO THE PROBLEM AND ANOTHER LINK, WHICH IS ONE OF MANY ON THE WEB, WHICH ILLUSTRATES CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/REVIEWS/DODGE/DURANGO/R33777/COMMENTS/ HTTP://WWW.CRAIGCENTRAL.COM/DURANGO/SEAT.ASP [XXX] *TR

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE DURANGO IN WHICH I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SEAT HOUSINGS. THIS IS THE PLASTIC COMPONENT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THE WIRING OF THE ELECTRIC SEATS. THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE ACTUAL SEAT ADJUSTMENT CONTROLS ARE LOCATED. I HAVE HAD TWO OF THE HOUSINGS REPLACED ALREADY AND I NEED TO HAVE EACH ONE REPLACED AGAIN. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD REPLACED MANY OF THE SAME COMPONENTS BUT AT THIS TIME CHRYSLER WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, THAT WITH NORMAL WEAR THAT THIS PIECE SHOULD NOT CRACK AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT ALL; YET I NEED TO REPLACE EACH COMPONENT AGAIN - AT MY COST. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING THE 2003 DODGE DURANGO WITH 34000 FAILURE MILEAGE A SHORT DISTANCE SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, THEN RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ON FIRE. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE THE CONSUMER LIFTED UP THE SEAT AND PULLED THE LEVER DOWN HIS THUMB BECAME CAUGHT IN METAL BRACKET HINGE. *JB