Just a couple quick questions for ya'all Durango experts here.

I have a 03 SLT 4.7 that has ~58K miles on her right now. This little lady has been great since we got her, but now two strange things have happened. Please understand that I am not its daily driver that pleasure belongs to the little lady at home, so I can't say for how long the 1st item has been going on.

I was driving it this weekend, and made a sharp low speed turn in a parking lot and got a strange grinding noise in the front-end. This happens with both left and right turns. The noise is like an out of round rump-rump-rump (sorry didn't know how else to explain it) sound. I did the normal grab the front wheels and check for play, but didn't find any. Any back yard checks I can do before I take it to be serviced?

The other one is killing me, and I have an appointment to get it looked at this week by the local dealer. When driving on this weekend the Security and "Service 4-Wheel Drive" lights both came on. Then they went off about 10 miles down the interstate, then the Security light came back on, then it went off, then I started getting the stupid dinging sound from the dash. Anyone got an idea for this, the service guy said gee that's weird when I explained it to him, and didn't have an answer about why those 2 lights would come on at the same time. I did the key switch 3 times and got P-Done in the display so it doesn't look like it stored any key codes.

Thanks, I just found this site, and it seems like a place to get great advice on a wonderful SUV.

 

WHen the D is in 4wd, the front diff is locked so both front tires are turning at the same speed. In a sharp turn the inside wheel has to turn faster, which is not possible with a locked diff. In the manual it says not to make sharp turns on solid ground because you are putting extreme stress on the diff. That would explain the grinding noise, but I don't know if any damage has occured.

 

Thanks,
Problem is that I was not in 4WD at all this weekend. I have never engaged the D in 4WD in anything other than;
1 time in gravel for a ditch pull up a steep driveway this was in 4WLo and only for about 15 feet,
Numerous times in the mud and snow and nothing other than 4WHi for these times.

I have never had a problem with the 4WD system until this weekend; the idiot lights came on for those 10 miles and then went off on Saturday. The grinding noise was noticed on Sunday. Hearing the noise was a fluke, I usually have the radio on and it can't be heard above my normal operating volume. I don't think they are related.

I have found some mention that it could be the PCM/TCM, does anyone know if these are covered by the 7/70,000?