Looking for help!
#1
10-07-2005, 05:52 PM
Looking for help!
I joined this group looking for help. My 2000 Durango R/T, 76K miles, has been having alot of issues lately. I'll be moping around looking for answers. I want to try and do the repairs myself. I've got bad brakes, funky transmission, and now the motor is bogging down from a stop. Oh yeah...the crappy gas mileage. Is 14 MPG too much to ask for!! 
Arrgh. I've come to question the reliability of Dodge products and it would be very hard for me to purchase another one. But for now, I'm stuck with the Durango and I want it to be safe hauling my kids around.
If anyone has any suggestions give me a holler.
Eric
Arrgh. I've come to question the reliability of Dodge products and it would be very hard for me to purchase another one. But for now, I'm stuck with the Durango and I want it to be safe hauling my kids around. If anyone has any suggestions give me a holler.
Eric
#2
10-08-2005, 02:01 AM
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RE: Looking for help!
Hi Eric,
I had a '97 Ram 1500 Sport w/5.2L Magnum. I recently traded in to take advantage of the '05 rebates so I now have an '05 Ram 1500 QC ThunderRoad (I also needed a larger Cab). My '97 was the best truck I had previously owned and the 1st Full Size Truck. My previous trucks were small (S10 and 2 Nissan Pickups). My Dodge was one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned and I have had many vehicles over the years (& still do). When I traded it in, it had 109K miles and it was in excellent condition. However, I am religious about maintenance (Synthetic oil changes every 3K miles, rear end & tranny fluid/filter changes every 30K, plugs, wires, etc) and do it myself. Despite that I love the overall design of the Dodge Rams, the fact that my old one was so good to me was a major factor for coming back to Dodge.
No vehicle is perfect since you are talking about a mechanical device which takes more abuse than we realize. Over the years I did have a few sensor issues (ABS speed sensor caused by a short in the towing harness), a transmission sensor which was causing intermittent issues when I went over railroad tracks/bumps and would cause all sorts of lights to go off on the dash (and even shutoff), the ECM(computer) did die on me, and I did have to replace the Alternator and Water Pump at some point. I did most of the repairs myself but for the ABS sensor and figuring out that the ECM was dead.
As for the mileage, what engine do you have? Have you modified the Air Filter, Chip, and Exhaust? These will make your engine sound better and give you more power but at the expense of gas mileage. Remember that an engine is an air pump and that the ECM maintains a certain fuel/air ratio, so the more air in the engine, the more gas that gets let in to maintain the ratio. Tire condition and inflation and the transmission may also affect your gas mileage.
Can you describe the symptoms of a "funky transmission" ? If its an automatic, have you changed the fluid/filter? What about the rear-end (differential)? And what is the age of the plugs, wires, rotor, coil? Make sure you are up to date and it will last a very long time. My '97 had a lot left in it but it was hard to pass up the discounts and go for the larger cab.
Best of Luck!
-Luigi
My '97
My '05
I had a '97 Ram 1500 Sport w/5.2L Magnum. I recently traded in to take advantage of the '05 rebates so I now have an '05 Ram 1500 QC ThunderRoad (I also needed a larger Cab). My '97 was the best truck I had previously owned and the 1st Full Size Truck. My previous trucks were small (S10 and 2 Nissan Pickups). My Dodge was one of the most reliable vehicles I have ever owned and I have had many vehicles over the years (& still do). When I traded it in, it had 109K miles and it was in excellent condition. However, I am religious about maintenance (Synthetic oil changes every 3K miles, rear end & tranny fluid/filter changes every 30K, plugs, wires, etc) and do it myself. Despite that I love the overall design of the Dodge Rams, the fact that my old one was so good to me was a major factor for coming back to Dodge.
No vehicle is perfect since you are talking about a mechanical device which takes more abuse than we realize. Over the years I did have a few sensor issues (ABS speed sensor caused by a short in the towing harness), a transmission sensor which was causing intermittent issues when I went over railroad tracks/bumps and would cause all sorts of lights to go off on the dash (and even shutoff), the ECM(computer) did die on me, and I did have to replace the Alternator and Water Pump at some point. I did most of the repairs myself but for the ABS sensor and figuring out that the ECM was dead.
As for the mileage, what engine do you have? Have you modified the Air Filter, Chip, and Exhaust? These will make your engine sound better and give you more power but at the expense of gas mileage. Remember that an engine is an air pump and that the ECM maintains a certain fuel/air ratio, so the more air in the engine, the more gas that gets let in to maintain the ratio. Tire condition and inflation and the transmission may also affect your gas mileage.
Can you describe the symptoms of a "funky transmission" ? If its an automatic, have you changed the fluid/filter? What about the rear-end (differential)? And what is the age of the plugs, wires, rotor, coil? Make sure you are up to date and it will last a very long time. My '97 had a lot left in it but it was hard to pass up the discounts and go for the larger cab.
Best of Luck!
-Luigi
My '97
My '05
#3
10-08-2005, 02:36 AM
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10-08-2005, 04:48 PM
#6
10-10-2005, 11:18 PM
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RE: Looking for help!
Welcome to DF. This is the place to come for getting ideas, checking out other peoples rides, asking questions and sharing knowledge. Lots of good people here. Glad to have you aboard.
Cruise around and you will find lots of good info just like what was provided by the others here.
Cruise around and you will find lots of good info just like what was provided by the others here.