2000 Durango Major repairs?

I have a 2000 Dodge Durango 5.9 with 85k miles. Just had the recall ball joint taken care of and was told by the dodge service department I need $2500 in repairs: Rack & Pinion needs to be replaced, cracked manifold, and water pump leak...OUCH

I don't know a lot about trucks, but could the Rack & Pinion issues be a result of the ball joint problem? if not, is it normal at 85k miles to have Rack & Pinion problems?

Are these problems common with Durangos with this many miles?

Trade in on these are about $8000, are there going to be many more issues? Is it worth repairing? I've read a lot of reviews saying the 2000 year of Durangos are junk...any opinions?

Thanks!

My guess is things may not be quite as bad as the dealer would have you believe. I've got a 99 that I purchased new and I've now got 134,000 miiles on it and since it wasn't part of the Dodge recall, I've had to replace the ball joints myself but I don't think that would have anything to do with the rack and pinion problem. My rack and pinion has had a very minor fluid leak for the last 50,000 miles or so but I haven't had to touch it yet. I just make sure to check the fluid level on a regular basis. I've replaced the water pump twice on my Durango, the original started dripping fluid at the weep hole on the bottom of the pump at about the same mileage as yours. I would consider this normal maintenance at this mileage. I've never had any problems with the manifold on my truck but how bad is the crack? May be really a hairline that could last for another 100K. My opinion is that other than the ball joint issue, this truck is good for some serious milleage. If you don't feel comfortable doing most of your own maintenace, then I would suggest that you find a reliable, independent shop that can give you a second opinion on these repairs. Unless you're independently wealthy, I'd steer clear of the dealer on these types of problems.

I just had my 2001 R/T in for the ball joints and could not believe the small size of the new ball joint. I thought they would replace the original with a beefier joint but the new one is the same size with a modification to the way the seal is made to keep in the grease. Anyway on to your situation, while it was there they told me I needed new front brakes and rotors, new serp belt, new front sway bar bushings, new power steering cooler, and a transaxle and differential service. All dealers are crooks especially when you come in for free work ie: ball joint recall. I have a 7yr/75K warranty on the truck and none of that stuff is covered. The brakes were worn but not to the point of needing replacement. The serp belt I'll agree had those small surface cracks on it so I replaced it in 5 minutes for $33 myself they wanted $95. The steering cooler is part of the heavy duty package and I questioned why the power steering unit and supply hose are covered and not the cooler, No good on that so I just bypassed the cooler which is not critical to have. The sway bar bushings were like brand new so the were full of *%^&. By the way the rears are covered but not the fronts, go figure. I have the middle of the road warranty ADDED CARE by the way. I checked the fluids in the drive train and they were clean and levels were just fine. Point is the dealers have to make money and they do that by taking it out of customers pockets anyway they can. I never ever have a dealer do work if its not mandatory and if I can't do it myself I have a trust worthy mechanic to help me out. Your rack and pinion is not related to your ball joints. If your manifold is cracked then do you hear any noises like ticking when you start her up in the morning? If not don't worry about it. Check your water pump yourself or someone who knows where to look and see if it's leaking. Are you low on coolant in your reservoir? If not again don't worry about it. Do not go to the dealer for any repairs and I hope they did not charge you anything to search and find these so-called issues. I agree with T-bank, you should get plenty of miles out of your D. Hope this helped. Good luck

My wifes Durango has 160k on the clock and runs like a top. I think the 5.2L/318s are bullet-proof little motors and will expect high-mileage potential from them with regular maintenance.

Here's the issues I think most will see on these nice trucks;

1. Premature ball-joint failure, easy enough to resolve.
2. AC failure past the 120k mile mark
3. Rear seat window regulators going INOP
4. Clock spring hiccup that tosses an airbag warning up on the dash-board

Get yourself some tools, some manuals and spend some time out here for sage advice, you can make any vehicle run longer with a bit of knowlege and some wrenching!