help?? engine shut downs

[Nogas]

Hey guys - anybody having trouble w/ 1999 Durango SLT completely shutting down while on the road?? AC went out 2 weeks ago, after repair (recharge), then battery went dead next day. After new battery installed, AC worked but engine shuts down completely (no gas, no brakes & no steering) while driving - & shows faulty panel lights for: 1) no gas, 2) ABS brakes 3) AirBag & 4) Service Engine . Gas tank is full (ran thru a 2nd tank of gas to rule out "bad gas"), brakes are almost new, no probs with air bag, fuel door cap tested OK, emissions equip tested OK. AC is now out again! Two mechanics have looked at it, can't find any problems, computer diagnostics not showing anything, they can't figure out why it's shutting down (did the same thing on them too, but not in highway traffic at rush hour)!

anybody else had/having this problem?
no prior driving or repair issues before this happened!
thanks!
NoGas

[TracyH68]

I had the same problem, when the Durango hit normal operation temperature it would just shut down without warning. I replaced the crank shaft sensor and it did great for about 4 months then started again. I replaced the idle air control valve and it worked again, for awhile. I found when it would do it I would open the hood and move the wiring harness and would hear things kick on, it has something to do with a short or something. I solved my problem by trading my Durango in. Hope you have better luck.

[Fusillade]

I've been reading this forum and it is amazing the number of people continuing to suffer the same problems. My story:

I have a '99 SLT + 4x4 and I bought the car new. I no problems for the first year and I only average 11k miles per year. I change my oil regularly, every 3500-4500 miles, and rotate and balance my tires every other oil change.

At about 15k miles, I had to replace my first set of brake pads.

At about 25k miles, I had to replace the brake pads again and adjust the rear brakes.

At about 30k miles, I had to replace the battery.

At about 33k miles, I begin to notice a slight noise in the front end and a small hesitation in the transmission. I replace my front rotors, front brake pads, and get a front differential and simple transmission service (5 qts and filter).

Things stay calm for a bit then all hell breaks loose.

At about 58k miles, my transmission starts to refuse to go back into 1st gear when I come to a stop, if I come to a hard stop, my ABS does not work properly and there is a loud pop followed by very hard erratic braking, and I hear a noise from the front end. I get a full transmission service (pumping out all the fluid), front and rear differential service, tune up, ultrasonic cleaning of throttle body, battery serviced, rear brakes adjusted, ... basically a $1200 full service.

At about 62k miles, my transmission starts to repeat the problems of slipping and not going into 1st gear when I come to a stop. They keep the car for a week and can not find a problem and I take it for a test drive and it does not do it. I drive the car home and the next morning it starts again. So while on my way to work, it is still doing it so I drive directly to the shop and they acknowledge the problem. They replace several sensors in the transmission, at the same time they replace my front pads, turn the rotors, and replace my battery connectors.

My transmission now returns to first gear but now I notice the slipping a bit more often.

A week later, my air conditioning starts to cut in and out randomly. They can not find a problem.

I take the car on a long trip and the air conditioning starts to do it again.

After I returned from the trip, I noticed that the car runs fine; however, every once in a while the RPMs drop about 300 then pick back up. The fuel gauge will read half, then drop to empty and sound the low fuel alarm. I fill up, only 12 gallons in a 25 gallon tank, and the fuel gauge starts working again.

Before I can get the car to service, the car starts in the morning, runs for about 3 seconds and dies off as if there is no fuel. Everytime I start the car, it turns over as if it is going to start and dies off again. I call a tow truck driver and he tries and the only way he can get it to start is to put the accelerator pedal to the floor. The car makes a bit of a racket, blows black smoke out the rear, then starts running fine. We stop and restart the car with no problems but I have him tow it in anyway. They determine it is a battery problem (??) so I leave there and decide to buy a new battery from a parts house.

Withing the next five days of replacing the battery, the gas gauge performs its trick again. I get stopped for speeding. My speedometer is displaying below 45 and he clocks me at 53 (yeah, I know what you are thinking but I admit I was speeding, just not that fast). The car still hesitates occassionally. Then this morning, I start my car and my idiot lights are really slow going off and my ABS and parking brake light remain lit despite dis-engaging the parking brake and my seat belt alert does not work.

I have my vehicle scheduled at its third dealership for service (extended warranty) because I've been unhappy with the first two.

I'll post what they find.

[Fusillade]

With my appointment still a day away, the shop tells me it is ok to drive the car with those idiot lights on but my ABS is probably not functioning and that I probably just need a rear brake job (???).

Anyway, on my way in to work this morning, I come to a complete stop at a stop sign and when I start off again, my speedometer does not work until I reach about 35 MPH or so. I can't wait to hear what they have to say about that one.

[Fusillade]

The solution for the ABS light on, the parking brake light on, and the speedometer not working properly was replacing the rear speed sensor.

The solution for the intermittent fuel gauge, the hesitation, and the car not starting one morning was replacing the fuel pump module.

No solution as of yet for the occassional fault with the air conditioning.

[tim344]

If you are getting a "nobus" by odometer reading when problem appears, send it to a Dodge dealer and have them check the Power Control Module (located under the hood, on passenger side over front wheel).
Part diagnostic and labor should be covered under 8yr/80000 mile Emission Control Warranty (your payment $ 0 ).
Check other dealers arround if 1st dealer gives you hard time (original part $ 460, diagnostic test $89, labor $180).
I had the problem on a 1999 Durango 4x4 with 40K miles, everything was covered under Warrany.
All is well now.
Hope this helps someone, because I got this info from a Forum

Tim B.

[ir2]

We have 99 D that I don't have time to go into what all we have done to it since we purchased in Aug 02. Currently, we just replaced the PCM (used out of another 99 D ordered from friend at Dealer for $150) That took care of the check engine light and fixed the cruise control and thought it would stop the problem we were having with it just dying after it got up to operating temp. However, it did not. So we then replaced the Crankshaft sensor ($40 new) ran for about two trips to the store and started the same problem, dying for no apparent reason. We are getting the "no bus" still and need advice as to what to shell out money for next. Also, noticed the negative wire to the battery had erroded, but that too did not solve the problem once we fixed it. HELP! Plan to eventually solve all problems by trading it in, but need to fix it long enough to do so.

[dannyshen2001]

Yes i have 2000 durango the ac compressor was starting to sieze but was still kinda working. had to replace. every so often all the guages every thing on dash would go out. a minute or two later comes back on. car still runs.

Originally Posted by Nogas

Hey guys - anybody having trouble w/ 1999 Durango SLT completely shutting down while on the road?? AC went out 2 weeks ago, after repair (recharge), then battery went dead next day. After new battery installed, AC worked but engine shuts down completely (no gas, no brakes & no steering) while driving - & shows faulty panel lights for: 1) no gas, 2) ABS brakes 3) AirBag & 4) Service Engine . Gas tank is full (ran thru a 2nd tank of gas to rule out "bad gas"), brakes are almost new, no probs with air bag, fuel door cap tested OK, emissions equip tested OK. AC is now out again! Two mechanics have looked at it, can't find any problems, computer diagnostics not showing anything, they can't figure out why it's shutting down (did the same thing on them too, but not in highway traffic at rush hour)!

anybody else had/having this problem?
no prior driving or repair issues before this happened!
thanks!
NoGas

[PopKorn]

I have a 98 SLT+ w/93k on it and I have had almost no problems with it. A couple of times it seemed like the fuel filter got boogered up but the sputtering stopped after a few miles. I drive this thing pretty hard. Iether towing a 3,000 lb boat or ripping up the winter roads to ski resorts all over the NW and Canada.
I notice a lot of problems people have with their D's. Does locality and driving habits have much to do with all this misfortune? Maintenence?

I love my D.

[TracyH68]

Mine did the exact same thing. It would sit for about 10 or 15 minutes and start up like nothing ever happened. I replaced the crank shaft sensor and after a while it started doing it again. I replaced another sensor but can't remember what it was and it did fine again, for about a month, then replaced the IAC and it did the trick for approx. a month. Finally I traded it, I didn't like worrying about whether I was going to get stranded somewhere. Good luck to you.

Tracy