Computer bad?? or bad repair shop?

Wredheadgirl · #1 03-29-2007, 03:36 PM

Hello,
I am in desperate need of some advice! I took my 99 Dodge Durango in to a repair shop because it was leaking anti-freeze really bad. They told me the water pump was bad, so they replaced that, the thermostat, a hose and a pipe. I paid $410 for these repairs last Fri. and when I drove the truck away (probably about 5 or 6 blocks) the truck DIES on me! I got it to start again only to drive about 100 feet and have it die again, and from there it would not start again. Well after about one week of "diagnosis" from this repair shop (who is actually quite reputable) the guy tells me my computer is bad! I asked him WHY it would go bad........and he tells me that probably its due to "wear and tear." Now, my vehicle has just barely 70,000 miles on it and I had no other problems with it and so am I supposed to believe this repair guy and that its just a really really CRAZY coincidence that the computer died after HIS repair shop guys worked on it? OR should I go with my GUT and find somewhere else (like maybe the dealer) for another diagnosis/repairs? I was also wondering if any of you Dodge Durango owners out there with a 99 had any similar problems? Thanks for your help! FRUSTRATED
-Beth

n8ech · #2 03-30-2007, 12:37 AM

Beth:
The price for the water pump and other parts is reasonable and it sounds like they did it right by doing the hose and t stat while they were at it. I thinkI would get a second opinion though on the PCM. "Wear and tear" is not a usual failure mode of such an item. Like all electrical parts, they have a finite life but to term it wear and tear suggests some type of mechical failure of a moving part which PCMs don't have.

BTW: How new is your battery? Many a computer issue has been solved on Durangos by replacing an aging battery. It is well known that if the battery is bad the Durango will either run like crap or not at all.

Let us know how it turns out. Don

Chris_Gorham · #3 03-30-2007, 12:39 PM

Could be many things of course, but PCM's do go bad...
I have a 99 5.9l here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and it developed the dreaded idling problem...
tried everything, replacing every sensor you can think of since the dealer's diagnosis of PCM seemed the mpst expensive and I thought most unlikely...

to cut a long story short...I eventually agreed to have it replaced and since then no more problems and the D runs (and I kid you not) 20 km/hr faster at the top end...wish I had it done earlier...

youmight be lucky and get some money on the warranty for the PCM...I think in the States it's covered by an additional one separate to the vehicle.

Chris

n8ech · #4 03-30-2007, 01:28 PM

Hey Chris:
I did forget about that.

Beth, check your owners manual as I think that the PCM is covered by a separate 8 yr 80k warranty. Hopefully the inservice date on your D is still under 8 years.
You might have to have it done by a dealer for the warranty service.

Don