Durango SLT 5.9L

• Automatic transmission
• 85,000 miles

Where to I begin? Bought this Durango at a dealership in Iowa in 2007. Claimed one owner and only 50,000 miles. Bought it in March. By November, the water pump went out and the heater core needed flushed several times, cost over $500 to fix. Then, summer of 2008, the ABS and Brake lights came on. Then the check engine light. Then, it started riding rough. Transmission struggles in first gear, then kicks in. Then, it would stop running while driving. Just die, right on the highway, on my way to Kansas City. Had it hooked up to diagnostics, and they could find nothing with the alternator or the battery. Meineke in WIchita said the ABS stuff was a hub sensor, that was on the tire, and that could be fixed easily. However, the odometer just stopped working, out of the blue, near Thanksgiving. It'll pop up around 70 mph, but not every time. Which made my mileage counter stop, which makes me think that the car didn't have 50,000 on it when I bought it! Probably traded it in because of this junk! The past 30 days, the car has been dead in the garage. I jump it, it rides terribly rough at first. Then, it dies. So, now, I bought a new battery today and when they tried to install it at Auto Zone, something crazy happened. I was standing away from the vehicle with my keys in hand, and when they were attempting installation, the car tried to start itself! The windows went up and down. The keys were not in the ignition! And the car would not respond to the battery. The old one was blown up by the electrical problem that they cannot pinpoint. They have run diagnostic throughout. So, it's dead in Auto Zone's parking lot. The positve wire is in terrible condition, as if it's eroding from the inside out.. Then, although not electrical, I can tell you about the horrible sound the wheels are making. Like they are going to fall off. I have loved this vehicle, don't get me wrong, but now, I'm scared the transmission is going out, that it's going to burn up electrically, and that my wheels will fall off, as I've read that the bearings on the Durangos are terrible. Is there any hope for these/ And with forums like this, why doesn't Dodge care?? Do they want to be another Ford Explorer/Firestone mess???