1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

CONSUMER NOTICED FRONT TIRE ON DAKOTA WAS HAVING ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS DUE TO FRONT BALL JOINTS. *BF THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED

DODGE DAKOTA 1998 FRONT END HAS FAILED. CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE RECALL INFO DOESN'T INCLUDE THE '98 MODEL YEAR. THE VEHICLES FRONT WHEEL COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF AT ANYTIME BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS WERE SO BAD. *BF *JB

1998 DODGE/DAKOTA HAS SAME PROBLEM AS 2000-2003. UPPER BALL JOINTS PROBLEMS. CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHY ARE YOU EXCLUDING 1998 WHEN THE PROBLEM EXISTED IN THE 1998. *BF

BAD BALL JOINTS ON 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT, VIN [XXX], 41,300 MILES, DISCOVERED AT PA STATE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION.*AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1. EXCESSIVE DRIFTING BACK AND FORTH IN THE LANE I WAS DRIVING IN . UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. 2. SERVICE TECH SAID THAT I WAS LUCKY A WHEEL DIDN'T COME OF WHILE DRIVING. 3. REPLACEMENT OF UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY 98 DODGE DOKOTA SPORT.*AK

I HAVE A 1998 DAKOTA 4X4, MAKING SUSPICIOUS NOISES IN FRONT END. TOOK TO ALIGNMENT SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT ALL BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS NEEDED REPLACEMENT BADLY, AS , ACCORDING TO SHOP OWNER, THE WEAR WAS SO EXTENSIVE THAT THE TRUCK WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. TRUCK WAS REPAIRED ON 12/01/ 2004. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN AN OFF-ROAD USED VEHICLE, HWY. MILES ONLY. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE SHOP OWNER THAT HE HAS RECENTLY BEEN RECEIVING SAME COMPLAINT AND NEED FOR REPAIR BY AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF DAKOTA AND DURANGO OWNERS. RECALL FOR 2000-2003 VEHICLES AS RELEASED BY THE MEDIA OCCURRED AFTER MY TRUCK WAS REPAIRED.*AK

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA, VIN [XXX]. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, BEGINNING IN THE SECOND YEAR OF OUR LEASE. DURING THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $9,000 ON VEHICLE REPAIRS INCLUDING A NEW TRANSMISSION, NEW ENGINE, NEW STARTER, NEW WHEEL BARING, NEW BRAKE CALIPER, NEW HEATER CORE AND NEW WATER PUMP. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ALTERNATOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND TWO O2 SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOUR TIMES. WHILE THESE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COSTLY AND INCONVENIENT, NONE OF THEM HAS POSED A SAFETY CONCERN PER SE. I AM WRITING NOW TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR MOST RECENT VEHICLE FAILURE WHICH MOST CERTAINLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ON NOVEMBER 18, 2004, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN HIS FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BROKE OFF FROM THE AXLE. THE TIRE FELL ON ITS SIDE AND THE TRUCK LANDED ON THE TIRE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND THE TRUCK SKIDDED TO A STOP IN THE LEFT TURN LANE. MY HUSBAND HAD NO CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. WHEN WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO OUR MECHANIC, HE FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS NEAR THE BREAKING POINT AS WELL AND REPLACED THAT AXLE AS WELL. WE ARE STILL DRIVING ON THE TWO FRONT TIRES, BUT WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE SHOULD GET AN ALIGNMENT AND PROBABLY HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED AS WELL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT DODGE HAS RECALLED THE 2000-2003 DAKOTAS FOR THIS SAME DEFECT. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR VEHICLE SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. *NM UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I HAVE 61000 MILES ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. WHEN I GOT MY TIRES ROTATED I WAS SHOWN THAT MY UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN OUT. I HAD HEARD A "CHUNKING" NOISE WHEN I TURNED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE FAILING WITH SO LITTLE MILEAGE ON MY TRUCK. I CALLED THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION ON DECEMBER 28 & 29 TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. I HAD TALKED TO THREE PEOPLE, 1)WHITNEY, 2)BILLY (12/28/04), AND I TALKED WITH 3)CAROL (12/29/04). CAROL HAD TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING CHRYSLER COULD DO AND THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH. I HAVE READ THAT THERE ARE RECALLS TO THE 2000-2003 DAKOTA'S. WHY WEREN'T THE 1998-1999 INCLUDED? THEY HAVE THE IDENTICAL FRONT END. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU COULD GIVE ME SOME ANSWERS TO MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. *NM

I HAVE REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS TWICE NOW ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS. ON A RECENT VISIT TO MY MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE, I WAS ADVISED THAT I WILL AGAIN NEED TO REPLACE MY BALL JOINTS AND THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS CLOSE TO FAILURE AND WAS UNSAFE. IN HIS WORDS: "YOU GOT LUCKY. THIS COULD HAVE FAILED AT ANY TIME." I HAVE SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO ONCE AGAIN REPLACE MY BALL JOINTS. *NM

MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 5.2L CLUB CAB TRUCK HAD THE FRONT BALL JOINTS FAIL ON ME. I KNOW THERE IS NOW A RECALL FOR 2000 TO CURRENT MODELS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE 98? IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE 89000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY. *JB