1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

DURING INSPECTION CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT DRIVER/PASSENGER UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER STATED UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE PROTECTIVE COATING BROKE, WHICH ALLOWED DIRT ONTO THE BALL JOINTS. *AK......ALSO, DEALER REPLACED WHEEL BEARING, AND PERFORMED THROTTLE BODY SERVICE. *AK

WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. AS A RESULT, FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF, AND THE FRONT END COLLAPSED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND SUDDENLY CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT, AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONTAL LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

SIR, I JUST READ ON THE INTERNET WHERE CHRYSLER IS RECALLING THE DODGE DAKOTA GOING ALONG WITH THE GOVERNMENTS RECOMMENDATION. I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE ONLY GOING BACK TO THE 2000 MODELS. WELL, I HAVE AN 1998 MODEL THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE SAME THINGS. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE GONE BAD THE STEERING HAS GONE BAD. THERE'S BEEN A BAD CRUNCHING COMING FROM THE FRONT-END FOR OVER A YEAR AND NO-ONE CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S MAKING IT. I'M GETTING SCARED TO DRIVE IT. I'VE ALREADY SPENT A LOAD OF MONEY ON THE FRONT-END OF THIS VEHICLE!!! I HAVE BEEN TO THE DODGE DEALERS NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO BULLETINS ON THESE PROBLEMS BUT YOU CAN GO ON THE INTERNET AND CHECK ON COMPLAINTS FOR THE DAKOTA AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS ON THE FRONT-END EVER SINCE THEY CHANGED TO THE NEW BODY STYLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD, IN GOOD FAITH, MAKE THEM REIMBURSE OR RECALL ALL OF THESE VEHICLES HAVING THE PROBLEMS NOT JUST THE LAST 4 YEARS. THIS IS JUST A COP-OUT ON THEIR PART TO KEEP YOU GUYS OFF THEIR BACKS. IF YOU THINK THERE ARE NOT COMPLAINTS JUST GO ON THE INTERNET AND CHECK IT OUT. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO, NOT JUST IN 2000. THANK YOU -------- AN ANSWER TO THIS E-MAIL WOULD BE APPRECIATED. JIM JERLES . *AK

MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT ALL 4 BALL JOINTS AND THE INNER & OUTER TIE ROD ENDS NEED REPLACING ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. SINCE THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL FOR 2000-2003 DAKOTAS & DURANGOS AND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING FOR 1998 DURANGOS, I WONDER IF THERE IS MERIT TO MY 1998 DAKOTA FAILURE AND THE RESULTING EXPENSE.*AK

NOISES IN FRONT END, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA 4-WHEEL DRIVE DEFECTIVE. LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 34,853 MILES. REPLACED LOWER JOINTS AGAIN AND UPPER BALL JOINTS AT 59,629 AT A COST OF $1123.55. LUCKILY IT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE ANY SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. YOUR RECALL INDICATES YEAR 2000-2003 BUT PROBLEM WAS THERE PRIOR TO THAT.*AK

1 - TOOK THE DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK IN TO HAVE THE SNOW TIRES PUT ON AND WAS TOLD THAT THE UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS WHERE READY TO FAIL. THE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP THEN REPLACED THE UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK

DODGE DAKOTA BALL JOINT FAILURE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE SEVERELY WORN. *TC *JB

A RECENT RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR DODGE DAKOTAS AND DURANGO ONLY INCLUDED THE MODEL YEARS OF 2000-2004 FOR FAILED BALL JOINTS AND WHEELS FALLING OFF. THIS COMPLIANT IS TO NOTIFIY THE NHTSA THAT EARLY MODEL YEARS ALSO EXPERIENCE THE SAMPLE PROBLEM. IN 2001, MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA HAD THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL COLAPSE WHILE IN MOTION DUE TO A FAILED BALL JOINT. THE NHTSA SHOULD EXPAND THIS RECALL TO EARLIER MODELS.*AK