1997 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

AUTO MATIC TRANSMISSION LACK OF FLUID CAUSED BY CHECK VALVE AND TRANS COOLANT LINE. *AK

I HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS IN MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA @ 72,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE WAS PREMATURE. *AK

MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA HAS HAD TO HAVE BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES, TWICE SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 1999. *AK

FAILURE OF UPPER BALL JOINTS AT APPROX. 80000 MILES. FAILURE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE OFSEVERE FRONT TIRE WEAR. HAD UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT TIRE WEAR. TOOK TRUCK TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT I HAD TO HAVE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ALSO BECAUSE "YOU NEVER JUST REPLACE THE UPPER, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE LOWER ONE'S ALSO" THIS CORRECTED THE TIRE WEAR PROBLEMS. THE DATES ARE ESTIMATES, I WOULD HAVE TO SEARCH THRU MY RECORDS OR THE RECORDS OF THE DODGE DEALERS FOR EXACT DATES. I KEEP ALL THE PAPER WORK, SO A SEARCH IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. VIN IS AVAILABLE, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT HERE AT WORK.*AK

VEHICLE VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT TWICE. *AK

REPLACE BOTH SIDES OF UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AT 60K AND 120K DESPITE USING THE BEST GREASE IN THEM SYNTHETIC. I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SEAT BACK BEFORE SINCE NEW IT FALLS BACK. FRONT BUCKET. *AK

LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLY AT 40000 MILES ALSO ALL RUBBER SEALS ON TOP AND ON ALL STEERING ARMS ARE GONE, TRUCK HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THEY WOULD ONLY REPLY THE LOWER JOINTS BECAUSE THEY WERE READY TO FAIL, WARRANTY COMPANY WOULD NOT REPLACE UPPER BALL JOINTS OR ANY OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DRY AND WILL PROBABLY FAIL WITH-IN THE NEXT 5000 MILES/ TRUCK HAD ONLY 100 MILES LEFT ON WARRANTY... ALSO HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE CATALITIC CONVERTER REPL 3 TIMES. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS AT A DEAD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK *SCC *JB

WE HAD TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS ON OUR '97 DODGE DAKOTA AFTER 49,000 MILES BECAUSE IT BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE OUR TRUCK. THIS ALSO AFFECTED THE WEAR OF OUR TIRES WHICH WE HAD TO REPLACE AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO, THE BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED RIGHT, THEY WERE REPLACED AT JUST OVER 30,000 MILES. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS WE HAD REPLACED. IDEALLY, WE'D LIKE TO ALSO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE PREMATURE WEAR ON THE TIRES, BUT REALIZE THAT MIGHT BE ASKING TOO MUCH. HOW DO WE FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME PART OF THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST DAIMLER-CHRYSLER? (IT WAS STILL DODGE WHEN WE BOUGHT THE DAKOTA) FORTUNATELY, MY HUSBAND WAS AWARE OF THE DANGER THE BALL JOINTS CREATED AND WE HAD THEM REPLACED BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HELP! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *LA

1997 DODGE DAKOTA, VIN#[XXX]: DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 8000 MILES. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED @ 30,000MI, BUT NOT DONE UNTIL 55,668MI. 2ND SET WORE BEYOND .19" 8000MI LATER. LITHIA DODGE'S REMARKS: NOT LIFE THREATENING, JUST KEEP THEM GREASED.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR