1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I BELIEVE THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 5.2L V8 WERE DEFECTIVE. I HAD ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD (BOTH UPPER AND LOWER) AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. HAD I NOT GOTTEN THIS FIXED, THE WHEEL MAY HAVE EVENTUALLY FALLEN OFF, RESULTING IN INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 54,500 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED ON 12-01-04. I BELIEVE THAT THE RECALL ALREADY IN EFFECT FOR DODGE DURANGO AND DAKOTAS 2000-2005, SHOULD BE EXTENDED BACK TO AT LEAST TO1999, AS THEY ARE LIKELY USING THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS. *AK

NUMEROUS FRONT END/ENGINE, EXHAUST, BRAKE AND ELECTRICAL MAFUNCTIONS/MECHANICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING INCREASING SEVERITY FRONT END WOBBLING/VIBRATION/FLEXING WHEN TURNING WHEELS, GOING DOWN A HILL AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED YET BUT OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED WITH SAFETY OF VEHICLE AND OPERATION. I HAVE CONTACTED,COMPAINED, CALLED.E-MAILED AND FAXED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THIS 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WITH SUPPOSSEDLY ONLY 44951 MILES -MITCHELL PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED ON QUEEN STREET IN SOUTHINGTON, CT AND ALSO THE MITCHELL CONGLOMERATE OWNER STEVE MITCHELL AS WELL AS MITCHELL DODGE IN SIMSBURY, CT WHO PROVIDED THIS SUPPOSSEDLY INSPECTED, CERTIFIED SAFE VEHICLE TO MITCHELL IN SOUTHINGTON, CT FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC. *AK

UPPER BALL JOINT BAD AFTER LESS THAN 61,000 MILES ON MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR INJURY AS A RESULT. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING NOISE WHEN MAKING TURNS AND AT LOW SPEEDS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR UPPER BALL JOINTS REPAIRS TWICE. *AK

ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CONTACTED DODGE, AND WAS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER WITH FIXING THE VEHICLE. *AK...MECHANIC NOTIFIED CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WAS DEFECTIVE TO THE POINT THE WHEEL WAS IN DANGER OF BREAKING OFF AT THE BALL JOINT. *AK

1999 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 27355 MILES - FRONT WHEELS ABOUT TO FALL OFF, HAD TO REPLACE UPPER BALL JOINTS - COST TO ME AT THE DEALER WAS $484.38. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. I THINK IT'S ABSURD TO HAVE TO HAVE BALL JOINTS REPLACED WITH THOSE FEW MILES - HAVE NEVER HAD TO HAVE THAT DONE WITH OTHER VEHICLES OWNED WITH MORE MILEAGE. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED FAULTY ITEMS AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. FRONT WHEELS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FALLING OFF - I THINK WOULD BE A MAJOR CONCERN TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THE NHTSA.*AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS/IDLE ARM , AND TIE ROD ENDS WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AND DISCOVERED THAT BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS SPLIT. BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. LATER, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO VIN. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEM. AFTER HEARING NOISE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BUSTED AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE NEVER SAW BALL JOINTS IN THAT CONDITION BEFORE. *AK .....*AK

IS THE 1999 GOING TO BE INCLUDED ON THE BALL JOINT RECALL? I ALLREADY REPLACED ONE,, NOW I GOT ANOTHER GOING OUT. REPLACED TIRES ON THE FRONT TWICE. *JB