2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

SUBJECT VEHICLE: 2000 DODGE DAKOTA R/T, ILES: 49000; USAGE: DAILY DRIVER-CITY/HWY ONLY; COMPLAINT: EXCESSIVE UPPER BALL JOINT PLAY EARLY FAILURE. *AK AT APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES I NOTICED A SLIGHT CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION. I LUBED THE FRONT END USING THE APPROPRIATE TOOL AND GREASE NIPPLES BUT FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO FITTING ON THE UPPER BALL JOINT. THE CLICKING SOUND PROGRESSED TO CLUNKING OVER THE NEXT 10000 MILES AND ON INSPECTION I FOUND EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE UPPER FRONT SUSPENSION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE LEFT SIDE BEING THE MOST EGREGIOUS. IN ADDITION I STARTED TO NOTICE WANDERING IN THE STEERING TRACK OF THE VEHICLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I FOCUSED MY ATTENTION ON THE UPPER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY'S AND HAVE SINCE REPLACED BOTH. THE SYMPTOM HAS CLEARED. I HAVE HAD AN ASSORTMENT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THIS HAVING THE MOST POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE APPRECIATED JAMES DALY

DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD END NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT APPROX. 55,000 MILES. THIS UNIT IS SEALED AT THE FACTORY AND NOT SERVICABLE BY THE OWNER. IT WAS REPLACED BY VISSING DODGE, JEFFERSONVILLE. IN. SERVICE MANAGER NOTED THAT THIS UNIT COULD FAIL RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL,(WORST CASE SENERIO). I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING BACK TO CAL. WITH THIS PROBLEM AND ITS SAFETY RELATED ISSUES. PASSENGER SIDE UNIT IS NOW SQUEEKING AND WILL NEED REPLACEMENT. TRUCK NOW HAS APPROX. 58,500 MILES. *AK

PROBLEM STARTED WITH POPPING NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION. TIRES EVENTUALLY WERE WEARING UNEVEN. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT. THEY COULD NOT PERFORM DUE TO WORN OUT UPPER BALL JOINTS. REPLACED BALL JOINTS AND NOTICED LEFT UPPER JOINT HAD DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS CLOSE TO SEPARATION. ALSO NOTICED TIRES HAD WORN TO THE POINT THAT INNER STEEL BELTS WERE EXPOSED. *JB

SINCE FILING MY COMPLAINT LAST MONTH, MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT DETACHED AND CAUSE MY WHEEL TO NEARLY FALL OFF. LUCKILY I HAD JUST PULLED ONTO A STREET WHEN THE WHEEL FELL OFF, SO MY SPEED WAS LESS THAN 5MPH. I HAVE BEEN WAITING ON BACKORDERED PARTS TO BE SHIPPED SINCE MY ORIGNAL COMPLAINT IN OCTOBER, SO THE WORN BALL JOINTS HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED YET. *AK

BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE IS SUB STANDARD FOR STOPING, ON A EMERGENCY STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, BUT WILL NOT STOP AS IT SHOULD. WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE OTHER DAY, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IT THE BRAKES WORKED AS THEY SHOULD, I HAVE A (2002) DARANGO AND THE BRAKING SYSEM IS LIKE NIGHT A DAY VIRS THE DAKODA.*AK

ALL FOUR OF THE DOOR ACTUATOR HAVE FAILED. FIRST THEY MAKE ATERRIBLE GRATING SOUND THEN IF NOT REPLACED, AT AN INCREASINGLY INFLATING RATE (NOW OVER $200 EACH), THE DOOR WILL EVENTUALLY LOCK AND CANNOT BE UNLOCKED BY THE KEYLESS ENTRY. YOU CAN BE LOCKED OUT OR A SMALL CHILD COULD BE LOCKED IN. AT ANY RATE IT IS A DEFECTIVE PART, IT IS UNSAFE, THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS BUT NOW OUT OF WARRANTY SO TOO BAD. IF YOU FIX IT YOU PAY OVER $200, IF YOU DO NOT YOU RUN THE RISK OF DOORS LOCKING AUTOMATICALLY AND BEING UNABLE TO UNLOCK THEM, RESULTING IN ANY NUMBER OF DANGEROUS, INJUROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE SITUATIONS.*AK

DODGE DAKOTA TIE RODS. TIE ROD ACTUALLY BROKE. *BF THE CONSUMER SENT IN A COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA ON LINE BUT HAD TROUBLE. *TC

NOTICED VERY LOUD SQUEAKING IN FRONT END OF 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. TOOK IN FOR DEALER TO SERVICE(46,000 MILES). MENTIONED BALL JOINTS. THEY REPLACED SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. FOUR MONTHS LATER SQUEAKING WAS BACK(51,000 MILES). RETURNED TO DEALER QUESTIONING BALL JOINTS AGAIN. THEY LUBRICATED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. FIVE MONTHS LATER VEHICLE IN FOR STATE INSPECTION AND DRIVERS SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED, PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT ALMOST OUT OF TOLERANCE (55,000 MILES). HAD BOTH REPLACED WITH OEM FROM DODGE. SENT EMAIL TO SERVICE MANAGER QUESTIONING COVERAGE BY DODGE AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. *JB

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. ON NOVEMBER 2,2004 WHILE DRIVING ON CITY SIDE STREETS THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE, I CALLED THE DODGE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD MY VECHILE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO DID MOST OF THE REPAIRS (TOTALING ABOUT $1,300). HE HANDED ME A BOX WITH THE BALL JOINTS FROM MY VEHICLE AND TOLD ME TO HANG ONTO THEM. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT ON BOTH SIDES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UPPER BALL JOINT LOSING ALL IT'S GREASE (THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SEALED UNIT!), CAUSING UNDO STRESS ON THE JOINT UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY SHEARED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. I STILL HAVE TO TAKE MY VEHICLE IN FOR SOME REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED (CV BOOT REPLACEMENT AND A TIE ROD THAT IS TWISTED) - WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO BE AN ADDITIONAL $400. I DO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS - ALL IN VARYING DEGREES OF DEFECTIVE DAMAGE ALONG WITH PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE AT THE PLACE OF THE ACCIDENT. PHOTOS INCLUDE CLOSE UP SHOTS OF THE WHEEL AND BALL JOINT. I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO DODGE CORPORATION AS I FEEL THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE THE PARTS WERE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. THIS IS ALSO A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS IF THIS WHEEL HAD FALLEN OFF MY VEHICLE JUST 2 MILES SOONER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 65 MPH COMING DOWN THE HIGHWAY FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS! THE WRECK WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY KILLED ME!! THE WRECK WOULD HAVE ALSO TAKEN OUT ANY VEHICLES TRAVELING NEAR ME! THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY RISK.

1-GRABBING & SQUEAKY BRAKES; 2-FRONT ROTORS & DISC PADS; 3-REPLACED FRONT ROTORS & DISC PADS. DEALERSHIP KEPT OLD PARTS. AK