1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

DODGE DEALER ADVISED ME THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 4WD WERE DRY AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE TRUCK HAD 18562 MILES. HAVING ALREADY SEEN THE CBS SPECIAL , I KNEW THERE WOULD EVENTUALLY BE A RECALL. THE RECALL IS FOR 2000-2003. MY 1999 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. IT NOW HAS 23505 MILES, WITH THE SAME DRY BALL JOINTS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT.*JB

FRONT END WEAR CAUSING ERRATIC HANDLING AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. REPLACED ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS (UPPER AND LOWER) ON 3/1/2004 AT A COST OF $777.14. EXCESS TIRE WEAR REDUCED USEFUL LIFE OF FRONT TIRES BY 20,000 MILES. REPLACED TIRES ON 12/31/2004 AT A COST OF $547.09.*JB

I HAVE HAD MY UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED A FEW TIMES UNDER WARRENTY ALONG WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ! ALWAYS REPLACED WITH THE SAME FACTORY PART PRONE TO FAILURE !AT $100.00 DEDUCTABLE PER INCIDENT ALONG WITH THE COST OF A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AFTER EACH REPAIR (NOT COVERED) - AND NOW MY EXTENDED WARRENTY IS UP AND IT WILL COST ME MORE FOR THE PRIVLEDGE TO OWN THIS USELESS TRUCK !

HAVE STAYED UPDATED ON TUNE-UPS AND KEEPING TRUCK RUNNING, GOT NEW TIRES NOV. 24, 2004 FROM LESCHUAB. ON DEC. 1 2004, I WAS HIT ON THE FRONT END DRIVER SIDE. TOOK TRUCK IN FOR REAPIRS, AND FOUND OUT THAT BALL JOINTS WERE EXTREMELY WORN. *AK

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL." A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE (10/25-02) I HAD A BALL JOINT FAILURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, IT LITERALLY FELL APART. I CONTACTED DODGE SEVERAL TIMES AND TOOK IT TO DODGE FOR A DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND THEY SAID THE BALL JOINT WAS BAD BUT WOULD NOT FIX IT. THEY SAID THAT THE WARRANTY ONLY COVERED THE DRIVE CHAIN AND O WELL. I HAD A MECHANIC FIX IT - NOT DODGE. HERE IT IS A YEAR LATER AND THE OTHER BALL JOINT IS STARTING TO FALL APART. THE UPPER RADIUS ARM BUSHINGS ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE AND HEAT CAUSES THE BUSHING TO DRY ROT ALLOWING SPACE, THE BALL JOINTS CANNOT HANDLE THE MOVEMENT AND COLLAPSE. THE 1999 DODGE TRUCKS ARE NOT IN THE RECALL, WHY ? THIS MODEL CAME OUT IN 1997 I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS A DEFECT. ONE MONTH AGO I WENT TO TATE DODGE AND ASKED THE MECHANIC IF HE KNEW OF ANY OTHER TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM OR IF THEY HAD TO DO A LOT OF FRONT END REPAIRS, HE LIED. HE SAID I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ONE YET. A WEEK LATER THE RECALL CAME OUT. I NOTIFIED DODGE OF MY PROBLEMS BACK IN 2002, I BET A LOT OF ACCIDENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN NULLIFIED IF THEY HAD LISTENED." *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE SERVICED, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD DAMAGED BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF RECALL ON DODGE DAKOTA AND DURANGO 2000-2003. *AK

TO DATE, I HAVE REPLACED THE FOLLOWING: 1) UPPER BALL JOINTS - BOTH SIDES 2) LOWER BALL JOINTS - BOTH SIDES 3) CALIPERS - BOTH SIDES (FRONT) 4) WATER PUMP 5) WHEEL HUBS - BOTH SIDES (FRONT) 6) CATALYTIC CONVERTER 7) HEADLAMP SWITCH. *JB NOW, I HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1) HEADLAMP SWITCH (AGAIN) 2) TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS 3) UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. *JB

AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK. *BF THIS WAS A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. *SC

1999 DODGE DAKOTA RIGHT BALL FRONT BALL JOINTS WENT BAD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THEM. 61000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. NO ACCIDENT, OR INJURIES, JUST UNSAFE CONDITIONS TO DRIVE WITH THIS VEHICLE. JUST PURCHASED THIS MONTH. *AK

ON 11/9/2004 I TOOK MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP INTO MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO GIVE ME A NORMAL OIL/LUBE/FILTER. WHEN THEY STARTED THE PICKUP UP ON THE LIFT, THE LEFT, FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE AND THE WHELL FELL OFF. THEY SAID IT WAS ALL RUSTED AND WORN. MY PICKUP HAD 41,000 MILES AT THE TIME. I CONTACTED MY CHRYSLER DEALERAND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT CRYSLER DIRECTLY WHICH I DID. THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINE REGISTERED MY PROBLEM BUT SAID THAT SINCE I DID NOT USE CHRYSLER PARTS OR USE THEIR REPAIR SHOP THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK. THE LATEST RECALL PROGRAM APPARENTLY IS FOR 2000-2003 YEARS ONLY. THIS IS NOT RIGHT THAT A TRUCK 1 YEAR EARLIER WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL ADDRESSES SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER. HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO EARLIER MODEL YEARS?*AK