2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL JUMPED ON ITS ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND UPPER BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I NOTICED THAT MY DODGE DAKOTA 2000 4 X4 WITH 39,000 MILES WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THE ALIGNMENT ADJUSTED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WAS FAILING. SEEMS TO ME THAT NO PART OF THE BALL JOINT SHOULD BE FAILING AT 39,000 MILES. FROM WHAT LITTLE RESEARCH I'VE DONE, THERE SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH DODGE DAKOTA/DURANGO BALL JOINT FAILURES. *JB

ELECTRIC REAR DOOR LOCKS FAILED. LOUD BUZZ NOISE FROM RIGHT REAR DOOR WHEN DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATED. TOOK TO DEALER AND HAD FIXED AT A CONSIDERABLE CHARGE. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS LATER THE LEFT REAR DOOR LOCK BEGAN DOING THE SAME THING; DUE TO COST HAVEN'T HAD REPLACED AND NOW THE DOOR LOCK WILL NOT MANUALLY UNLOCK WITHOUT FIRST HITTING THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK EVEN THOUGH THE ELECTRIC DOOR SWITCH DOESN'T UNLOCK THE DOOR. *JB

HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT END. VEHICLE ALSO SHAKES WHEN APPLY BRAKES. *BF WHILE DRIVING OVER 65 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK AS THOUGH IT WAS MISALIGNED OR UNBALANCED. IT ALSO SHOOK WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER. THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS HAVE BEEN BALANCED, THE STEERING ALIGNED, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED YET THE PROBLEM RECURS. *NM

FAILURE OF UPPER BALL JOINT. 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. DISCOVERED DURING A TIRE PURCHASE. HAVING FIXED AT DEALERSHIP. WEAR IS PREMATURE.*AK

I OWN A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA THAT I BOUGHT NEW. IT IS A CLUB CAB 4X4 WITH THE 4.7L V8 AN AUTOMATIC. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND HAS JUST TURNED 51,000 MILES. WITHOUT WARNING THE PASS. SIDE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS BOTH WORE OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS OF COURSE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY . LUCKILY I CAUGHT THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE WHEEL FELL OFF. I DRIVE APPROX. 90 MILES A DAY ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND IF THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE COME OFF IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *JB

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE WORN TO THE POINT OF MAKING ALIGNMENT IMPOSSIBLE. ALIGNMENT SHOP SAYS CONDITION IS DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN WHEEL SEPARATION. CONDITION HAS EXISTED AND HAS WORSENED SINCE ABOUT 30,000 MILES. THIS CONDITION WAS REPEATEDLY MIS-DIAGNOSED BY SEVERAL DODGE DEALERSHIPS UNTIL WARRANTY EXPIRED. *JB

IN JULY 2003 CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS SLIGHTLY INJURIED, BUT NOTHING SERIOUS. CONSUMER CONTACTED DODGE AND THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT HEARD FROM THEM.*AK

THE FRONT END OF MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4WD KNOCKS DURING TURNS. FRONT TIRES BADLY WORN. BROUGHT TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND WAS TOLD FRONT BALL JOINTS, SHOCKS, AND TIE ROD ENDS BADLY WORN AND NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WILL COST OVER $900 TO REPAIR. FIRST NOTICED FRONT END NOISE AROUND 60000 MILES.*AK

BEGINING SYMPTOMS OF BALL JOINT WEAR AND POSSIBLE FAILURE ON MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. HAVE ALSO REPLACED MY FRONT ROTORS FOUR TIMES WITH ONLY 61,000 MILES ON VEHICLE.