1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 98 DODGE DAKOTA HAVE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. ONE TIME THE WHEEL ALMOST FELL OFF. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL AS THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND ENTIRE HUB ASSEMBLY WHICH THEY CAUSE TO FAIL WHEN THEY FAIL. *AK

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE WITH 55,000 MILES. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I HEARD A CLUNKING FROM THE FRONT END IN A HARD RIGHT LOW SPEED TURN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DODGE DEALER AND BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACE. HAD A FAILURE OCCURED AT HIGH SPEED IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG FAILURE. AS A SECOND OWNER I CAN SAY HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED, BUT THE VEHICLE SHOWED NOT OTHER SIGNS OF ABUSE. QUITE THE OPPOSITE IT SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE. DATE BELOW IS APPROXIMATE. THE REPAIR WAS EXPENSIVE, BUT MORE IMPORTANT IT SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED IF THE WHEEL CUTS LOSE AT EVEN MODERATE SPEED. THE PROPERTY DAMAGE CHECKED IS TO VEHICLE THANKS. *AK

BALL JOINTS AND STEERING COLUMN ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK. BOTH WERE WORN OUT AFTER 30,000 MILES.*AK

HEARD CRACKLING AND POPING FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, AND TRUCK STARTING TO PULL TO THE LEFT. FOUND NY-LOCK SPINDLE NUT (TORQUED TO 185#, FACTORY SPEC'S) ALMOST OFF. RIGHT HAND THREADED SPINDLE WITH INNER RACE OF BEARING ROTATING IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AGAINST THE NUT. BEARING TRASHED, HAVING TO BUY WHOLE HUB ASSEMBLY @ $163. CHECKED RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY WHILE FRONT END RAISED AND WAS ABLE TO TURN NUT WITH A PAIR OF 10" CHANNEL LOCKS. HAD TO REDO BOTH SIDES AT 52+K ORIGIONAL MILES, NO ONE HAS TAMPERED WITH VEHICLE. WHERE'S THE OLD REPAIRABLE SYSTEM WITH THE COTTER KEY?*AK

TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART WAS REPLACED IN JANUARY 2003. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED JANUARY 2004, TECHNICIAN INSTALLED NEW BALL JOINTS. *AK *MR

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A SUBTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED EXCESSIVE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT WEAR.*AK *JB

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE WEARING OUT. *AK *MR

I HEAR A POPPING SOUND WHEN I TURN LEFT. I TOOK MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID ALL FOUR OF MY BALL JOINTS (TWO UPPERS AND 2 LOWERS) ARE SHOT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT GETTING NEW BALL JOINTS. THE PARTS DEPT. MANAGER TOLD ME THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACK ORDER ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND HE EXPECTED TO GET THEM IN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. AS FOR THE UPPERS, HE SAID HE COULD GET THEM WITHIN A FEW WEEKS. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE DODGE KNOWS THE BALL JOINTS ARE DEFECTIVE SO THEY PULLED EVERYTHING FROM STOCK AND ARE HAVING NEW ONES MADE UP. I THINK DODGE MIGHT BE DOING THIS TO AVOID A RECALL. *AK

MY COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK. MY TRUCK HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT, BUT I BABY IT, HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND CAN REMEMBER JUST ABOUT EVERY POTHOLE I'VE HIT ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT MAKES ME CRINGE EVERY TIME. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE THE LOUD NOISES I COULD HEAR, AND FEEL, WHEN I DROVE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ALL FOUR OF THEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE THE BALL JOINTS WERE FAULTY UPON MANUFACTURE, AND HOPE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR. GRANTED THIS IS PROBABLY A LOW PRIORITY ISSUE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF FATALITIES ATTRIBUTED TO BALL JOINT FAILURE, AND IT GENERALLY DOES NOT INVOLVE FIRE, OR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT MY TRUCK IS MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE, AND THE STEERING FEELS MUCH TIGHTER, AND ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE NEW BALL JOINTS. WHETHER THIS IS JUST IN MY HEAD, OR I REALLY DO FEEL A DIFFERENCE, I AM RELIEVED TO SAY THAT I GOT IT DONE. BUT I DID CONSIDER NOT DOING IT AND WAITING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT POTENTIAL RECALL STATUS. I WOULD LIKE TO URGE PEOPLE NOT TO WAIT IF THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, AND KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR A FUTURE RECALL. THE BIT OF SLOPPINESS, AND POTENTIAL FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT, IS A LARGE RISK, AND IF YOU CORRECT THE PROBLEM NOW YOU CAN MITIGATE THE RISK THAT WILL BECOME AN ISSUE AS THE AUTOMOBILES WITH FAULTY BALL JOINTS GROW IN AGE AND SEVERITY OF DEFECT. PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO PUSH FOR RECALL.*AK

THE VEHICLE'S UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM