1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

PER BROADCAST ON DECEMBER 19, 2003 ON CBS NIGHTLY NEWS, THE DODGE DURANGO/DAKOTA BALL JOINT, UPPER AND LOWER ISSUES, NOT YET A RECALL BY THE MFG. WE OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA, PURCHASED IN 2000 AND AT EVERY STATE INSPECTION, THE UPPER AND LOWER FRONT BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION THAT ALL DODGES 97 AND UP HAVE BALL JOINT ISSUES, SO THE MFG IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME NOW. EVERY YEAR IT IS 300+ $ TO REPLACE THESE FOR THE NEEDED STATE INSPECTION, THEY GO BAD EVERY YEAR, AND ARE DANGEROUS IF NOT REPLACED. WE ONLY PUT ABOUT 10, 000 MILES A YEAR ON THE VEHICLE ALSO. THE JOINTS CANNOT BE GREASED W/O DEALER OR MECHANIC ASSISTANCE. PER THE NEWS THESE ITEMS NEED TO BE REPLACED TO ACCOMODATE LARGER BALL JOINTS WHICH IS GOING TO BE COSTLY. WE CALLED ABOUT 2YRS AGO TO CHRYSLER DODGE, WHO ADVISE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. NOW WE SEE THERE ARE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND CAUSING FATALITIES AND ACCIDENTS. WE DONT WANT TO FIND OUT THIS WAY, WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A RECALL TO HAVE THE JOINTS AND ARMS REPLACED TO ACCOMODATE THE BIGGER BALL JOINTS REQUIRED FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE RE ALL DODGE TRUCKS/ SUVS AND NEEDS TO HAVE A PROMPT INVESTIGATION DONE NOT ONLY BY THE DEALERS/CHRYSLER DODGE WHO ALREADY ARE AWARE ANYWAY, NO NEED FOR THEM TO INVESTIGATE SOMETHING THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRING AT THE COST OF THE CUSTOMER FOR THE PAST 10YRS OR SO. THIS NEEDS INVESTIGATED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE CHRYSLER RECALL THIS DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING DEFECT.*AK

I'VE GOT A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA AND JUST HAD THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD ABOUT 65000 MILES OR SO WHEN I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AND I FINALLY HAD THEM REPLACED AT ABOUT 73000 MILES. I EMAILED DODGE ABOUT IT AND THEY GAVE ME NO WORTHWHILE ANSWERS EXCEPT I DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR ANY RECALLS OR REIMBURSEMENT. I KNOW BALL JOINTS SHOULDN'T GO OUT THIS SOON AND WANTED TO SEND THIS INFORMATION TO YOU BECAUSE I SAW WHERE YOU ARE LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. THANKS, GREGORY THOMAS. *AK

SEEN THE CBS NEWS ABOUT UPPER BALL JOINTS ON DODGE DAKOTA ON 12/18/03. HAD MY LEFT SIDE BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON 7/15/02 AND MY RIGHT SIDE BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON 8/5/03. PRETTY CLOSE TO $500 TO HAVE REPLACED.*AK

PREMATURELY WORN UPPER BALL JOINT FOR 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT TRUCK (2W) WITH 55,000 MILES. SEVERE SQUEAKING AND GRINDING NOISE ALONG WITH OBVIOUS IRRATIC BRAKING PROBLEMS.*AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF MY '98 2WD DODGE DAKOTA MAKES A LOUD 'POPPING' NOISE DURING SHARP LOWSPEED TURNS - A CHECK OF THE MESSAGE BOARDS REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLE WITH DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS RESULTING FROM IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED OR MANUFACTURED BALL JOINTS CONSTITUTING AN OBVIOUS DRIVER SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD THESE PARTS FAIL PREMATURELY AS THEY HAVE IN MANY LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES.*AK

1998 DODGE DAKOTA HAS WORN LOWER BALL JOINTS - MANUFACTURER DID NOT INSTALL GREASE FITTINGS TO ALLOW FOR PROPER PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.*AK

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR. *AK *NLM *PH

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXCEEDED TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE FAILED. *AK THE BRAKE LINE WAS POSITIONED UP AGAINST THE MOVING SUSPENSION PART THAT WORE A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE. *SCC *JB

1998 DODGE DAKOTA XLT TRUCK UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURES. MILEAGE: 40,000 V8 (318CI) ENGINE HIGHWAY DRIVEN BOUGHT NEW EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FRONT END SHIMMY FROM DAY ONE. TOTAL OF 12 TIRES TRIED RESULTING IN NO IMPROVEMENT AND MARRED RIMS FROM TIRES BEING MOUNTED AND OVER 18 BALANCING. *LA

WHILE HAVING TIRES REPLACED AND ALIGNED MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND INNER TIE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE AN ALIGNMENT COULD BE PERFORMED. *AK