2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I OWN A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA WITH JUST OVER 75,000 MILES ON IT. ON A RECENT SERVICE VISIT I WAS INFORMED THAT MY UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE LOOKING ONLINE I SAW THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE DAKOTA AND DURANGO SO I WANTED TO REPORT IT.*AK

"CLUNKING NOISE" COMING FROM FRONT OF AUTO WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES/BUMPS. FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY DETACHED FROM VEHICLE AT UPPER BALL JOINT. LOWER BALL JOINT REMAINED ATTACHED. ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS REPLACES. RIGHT BRAKE LINE REPLACED. WARNED OF DAMAGE TO CV SHAFT, HOWEVER DEALER ONLY REPLACE OUTER CV BOOT

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH BALL JOINTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE EXPLODED UNDERNEATH THE PICKUP, BREAKING INTO BITS AND PIECES. THE TIRE COMPLETELY DISENGAGED. THE AXLE WAS BENT, AND THE INNER TIE ROD HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *TS *TC

THE BRAKE DISC STEEL IS FAULTY, AND PITS. THIS CAUSES VERY JERKY, DIFFICULT, AND UNRELIABLE BRAKING. AS IF ONE WAS BRAKING ON TOP OF LOGS. TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD THE DISC(S) MACHINED, AND THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. BUT IT RETURNED. TODAY WE ARE HAVING THE DISCS REPLACED. I THINK DODGE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND RECALL IT.*AK

FAX FM SARAH M. PENDLETON(FL) RE HER SON, DR. WIZARD PENDLETON'S 2000 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK,DEFECTIVE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *MR IT'S THE OPINION OF THE TECHNICIAN WHO LOOKED AT THE CAR THAT THE ENGINE SUFFERED A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THE #4 PISTON WRIST PIN. THAT WRIST PIN CRACK AND CAUSED THE PISTON TO BUCKLE, RUIN THE CYLINDER BORE AND BROKE THE OTHER PISTONS. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED ONCE PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE AT 3500 MILES BECAUSE IT BURNED A QUART OF OIL EVERY 300 MILES. *NM

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK

BOLTS BROKE ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD SHIELD AND SHIELD FELL BETWEEN STEERING SHAFT AND MOTOR, CAUSING STEERING TO JAM IN STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION ON HIGHWAY. COULD NOT PULL OVER TO BREAKDOWN LANE TO AVOID OTHER TRAFFIC. BOLTS BROKE FROM HEAT STRESS I IMAGINE, NOT TOO GOOD A THING TO HAPPEN ON A HIGHWAY BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORST IN CITY IF I COULD NOT STEER AWAY FROM PEDISTRIANS. JUST CHEAP UNDERSIZED BOLTS THAT BREAK. CHECKED THE OTHER SIDE AND FOUND ONE BROKE THERE TOO. BOLTS ARE TOO SMALL TO HOLD THE MANIFOLDS IN PLACE AFTER THEY WEAR WITH AGE. *AK

ONLY 70000 ON THE 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. TIE RODS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. HAD TO REPLACE 2 OUTER AND 1 INNER TIE ROD. AT THE SAME TIME THE BALL BEARINGS WERE FOUND TO BE IN HORRIBLE SHAPE. THOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED TOO. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH THE CONSUMER TURNED A CORNER AND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SNAPPED OFF. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE UPPER RIGHT BALL JOINT</A> HAS MALFUNCTIONED. THIS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE UNDER BODY OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM BROKE AFTER THE RIGHT BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED. *TC

2000 DODGE DAKOTA STEERING PROBLEMS.*MR THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE MADE STRANGE NOISES, SHOOK EXCESSIVELY AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTS THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS ON THE DODGE DAKOTA'S. *NM