1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A ROUTINE GENERAL MAINTENANCE, AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WORN OUT PREMATURELY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *LA

1999 DODGE DAKOTA WE BOUGHT IT NEW ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES FOR CRACKING TIE ROD ENDS ARE BAD THE FIRST SET OF TIRES LASTED 14000 MILES. FRONT TIRES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BALL JOINT PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RUBBER BUSHINGS WORE OUT. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE LOWER BUSHINGS WERE GONE AND THAT THE UPPER ONES WERE FAILING. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THERE WAS A SCREECHING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND THE LEFT PLATE RUBBING THE ROTOR. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE BALL JOINT WERE WORN. THE UPPER AND LOWER JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND NOISY, AND THE FRONT BRAKES HAD RUSTED. *SC *JB

WHEN MAKING SHARP TURN A POPPING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK THE REPORTS WERE MADE WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD RELATIVELY LOW MILES. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE BALL JOINTS INDICATED THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A QUOTE TO REPLACE THE UPPER BALL JOINT BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. THE LOWER BALL JOINT ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER ALSO HEARD A RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH OR HIGHER THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF WIND NOISE. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR WEATHER STRIP. *NM

CONSUMER HAVE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE. *LA THE CONSUMER IS NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE CRACKED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD THEREFORE IT IS NOT NORMAL AND HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR THESE TYPES OF ABNORMALITIES TO EXIST. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *NM

HAD TO RELACE FRONT BALL JOINTS AT 20,000 MILES. HAD TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN AT 60,000. THIS TIME HAD MECHANIC REPLACE THEM WITH ONES THAT HAVE NIP SO THEY CAN BE LUBRICATED. *MR

BALL JOINTS ON 2000 DAKOTA FAILING WITH ONLY 35K MI. I WENT TO THE WEBSITEHTTP://WWW.DODGEDAKOTAS.COM/BOARDS/V8/208.HTML....I THINK IT PRETTY WELL SUMS UP THE PROBLEM...EXTREMELY CHEAP PARTS...HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR DODGE TO RECALL THESE WHEN PEOPLE START DYING FROM FRONT END FAILURE...YOU GUY'S NEED TO READ ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS AND LOOK AT THE MILEAGES SHOWN. BECAUSE OF THE PRICE I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE PART...I JUST STARTED DRIVING MY TRUCK LATELY AGAIN AFTER MY SON FINISHED DRIVING IT TO AND FROM COLLEGE AND HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I TRULY HOPE YOU DO SHARE THIS WITH CHRYSLER CORP BECAUSE WHEN I CAN GO ONLINE AND READ SO MUCH COLLECTIVE INFO AND SEE PEOPLE WITH CHEAP BALL JOINTS BREAKING DOWN AT AS LOW AS 7K MI. IF THEY DO NOT REACT ESP. WHEN SOMEONE DIES FROM A SERIOUS BREAKDOWN...I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR VEHICLES. *NM

WHILE DRIVING FRONT UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. . THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4. AT 50,000 I INSTALLED NEW TIRES AND TOOK MY TRUCK TO A MECHANIC FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. I RECENTLY MOVED AND THE MECHANIC WAS NEW, BUT HAD GOOD REPORTS. HE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD NOT DO THE ALIGNMENT BECAUSE OF BAD BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS. I WAS OUTRAGED, THINKING THAT HE MIGHT BE TRYING TO RIP ME OFF. I TOLD HIM AT 50,000 MILES I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GET NEW STEERING PARTS, BUT THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS REPLACED BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD PARTS ON SEVERAL DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS AT THAT MILEAGE. I TOLD HIM TO REPLACE THE PARTS AND DO THE ALIGNMENT. WHEN I PICKED UP MY DAKOTA, HE SHOWED ME THE PARTS, THEY WERE BAD. I HAVE WORKED FOR TWO LARGE AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS AND HAVE SEEN THEM CUT COSTS BY INSTALLING CHEAP CHINESE PARTS. THE COST TO PRODUCE THE PRODUCT GOES DOWN AND THE CONSUMER PRICE OF THE PRODUCT GOES UP INCREASING THE MARGINS AND LINING THE POCKETS OF MR. CEO AND OTHER HIGHER UPS WITHOUT A CONCERN TO THE CONSUMER. IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. THIS ON THE OTHER HAND IS SERIOUS INVOLVING CHEAP PARTS ON THE STEERING COMPONENTS ON A HIGHWAY VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND I PRAY THAT DODGE DOES NOT HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS IF SOMEONE GETS IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THEIR NEGLEGENCE. I HAVE ALSO HAD BRAKE ISSUES WITH MY DAKOTA. THE DAKOTA WITH THE 5.2 GOES LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL, BUT THE HANDLING COMPONENTS SUCH AS STEERING AND BRAKES ARE LESS THAN TO BE DESIRED.*AK