2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

NOISE FELT IN FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN TURNING - ESPECIALLY WITH LEFT TURNS. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE PROBLEM. TOOK TO A DIFFERENT DEALER A FEW MONTHS LATER AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW UPPER BALL JOINTS. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED NEW LOWER BALL JOINTS. I HAVE REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FOR A LITTLE OVER $600! I STILL CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND I AM STILL FEELING A SLIGHT THUMP WHEN TURNING. THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I AM MAD AT DODGE FOR NOT RECALLING. I READ A REPORT ON 60 MINUTES ABOUT BALL JOINT PROBLEMS CAUSING TIRES TO FALL OFF VEHICLES DURING DRIVING. WHAT A DANGEROUS THING TO HAPPEN. I THINK OF THIS EVERYDAY AS I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF MY TIRES FELL OF ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING OVER 60 MPH? I HOPE DODGE GETS SOME SENSE AND DOES A RECALL ON THIS! HERE IS THE LINK TO THE ARTICLE: HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/STORIES/2004/03/03/EVENINGNEWS/MAIN603833.SHTML *JB

WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO WORN PARTS. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

WHEN VEHICLE HIT A BUMP A CLICKING SOUND CAME FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. A MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE SEVERELY WORN OUT. ALSO, ROTORS ON BOTH SIDES WERE WARPED TO THE POINT THAT THEY COULDN'T BE TURNED SAFELY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLES NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, MECHANIC DETERMINED NEED TO BE REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS. DEALER NOTIFIED.

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT OF VEHICLE VIBRATED SEVERELY. CONSUMER REPLACED THE TIRES, BUT MECHANIC TOLD HER THEY COULD NOT DO AN ALIGNMENT DUE TO BALL JOINT FAILURE. *AK

THE BRAKE ROTORS ON MY 200 DODGE DAKOTA WARP, CAUSING INEFFICIENT BRAKING AND VIBRATIONS AFTER ONLY 15K MILES. DODGE WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT, IN MY OPINION BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY ON REPLACEMENT PARTS. IT'S DANGEROUS!!

MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA HAS WORN OUT BALL JOINTS. THERE IS NO WAY THESE THINGS SHOULD HAVE WORN OUT. I COULD NOT FIND ANYPLACE TO GREASE THEM. MY DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. MY TEEN SON IS DRIVING THIS TRUCK AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. I CAN'T BELIEVE CHRYSLER IS STICKING THERE HEADS IN THE SAND!

MY HUSBAND AND I USE TO OWN A 2000 DAKOTA QUAD CAB.I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHEN WE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM, BUT I DO REMEMBER THE COST TO FIX IT WAS GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY $2000.00. WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE OR BRAKE OR AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. OURS DIDN'T SQUEEK OR CLUNK, OURS SHIMMIED SO BAD OUR WATCHES ON OUR ARMS (WHILE DRIVING) RATTLED. WHEN WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS CAUSED DUE TO US NOT PUTTING THE ORIGINAL TIRES BACK ON THE TRUCK WHEN WE REPLACED THE TIRES. PUTTING ORIGINAL TIRES BACK ON THE TRUCK DID ALLEVIATE ENOUGH OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE TRADED THE DAKOTA FOR ANOTHER VECHICLE WITHOUT TAKING A TREMENDOUS LOSS AS WAS THE SITUATION WHEN WE TRIED TO TRADE IT IN BEFORE RETURNING THE TIRES TO ORIGINAL. FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BELIEVE IT WAS DUE TO OVERSIZE TIRES THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. WE ONLY PUT COOPER TIRES COMPARABLE TO THE ORIGINALS ON THE TRUCK, BUT GOODYEAR IS THE ONLY MAKER OF THE SIZE OF TIRE WE NEEDED AND THOSE TIRES WERE ON BACK-ORDER.

FRONT END NOISES. CLUNKING SOUND THAT CONTINUES TO GET LOUDER. HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DODGE SERVICE CENTER A FEW TIMES. THE LAST TIME THEY REPLACED FRONT BALL JOINT. STILL HAS A LOUD CLUNK. ALSO, IT WILL NOT HOLD AN ALIGNMENT FOR ANY LENGHT OF TIME.

PREMATURE FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM BALLJOINT AND LOWER BALLJOINT (50,000 MILES). *AK