2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

NHTSA RECALL 04V596000 ON THE BALL JOINT WEAR. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE NEXT AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT IS ON MAY 26, 2005. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

THE LIGHTS ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA STARTED FLASHING AND A FEW DAYS LATER MY LIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS AND POWER DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE HAD 3 DIFFERENT AUTO MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. MY TRUCK HAS 40,900 MILES ON IT AND NO WRECKS OF ANY KIND. I READ ABOUT A RECALL WITH THIS PROBLEM ON DAKOTA'S AND THE FACTORY STATES THAT THEY ARE RECALLING DAKOTAS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ONLY FOR THIS PROBLEM. MY TRUCK IS AN AUTOMATIC. *JB

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE SCOPE OF THE BALL JOINT RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. THE BALL JOINTS ON THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FAILED YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CONSUMERS 100K MILES LIMITED WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED. *BF *NM *SC THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND GETS STUCK IN LOW GEAR WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. *TC

RECALL CAMPAIGN#04V596000: THE VEHICLE'S BALL JOINTS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION. *NM THE BALL JOINTS HAD WORN OUT. THE CONSUMER REQESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

RECALL 04V596000 CONCERNING BALL JOINT WEAR. CONSUMER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE RECALL ON BALL JOINT WEAR. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THERE IS NO DATE OF EXPECTATION EITHER. *AK......*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT UPPER BALL JOINTS PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER INSPECTED IT, GAVE IT A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AND THEN SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. CURRENTLY, MANUFACTURER IS RECALLING THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS A TWO WHEEL DRIVE. *AK

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V596000; DAIMLER CHRYSLER ISSUED AN UPPER BALL JOINT RECALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THERE WERE NO APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE UNTIL LATE MARCH 2005. *AK

REGARDING THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER RECALL OF MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK. ONE OF THE REASONS THEY MAY BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS HAS TO DO WITH THE LOUSY METAL USED ON THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK FOR 3 YEARS AND UNDER NORMAL BRAKING THERE IS SHUTTERING, AND MUCH WORSE DURING HEAVY BRAKING. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AND HAS ONLY WORSENED. THE LOCAL DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND SAID THE PADS ARE FINE BUT THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. *AK

VEHICLE IS 2002 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT PLUS QUAD CAB 4X4, WITH 58,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BRAKE REPAIR SHOP FOR ROTOR / DRUM RESURFACING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE HAVE WORN OUT, ARE LOOSE, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $850. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS YET, BUT WILL HAVE TO SOON. I FEEL THE BALL JOINTS SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN 58,000 MILES.*AK

FRONT DISC BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. OCCURRED AGAIN ON DEC 10, WITH FRONT ROTORS TURNING BRIGHT RED AND SMOKING. DEALER FOUND ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT RELEASING HYDRAULIC FLUID, REPLACED ABS COMPONENT, FRONT ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. OCCURRED AGAIN ON DEC 30 WHILE DRIVING, WILL RETURN TO DEALER FOR RESOLUTION.