2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

RECALL CAMPAIGN: 2002 DODGE DAKOTA HAVE UPPER BALL JOINTS PROBLEMS. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN: THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE DEALING WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD BUT NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ON WHY ONLY TO REPLACE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS IF THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE STILL BAD AND WHAT RECOURSE HE HAS OTHER THAN CONTACTING CHRYSLER. *TC

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AFTER 2,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION. THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, STATING IT WAS A WEAR ITEM. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AND FIXED BEFORE OFFERING THE VEHICLE FOR SALE, BUT THEY CLAIM OTHERWISE. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE BOTH SETS OF BALL JOINTS ON MY OWN. SINCE THEN, DC HAS RECALLED THE UPPER JOINTS. THE UPPER JOINTS CREATED A SITUATION CAUSING THE LOWER JOINTS TO FAIL ALSO AND SHOULD BE COVERED IN THEIR RECALL. THEY ALSO DO NOT SPECIFY COVERING THE ALIGNMENT NEEDED AFTER JOINTS ARE REPLACED. THE RECALL SHOULD BE REISSUED COVERING UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ALONG WITH ALIGNMENT TO REMEDY THE SITUATION IN THIS RECALL FAILURE. *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V596000 CONCERNING BALL JOINT WEAR. DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PURCHASED AT THAT PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP. *AK

THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT IT IS HARD TO REALLY POINT ONE OUT THAT I AM MOST CONCERNED WITH. FIRST OF ALL IT STARTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THEN IT LEAD INTO WHAT THE MANUFACTURER SAYS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THEN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. NOW WE ARE AT A STANDSTILL SINCE THEY SAY THAT IT IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THEY ALSO SAY THAT IT IS EXPECTED TO SEE THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR FROM THE MOTOR. I AM CONFUSED SINCE THEY SAY THAT THE COMPUTER ADJUSTS AND THEN IT WON'T ALLOW THE CAR TO RUN AT OPTIMAL EFFECTIVENESS. DOES THIS MEAN THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO RUN AT LESS THAN OPTIMAL EFFECTIVENESS? I HAVE HAD A SMELL COME OUT OF THE AIR AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY FLOODED. THE FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES THREATENING SOUNDS AND THE BACK WOBBLES LIKE A SERPENT. THE BRAKES JITTER AND I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR RENTALS AT TIMES WHEN THE MANUFACTURER APPROVED THE REIMBURSEMENT. THE STATEMENT FOR DENIAL OF REIMBURSEMENT WAS "THE AFTER MARKET ALARM CAUSED IT". THEY WERE THE SPONSORS AND INITIATORS OF THIS COMPANY SINCE I BOUGHT IT AT THE DEALERSHIP INCLUDED IN MY PRICE. *AK *TC

FRONT END OF TRUCK WOULD MAKE NOISE WHEN HITTING BUMPS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. OTH BALL JOINTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE DEFECTIVE. THE UPPER HAD NEARLY 1/4" OF UP AND DOWN TRAVEL AND THE BOTTOM WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. IT IS AMAZING THAT THE WHEEL DIDN'T FALL OFF COMPLETELY. REPLACED BOTH PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINTS. HAD TO PURCHASE THEM FROM AN AFTERMARKET VENDOR DO TO CHRYSLER HAVING THEM ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. THE ONLY PART THAT THEY HAD AVAILABLE WAS A COMPLETE A ARM ASSEMBLY AT A PRICE OF $250 EACH VERSUS THE $50 FOR THE BALL JOINT ITSELF. I FIND IT SOMEWHAT STRANGE THAT 2WD VERSIONS OF THE DAKOTA AND DURANGO ARE NOT BEING COVERED UNDER THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCE RECALL. HAVING MANAGED AUTO PARTS STORES FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ARE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND SALES ARE JUST AS HIGH ON THE 2WD PARTS AS THE 4WD.*AK

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA 2WD TRUCK. I HAVE JUST BEEN REJECTED A VIRGINIA INSPECTION BECAUSE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS IN MY TRUCK ARE ABOUT TO COME OUT. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 2WDS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IF THE DAKOTAS ARE MADE WITH THE SAME PARTS FOR THE SAME PLACE. ISN'T IT LIKELY THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE FAULTY. NOW I HAVE A TRUCK THAT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AND A $400.00 PROBLEM TO FIX ON A TRUCK THAT ONLY HAS 40K MILES.*AK

WHEN APPLYING THE ANTI- BRAKES FROM A LOW SPEED BRAKES LOCKED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AT 20,000 MILES. PADS OK. TERIBLE PULSING WHEN STOPPING. LOCAL DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE A FEE JUST TO LOOK AT IT. I BELIEVE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS. BRAKES HORRIBLE IN WET CONDITION.*AK

I HAVE HEARD NEWS THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL OF DODGE DAKOTA TRUCKS FOR REASON OF UNSAFE BALL JOINTS. I OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUADCAB 4.7L TWO WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK. SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK, I HAVE HEARD A LOUD CLUNK NOISE WHEN I TURN A CORNER OR GO UP A BUMP OR DRIVEWAY. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL NOISE ON CARS OR TRUCKS. FOR A TRUCK THAT CAN HAUL HEAVY WEIGHT, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I AM ALWAYS AWARE OF THE NOISE AND KNOW THIS IS UNSAFE. ANYTIME YOU HAVE METAL MAKING RUBBING IN SUCH A MANNER, THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THESE VEHICLES ARE SAFE WITH PARTS THAT ARE NOT SOUND AND DURABLE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLES. I ASK THAT THE TWO WHEEL DAKOTA TRUCKS ALSO BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL FOR MORE DURABLE AND SAFE BALL JOINTS AND SUSPENSION PARTS. I DO A LOT OF HIGHWAY TRAVEL AND WHEN YOU PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEEL YOUR WHEEL MAY FALL OFF AT ANY TIME. *JB

TOLD BY FOUR PEOPLE AT WORK THAT THEY HAD PROBLEM WITH THERE BALL JOINT AND HAD TO REPLACE THEM ON DODGE DAKOTAS TRUCK, ASK DODGE DEALER THEY SAID THEY GO BAD BECAUSE OF MICHIGAN ROADS, I ASK HIM WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 49 STATES. *JB