1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

FOLLOWING A NEWS REPORT DOCUMENTING UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE IN DODGE PRODUCTS, WE HAD OUR 1999 DODGE DAKOTA INSPECTED. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE COMPLETELY ERODED AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT.

MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA NEEDED BALL JOINTS AND NUMEROUS OTHER FRONT END AND STEERING COMPONENTS AT ONLY 30000 MILES. IN MY OPINION, THIS WAS DUE TO A LACK OF LUBRICATION BECAUSE THERE ARE NO GREASE FITTINGS ON MY TRUCK'S BALL JOINTS. IF I HAD NOT CAUGHT THIS IN TIME, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHEN MY WHEELS FELL OFF. I AM CONCERNED THAT AS MY TRUCK AGES, THIS PROBLEM WILL REOCCUR BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS USED WERE IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL PART THAT FAILED. I HAVE MET NUMEROUS OTHER DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP US.*AK

THE EARLY WEAR OUT OF THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. IT WAS NOTICED THREE YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT THE 4X4 TRUCK WHEN I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON IT. THE SEARS MECHANIC SAID HE COULD NOT ALIGN THE TIRES BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS WERE SO BAD THEY NEEDED RELPLACED. I TOOK IT TO THE DODGE DEALER TO HAVE THE SEAT BELT RECALL FIXED AND HE TOLD ME THE SAME THING AND IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AT THAT TIME. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP IN A PARKING LOT DOING A FULL RIGHT TURN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SO I THOUGHT I'D FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE THIS IS LONG OVER DUE. THANK YOU ..... DAN. *AK

THE BALL JOINTS IN MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA, UPPER AND LOWER BOTH SIDES, ARE WORN OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND SHOULD NOT NEED THIS APPROXIMATELY $1,000.00 REPAIR. THE REASON THEY WEAR OUT SO FAST IS THAT THERE ARE NOT GREASE FITTINGS, AND THE PART CAN'T BE PROPERLY LUBRICATED. THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO SAID I CAN'T GET ANY RELIEF UNLESS THERE IS A RECALL. PLEASE RECALL THESE PARTS. *AK

THE UPPER SUSPENSION ARM ON MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT (5.2L MANUAL TRANSMISSION) RAPT A HOLE IN THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE HOSE, CAUSING TOTAL BRAKING FAILURE. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT ON THE GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS. *LA

I NOTICED A SLIGHT SQUEAK COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL ON OR AROUND THE FIRST OF DECEMBER. AS THE SQUEAK BEGAN TO GET MORE PRONOUNCED I FIGURED I SHOULD CHECK FOR WORN OR DAMAGED SUSPENTION PARTS. NOT LONG AFTER THIS THOUGHT I SAW THE REPORT ON CBS REGUARDING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE DODGE DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS. GUESS WHAT...I DRIVE A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WITH VERY WORN OUT UPPER BALL JOINTS AT JUST OVER 37,000 MILES. I WILL REPLACE THEM AND KEEP THEM FOR THE IMPENDING RECALL THAT YOU WILL ORDER. AFTER ALL WITH OUT YOU THE MANUFACTURES WOULD CONTINUE TO CUT COSTS AND COST LIVES.*AK

I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDE OF TRUCK REPLACED. ONE OF THE BALL JOINTS WAS COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED. THE OTHER WAS WELL ON ITS WAY TO THE SAME. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW AND HAVE A DOCUMENTED RECORD OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE THAT I HAVE HAD PERFORMED. I AM REPORTING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT SEVERAL OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I LOVE MY TRUCK, BUT, IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED I FEEL DODGE SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE BEFORE PEOPLE ARE HURT OR KILLED. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET THESE VEHICLES REPAIRED.

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK *MR

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 AND I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS (UPPER AND LOWER) AND TIE RODS REPLACED AT 67,000 MILES. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE I WAS HAVING BRAND NEW TIRES INSTALLED, AND WHEN NEW TIRES ARE INSTALLED I FIGURED IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET AN ALIGNMENT AS WELL. THE MECHANICE SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE THE TRUCK AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS WERE TOO LOOSE - AND THIS IS A VERY REPUTABLE MECHANIC HERE IN TOWN, SO I KNEW I WASN'T GETTING TAKEN FOR A RIDE. SO, FOR A COST OF $1,052 I HAD TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DID SAY IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AS OF YET, BUT AFTER SEEING IN THE NEWS RECENTLY WITH ALL THE OTHER DAKOTAS/DURANGOS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, I WONDER HOW MUCH LONGER I COULD HAVE GONE BEFORE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, SO I'M GLAD I HAD THEM REPLACED, BUT AM THINKING THE TRUCK SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE JOINTS REPLACED NOT WITH THE SAME JOINTS, BUT WITH A BETTER DESIGNED ONE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. DEALER DETERMINED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT AND REPLACED THEM. *AK