1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *SCC *JB

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA.( SAME SUSPENSION AS DURANGO).I WAS ADVISED BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS, LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE IDLER ARM WERE SEVERLY WARN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE DIASSEMBLING ALL JOINTS DID COME APART. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE HAD 73,778 MILES ON IT. 99 PERCENT OF THESE MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES, AND I WAS SURPRISED AND IRRITATED THAT THEY HAD WORN OUT SO SOON, ALSO GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT CAUGHT IT PRIOR TO THE BALL JOINT SEPARATING. *AK

1999 DOGE DAKOTA. ONLY 44,000 MILES. NEEDS BOTH FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED WITH ALIGNMENT. BEEN TOLD NUMEROUS DAKOTAS HAVE THIS "PROBLEM"

VEHICLE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT HAS A FAILURE, THAT CAUSE THE" VEHICLE TO BOUNCE" WHILE DRIVING PER CONSUMER.

I NOTICE TODAY AN INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA OF COMPLAINTS ON DODGE DURANGO UPPER BALL JOINTS. I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA AND HAVE REPLACED SAME AT 48,000 MILES (AT MY OWN EXPENSE). THIS TRUCK IS THE PICKUP VERSION OF THE DURANGO. THE TRUCK STILL EXHIBITS NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS LOSS OF TRACKING AND CONTROL WHEN NEGOTIATING TURNS ON BUMPY ROADS. EXAMPLE IS THE ON-RAMP TO THE VERRAZZANO NARROWS BRIDGE (I-278), BROOKLYN SIDE. THE TRUCK WILL JUMP LANES AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH. NOT GOOD.

1999 DODGE DAKOTA P/U LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED AT 34000 MILES. ON REMOVAL AND INSPECTION THE PART CONTAINED LUBE WHICH HAD BROKEN DOWN AND SOLIDIFIED.THE BALL AND SOCKET WERE BADLY WORN ALMOST TO THE POINT OF SEPARATION. THIS IS A SEALED AND LIFETIME LUBED PART WITH NO PROVISIONS FOR RELUBE.

SEEMS LIKE THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE DAKOTA'S AND BRAKE ROTORS IS A NEVER ENDING BATTLE. I REPLACED MY MYSELF BACK IN MARCH AFTER THE DEALER DIDN'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT DISC ROTORS ON THE DAKOTA'S. I ALSO HAD THE ROTORS TURNED 6 MONTHS PRIOR BEFORE I REPLACED THEM. EVEN THE GUY THAT TURNED THE ROTORS TOLD ME THAT THE STOCK ROTORS ON THE DAKOTA'S WERE JUNK.NOW 4 MONTHS AFTER REPLACING THEM THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THET ARE WARPED AGAIN. SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET CHRYSLER (DODGE) TO OWN UP THAT THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE ROTORS ON THEIR DAKOTA'S. ALSO AFTER READING SOME OTHER FORUMS I FIND THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM.*AK

THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DIDN'T PASS AN EMISSION TEST. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *CB *NLM

THE SEAT BELT LATCHING MECHANISM STOPPED WORKING, IT WILL NOT LATCH ANYMORE. UPON CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIPS PARTS DEPARTMENT TO ORDER NEW OEM SEAT BELT LATCH ASSEMBLIES I LEARNED THAT THIS PART FOR THIS TRUCK IS ON A "NATIONAL BACK-ORDER" WITH NO EXPECTED SHIP DATE. THIS SEEMS TO INFER THAT THIS PART IS IN HIGH DEMAND, THUS MEANING THERE IS MOST LIKELY A PROBLEM THAT ORIGINATES AT THE MANUFACTURER. THIS LATCH ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN INOPERABLE ON MY TRUCK FOR ALMOST (1) YEAR NOW, AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE OEM PART FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. THEY WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE STEERING KNUCKLE. PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK