2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEN, AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

OH WHERE TO START? FIRST THE BRAKES AND ROTORS SEEM TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. MINE ARE ALSO BAD. 20,000 MILES SHREDDED AND HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS AT MY EXPENSE. THEY CANNOT SUPPORT THE WAIT OF A 5.9 L V8 QUAD CAB. DODGE NEEDS TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM SWIFTLY. CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN EXACTLY FRIENDLY ON THIS MATTER. LIKE ALL THE TESTIMONIES I HAVE READ THEY SEEM TO GET THE SAME ATTITUDE " OH WELL, ITS YOUR PROBLEM." ALSO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING FROM 1ST T0 2ND IS ROUGH. DEALER HAS CHECKED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY SAME EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. ALSO WHEN SERVICING FRONT BRAKES I FOUND THE CALIPER PIN WAS STRIP. SO MUCH FOR HARDENED STEEL. ALSO I HAD SOME BAD TREAD WEAR ON THE GOODYEAR WRANGLER RTS TIRES. DEALER TOLD THE WERE OK. SAID IT WAS CALLED SECOND TREAD WEAR. SECOND TREAD FROM OUTBOARD OF TIRE WAS BALD ALL OTHER WERE OK. IT WOULD BE NICE FOR DODGE TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS WHEN I BRING MY CAR TO THEM, BUT I DO LIKE THE WAY THE DEALER CLEANS MY CAR EVERYTIME. *AK

FAILURE IS IN PROGRESS! MY UPPER LEFT BALL JOINT ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA IS LOOSE!! THE DEALER TELLS ME IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM [40,000 MILES ON VEHICLE], THAT THE PART IS ON BACKORDER, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL GET MOTE PARTS. EVERYWHERE I HAVE LOOK, BOTH AUTO PARTS STORES AND ONLINE, IT IS THE SAME STORY..THEY EITHER TELL ME IT IS A DEALER ITEM OR THAT THEY ARE OUT OF STOCK. I DRIVE A MINIMUM OF 60 MILES A DAY, AND I CAN'T BUY THE PART TO REPAIR THIS!! HOW CAN THIS BE? WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR THE WEAR ON MY TIRES? WHERE AND WHEN CAN I GET A NEW QUAILITY PART?..NOT THE PIECE OF CRAP DODGE PUTS ON !!!

WHEN TURNING LEFT, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE VEHICLE WAS DUE FOR AN INSPECTION AT 30000 MILES. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC *JB

AT 42,000 MILES NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE DURING SHARP TURNS OVER BUMPS AT LOW SPEEDS. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THAT BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF ~$500. WILL BE HAVING BOTH BALL JOINTS REPLACED AND WILL REQUEST THAT THE DEFECTIVE PARTS BE SAVED.*AK

CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TURNING, DRIVING OVER ANY IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD ,OR ANY FRONT END MOVEMENT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY NOTICED THAT THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT WORE OUT PREMATURELY, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD-CAB 4X4 THE UPPER AND LOWER BALLJOINTS IN THE FRONT END SEEM TO BE LOOSE AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE POPPING NOISES WHEN I HIT DIPS/BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR TURN SHARP. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN TURNING CORNERS, HIT BUMPS, OR SIMPLY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS A DISTINCT CRUNCHING SOUND IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT.*AK DEALER REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *LA

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS DUE TO CORROSION. *NM CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED AS WELL. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO DODGE DURANGO SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE. *LA

CONSUMER SAW AN ADVERTISEMENT CONCERNING BALL JOINTS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. *AK *LA