2001 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA 2X4 WITH 38,000 MILES. BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE BAD. THIS IS THE SAME BALL JOINT THAT IS IN THE DURANGO. I WORK AT A SMALL FAMILY OWNED TIRE STORE. I HAVE REPLACED MANY, MANY, MANY SETS OF DODGE DURANGO/DAKOTA UPPER BALL JOINTS OVER THE LAST YEAR. 90% OF THEM GO BAD BEFORE THE VEHICLE REACHES 100,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE. ALL DISTRIBUTORS ARE BACK ORDERED ON THE PARTS SO I CAN NOT EVEN GET THE PARTS TO REPAIR MY OWN DAKOTA. I HAVE HEARD THROUGH OUR PARTS DISTRIBUTORS THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY. THESE BALL JOINTS ARE NOT SAFE! THEY DEVELOP EXTENSIVE PLAY IN THE SOCKET PART OF THE JOINT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE ONLY SAVING GRACE IS THAT THEY USUALLY START TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE (A POPPING OR SQUEAKING SOUND WHEN THE SUSPENSION FLEXES) BEFORE THEY FALL OUT. THE SOUND USUALLY SCARES PEOPLE INTO HAVE IT CHECKED. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE ONLY REASON THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD MORE FALL APART AND CAUSE A WREAK. WES CAMPBELL. *LA

WARPING OF BRAKE ROTORS ON DODGE DAKOTAS. I'VE OWNED 2 DAKOTAS - BOTH HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ROTORS WARPING AT LOW MILEAGE WITH LIGHT USE. *LA

THERE IS TERRIBLE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF MY 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUADCAB. DEALER GREASED BUSHINGS BUT NOISE IS BACK AND WORSE THAN EVER!!!!!!!!!!!*AK

APPROX 30,000 MILES ROTORS WARPED, DURING STOPPING STEARING WHEEL VIBRATED SO BAD IT WAS HARD TO HANG ON TO IT, THE DEALER TURNED THEM. AT 60,000 ROTORS WARPED AGAIN, HAD THEM REPLACED. AT 70,000 MILES THE FRONT END STARTED MAKING A CREAKING NOISE WHENEVER GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP AND PULLED TO ONE SIDE. HAD IT INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY WARN AND COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME. UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED, 4 SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED. THE DAKOTA AND DURANGO FRONT END COMPONENTS NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR EARLY FAILURE BEFORE THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND/OR DEATH.*AK

LOWER CONTROL ARM PASSENGER SIDE RUBBER BUSHINGS WORN OUT CAUSING LOWER CONTROL ARM AND FRAME MOUNT TO CONTACT EACH OTHER. WHICH CAUSES MISALIGNMENT OF FRONT END AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR.*AK

ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8 2003 I WAS GOING THROUGH A INTERSECTION AT APPROX. 10 MPH, I HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW MY TIRE IS ALMOST LAYING FLAT ON THE GROUND. I CANNOT BELIEVE A VEHICLE WITH 31,900 MILES THE UPPER BALL JOINT WOULD COMPLETELY COME APPART. I CANNOT IMAGINE IF YOU WERE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS HAPPENED, DODGE HAS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK

UPPER BALLJOINT DEFECTIVE 35000 MILES CHRYSLER WOULD NOT REPLACE. THIS FOUND WHEN A ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. I REPLACED BOTH BALLJOINTS. I HAVE ALL BILLS AND DEFECTIVE PARTS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE WOULD BE HEAVY VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE WEARING OUT. *AK

2001 DODGE DAKOTA SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE GEAR AND WAS CIRCLING OUT OF CONTROL.*MR THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STRUCK A CONCRETE MEDIAN AND STOPPED. THE DRIVESHAFT AND OTHER PARTS UNDER THE VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THE GEAR SELECTOR JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. THIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO MAROONE/DODGE SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED WHERE IT SAT TO THIS DAY. CONSUMER STATED IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM SINCE THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS. THEY HAVEN'T OBTAINED NO INFORMATION ON THEIR VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE A/C ONLY WORKED ON HIGH DUE TO A FAULTY BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. THE POWER STEERING MADE NOISE INTERMITTENTLY. THE GAS CAP WAS LOOSE WHICH CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE DRIVER SEAT HANDLE CAME APART *PH *NLM

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA WITH THE LEFT SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT WORE OUT. I HAVE ONLY 36400 MILES ON THE TRUCK AND SAW A NEWS REPORT ON TV ABOUT THE BALL JOINTS AND INSPECTED MY TRUCK AND TO MY SHOCK SURE ENOUGH I JACKED THE TIRE UP AND IT HAS LOTS OF PLAY. SO MUCH PLAY IM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IF I WOULD HAVE NOT SEEN THIS NEWS REPORT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THIS CAME APART. SO NOW I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIX IT. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY TRUCK LIKE THIS. I THEN DID SOME MORE INVESTIGATING ON THE INTERNET AND TO MY SUPPRISE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. YOU WOULD THINK DODGE WOULD HAVE NOTICED THIS BY NOW. THE THING THAT SCARES ME IS THAT MY 2 YEAR OLD SON HAS RIDDEN IN THE TRUCK WITH ME A LOT. IF THOSE BALL JOINTS WOULD HAVE FAILED GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT 55 MPH WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO US. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE PEOPLE START GETTING HURT.*AK