2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE HAVING VEHICLE SERVICED FOR A BRAKE ISSUE DEALERSHIP NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY, AND THE TIE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE. DEALERSHIP COULD ONLY REPLACE THE UPPER BALL JOINT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE THE LOWER ONCE DUE TO PART BEING ON BACK ORDER. *AK

PREMATURE FAILURE OF UPPER LOWER BALL JOINTS. THIS STARTED AT 20K AT WHICH TIME I BROUGHT IT INTO A DEALERSHIP, BUT THE "FRONT END" GUY WAS SICK THAT DAY (HOW CONVIENT), SO NO ONE WOULD LOOK AT THE TRUCK. VERY LOUD POPPING NOISE FROM FRONT END ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED ON ICY CONDITIONS. WHEN TURNING SHARP THE WHEEL FEELS AS IF ITS ABOUT TO COLAPES UNDER ITSELF. VERY DANGEROUS. NOW THAT IM OVER THE 36K WARRENTY DODGE TELLS ME I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A DODGE AGAIN. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING CONDITION SHOULD IT FAIL. I HAVE CHILDREN AND NO LONGER FEEL SAFE TRANSPORTING THEM IN THIS VEHICLE. I CANNOT EVEN TRADE IT IN UNTILL I FIX IT AS ALL THE OTHER CAR DEALERS ARE QUITE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT....HELP PLEASE!!!*AK

THE BRAKES ON MY TRUCK STARTED PULSATING AT AROUND 13000 MILES. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO ASK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THE BRAKES NEED A CHECKUP BUT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY SO THEY'LL HAVE TO CHARGE ME FOR EVERYTHING. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. THE TRUCK STARTS TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE ALMOST VIOLENTLY WHEN LIGHT BRAKING PRESSURE IS APPLIED. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING MY BRAKES/ROTOR REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR TIRES TO BE SERVICED. MECHANIC NOTICED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. ALSO, CONSUMER REMEMBERED HEARING A NOISE WHEN TURNING CORNERS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE WENT TO ONE SIDE AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE CONSUMER WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS IN THE COLLISION. THE CAUSE OF THE COLLISION WAS THE SPINDLE AND THE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB *MR

2002 DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK WITH 29,600 MILES LOOSING FRONT STEERING STABILITY AND FRONT END RATTLING. CHECK WITH LOCAL MECHANIC REVEALS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT UPPER BALLJOINTS FAILING AND NEED TO REPLACED ASAP TO PREVENT WHEEL FAILURE. ALSO TIRES WEARING OUT. DODGE CONTACTED, NO RECALL YET???

2002 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB IS MAKING CLANKING, CREAKING NOISES WHILE TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS AT 46K MILES. HAS BEEN MAKING THIS NOISE SINCE 40K MILES. FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEMS WITH OTHER DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS. VERY CONCERNED AND SUSPICOUS.

2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB HAS HAD GRINDING/JUMPING/BUMPING CONDITION WHEN BRAKING SINCE 4/03 @UNDER 24K MILES. PRIVATE MECHANIC HAS CHECKED BRAKES TWICE FOR THIS AND HAS FOUND NO PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM BRAKES. CONDITION PERSISTS, AND AM WARY OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL AND BALL JOINT WEAR. IS DODGE COVERING THIS AS A WARRANTY REPAIR NOW OR NOT?

I OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. AT 27,000 MILES, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS. THEY ALSO WORKED ON THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. AT 34,000 MILES THEY REPLACED THREE BALL JOINTS AND WORKED ON THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. AT 42,000 MILES THEY REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND WORKED ON THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. AT 49,000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE WHEEL BEARINGS IN THE PASSENGER SIDE. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS. I HAVE HEARD NOISES AND TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP OR MY MECHANIC. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING IT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT ANYMORE. I THINK THEY HAVE SOME SERIOUS FRONT END PROBLEMS THAT THEY SHOULD BE ADDRESSING. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE FOOTING THE BILL FOR IT. I AM ALSO VERY UPSET THAT THE DEALERSHIP AND DODGE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND CHOSE TO BLAME THEM ON OTHER CONDITIONS CAUSED BY THE OWNER.*AK

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE DOKOTA SXT 2WD THAT HAS A CLUNKING SOUND SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH I HAVE HEARD DESCRIBED IN REGARD TO A FRONT BALL JOINT PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKING WITH OTHER PERSONS WHO ALSO HAVE 2WD DAKOTAS AND HAVE HED TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS WELL BEFORE THEY SHOULD BE. I CURRENTLY HAVE 43,00 MILES ON THE VEHICLE BUT THE CLUNK HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES AND I WAS HOPING THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL BEFORE I HAVE IT FIXED. I HAVE NO RIDE OR HANDLEING PROBLEMS BUT JUST THE CLUNK WHEN I GO OVER AN OBJECT OR ONTO A SIDEWALK TO PARK. *AK