1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I WAS ADVISED TODAY THAT MY 1998 DAKOTA IS PLAGUED WITH THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE GARBAGE AT ABOUT 75,000. FORTUNATELY I DROVE MY WIFE'S CAR BY A STROKE OF LUCK AND THEY GAVE ME A LOT OF NOISE. SO I CAUGHT IT BEFORE A WHEEL FELL OFF. DODGE SHOULD BE RECALLING OR AT LEAST REPLACING FREE OF CHARGE ALL BALL JOINTS THAT FAILED. NOT JUST THE 2000-2003 MODEL NUMBERS.*JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA, WHOSE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BROKE OFF DUE TO DEFECTIVE WELDING. THE CONTACT'S DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND NOT REPAIRABLE. PER THE CONTACT, THE LOWER SUSPENSION BOLTS FELL OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THERE WAS NO COLLISION AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. *AK UPDATED 2/2/2007 - *NM

AROUND 60,000 MILES I WAS LEFT STRANDED AFTER THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE REPAIR COST OVER 700 DOLLARS PLUS THE COST OF THE TOW. AT 90,000 MILE THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TRUCK QUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR INTERSECTION UP TRAFFIC AND PUTTING MY LIFE AT RISK. THIS TIME THE REPAIR COST 777.00 DOLLARS PLUS THE COST OF THE TOW. I DON'T FEEL THAT A FUEL PUMP SHOULD FAIL SO OFTEN. ESPECIALLY A SUCH GREAT COST FOR REPAIR. *NM

OUR TRUCK'S PAINT IS FLAKING. WE WANT DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO RE-PAINT OUR TRUCK. WE FOUND OUT FROM OUR INSURANCE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE AND SCREWUP. OUR ROOF AND HOOD ARE FLAKING AND IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF SOON IT IS GOING TO RUST. WE HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER TRUCKS IN OUR AREA THAT IS IN THE SAME YEAR MODEL RANGE IS DOING THE SAME AS OURS WITH THE PAINT. WHAT IS THE DEAL? *NM

BALL JOINTS SEPERATED...COSTING ME OVER $1000 IN REPAIRS...AND NOW THEY HAVE FAILED AGAIN....ALSO CONTROL ARM BUSHING IS FAILING. *JB

CLEAR COAT ON PAINT IS FLAKING OFF OF TRUCK ON THE HOOD, TOP OF CAB, TOP OF TAILGATE AND BED OF TRUCK. THIS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE RESULT OF THIS IS BECAUSE DODGE DID NOT ALLOW THE PAINT TO DRY BEFORE CONTINUING ASSEMBLY. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE TIRES ARE AIRED UP THEY SLOWLY DEFLATE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04T001000, REGARDING THE TIRES. THE TIRES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE SERIAL NUMBER. UPDATED 4/11/2006 - *NM

WE OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4. IT CURRENTLY HAS 144K KILOMETERS. WE JUST INSTALLED OUR 3RD SET OF UPPER BALL JOINTS, AND HAVE REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS TWICE. WE EXPECT TO REPLACE THE LOWERS AGAIN BEFORE NEXT YEAR. WE KNOW WHEN THE JOINTS NEED REPLACING, WHEN THE VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP WITHIN A LANE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING. I SEE FROM THE INTERNET THAT CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR 2000 AND LATER MODELS. THIS IS INSUFFICIENT, AS MANY PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE IN MODELS AS LATE AS 1996. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY, ONE PERSON OR FAMILY GETTING KILLED BY THIS DEFECT FOR THERE TO BE AN OFFICIAL RECALL IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. OUR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE IS PAID BY OUR COMPANY, HOWEVER A FAMILY THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT ON A REGULAR BASIS, MAY BE PUTTING THEMSELVES IN JEOPARDY. *NM

STEERING WON'T TURN AT ALL WHEN COLD, UNTIL IT WARMS FULLY IT'S HARD TO TURN. I'VE NOTICED THIS ON 2 OTHER 98 DODGE DAKOTAS I LOOKED AT. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES EVERY YEAR WHEN HE TAKES VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED THEY INFORM HIM THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE REPLACEMENT TAKES PLACE APPROXIMATELY EVERY 20, 000-25,000 MILES. A LOCAL MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE BALL JOINTS THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *AK