2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE EXHIBITING PREMATURE SIGNS OF FAILURE AT 10,000 MILES LOAD POPPING SOUNDS WHEN TURNING AND BRAKING. VEHICLE NOW HAS 23,000 MILES AND IS SHOWING SIGNS OF STEERING VIBRATIONS. WHY HAVEN'T THE DAKOTA MODELS BEEN INCLUDED WITH THE DURANGO SUSPENSION ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION. THERE ARE ALMOST 100 COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE? *JB

I OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 40,385 MILES. AFTER SEEING A PIECE ON CBS ABOUT THE UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEMS, I HAD MY TRUCK CHECKED AT THE DEALER. BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $384.55. UPON GOING TO THIS SITE I SAW AN OPEN INVESTIGATION SO, DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT HOPING TO EVENTUALLY HAVE A RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. *NLM

WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND WOULD MOSTLY OCCUR IN TRAFFIC. *SCC *JB

I AM OWNER OF A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB PICK-UP WITH DEFECTIVE FRONT BALL JOINTS. I HAVE NOTICED NOISE FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO DEALER. EVEN TOOK THE SHOP FORMAN ON ROAD TEST AND HE ALSO HEARD THE NOISE I WAS EXPERIENCING. THEN THE DEALER BLAMED IT ON THE SIDE BARS THAT I HAD PREVIOSLY INSTALLED. (THE NOISE WAS THERE BEFORE THE THE BARS WERE INSTALLED). NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND. I AM A EXPERIENCED MECHANIC BY TRADE AND I KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT I AM DRIVING A POTENTIAL TIME BOMB JUST LIKE THE DURANGO'S WHICH SHARE THE SAME FRONT SUSPENSION THAT ARE HAVING CRITICAL BALLJOINT FAILURES WHICH THERE IS NOW A CLASS ACTION LAW SIUTE IN PROCESS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL INITIATED BECAUSE LIVES ARE IN DANGER!*AK

PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR FILLS WITH WATER UNTIL IT WICKS THROUGH THE CARPET COMPLETELY SATURATING THE AREA. *AK

WHEN DRIVING BRAKES LOCKED UP, AND VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION. THEN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB PICK-UP WITH 26,465 MILES. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO DIAGNOSE A CLANKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING THEY DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM ON THE FIRST VISIT, I RETURNED FOR A SECOND VISIT AND I IDENTIFIED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AS THE PROBLEM, THEY CHECKED THEM AND AGREED. THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY. AFTER READING A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON DIFFERENT WEB SITES THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS. HOW ABOUT A RECALL! (PREMATURE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR FAILURES IS ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM ON BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES. MINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 26,120 MILES AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.) *LA

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS. HAD A SEVERE PULSATION WHEN BRAKING AT APPROXIMATELY. 26,000 MILES. DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT COVERED ON THE 3YEAR/36,000 BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, BRAKES WERE ONLY COVERED FOR 1YEAR/12,000. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MEINEKE SHOP AT 26,120 MILES AND THEY TOLD ME THE ROTORS WERE TOO DEEPLY PITTED TO BE RESURFACED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PADS STILL HAD PLENTY OF LIFE, ALMOST LIKE NEW. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE PADS AND ROTORS WHICH COST ME $275.35. I BELIEVE THESE ROTORS FAILED PREMATURELY AND CAUSED EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *LA

WE OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB TRUCK. IT'S GETTING READY TO BE TAKEN BACK INTO THE SHOP FOR A BALL-JOINT PROBLEM WE SUPPOSEDLY ALREADY HAD FIXED. WE PURCHASED THIS DODGE TRUCK AS OUR MAIN FAMILY VEHICLE. HOW CAN I FEEL SAFE TRANSPORTING MY FAMILY IN A VEHICLE THAT COULD HAVE A TIRE COLLAPSE AT ANY TIME? I'VE RESEARCHED INFORMATION ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM AND AM DISTURBED TO FIND OUT THAT IT'S HAPPENING TO A LOT OF VEHICLE OWNERS. FOR MOST OF US, A VEHICLE IS ONE OF THE MOST COSTLY PURCHASES WE MAKE IN OUR LIFETIMES... HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR DAIMLER/CHRYSLER/DODGE TO STOP SWEEPING THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE RUG AND TAKE THE SAFETY OF ALL PASSENGERS SERIOUSLY? *LA

2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB V8 CURRENTLY WITH 45, 000 MILES. FIRST NOTICED STEERING PROBLEMS AT 18,000 MILES. THE TRUCK MAKES NOISE OVER BUMPS AND WHEN TURNING. BROUGHT TRUCK IN FOR SEAT REPAIR AND TO CHECK STEERING AT 35,000 MILES. MECHANIC PERFORMED FRONT END ALIGNMENT. PROBLEMS STILL PERSISTED. ALSO, THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AT 18,000 MILES AND CAUSED A PULSATING FEEL IN THE PEDAL. THE TRUCK NOW FEELS AS IF IT WILL FALL APART OVER BUMPS AND FEELS AS IF I WILL LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WARRANTY IS NOW EXPIRED BUT I NEED THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I HAVE READ OF MANY COMPLAINTS IN DODGE TRUCKS AS WELL AS THEIR CARS OF PREMATURE STEERING FAILURE. *LA