1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

PREMATURE BALL JOINT FAILURE ON 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST OF 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS. *JB

DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT BOTH BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS ARE DANGEROUSLY LOOSE AND NEED REPLACED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 04V596000 SPECIFIES MANUFACTURE DATE FROM 01/07/1999 - 12/31/2002. MY TRUCK WAS BUILD IN MARCH OF 1999. THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT I GOT LUCKY AND MY TRUCK DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL, YET I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 VIN #[XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

SAFETY RECALL NHTSA ID 04V-596 NOT HONORED DODGE OF BELLEVUE 316 116 AVE N.E BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON 98004 (425) 454-8411 LUKE BLACKWELL (425) 454 8411 GENERAL MANAGER FAILED TO HONOR RECALL EVEN THOUGH HIS MECHANIC STATED THERE IS A FRONT END BALL JOINT PROBLEM WITH MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA VIN [XXX]. MECHANIC STATES- INNER TIE RODS HAVE EXCESSIVE PLAY. REC REPLACE LEFT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT HAS EXCESSIVE PLAY. REC REPLACE .DODGE OF BELLEVUE INVOICE [XXX]. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION CONVENIENTLY REPORTS TO THE DEALERS ADVANTAGE THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN SPECIFICATION INVOICE [XXX]- PLEASE CHECK AND MEASURE ALL 4 BALL JOINTS AND ADVISE NEED TO CONTACT CHRYSLER UPON INSPECTION WITH MEASUREMENTS. CHECK ALL 4 BALL JOINT ALL WITH SPECS -LEFT FRONT UPPER .010'' -LOWER .05'' RIGHT UPPER .020'' LOWER .010 ALL WITH IN SPC'S RIGHT FRONT UPPER HAS THE MOST MOVEMENT BUT IS WITH IN SPECS. FILE # WITH CHRYSLER IS [XXX]. I FEEL THAT CHRYSLER IS PLAYING A NUMBERS GAME WITH ME - I WANT CHRYSLER TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I AM ON MY SECOND SET OF HAVING TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA AT 89,000 MILES. I KNOW THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL OF DODGE DAKOTA'S AND DURANGO'S, AND THEY WERE FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE 4WD MODELS OF 2000-2003. MINE, HOWEVER, IS A 1999 2WD MODEL, AND THE BALL JOINTS ARE NO BETTER ON MINE. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE MY TRUCK CHECKED ENOUGH THAT MY WHEELS HAVEN'T FALLEN OFF YET, BUT I WAS TOLD RECENTLY I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN. I'M SICK OF PAYING FOR THESE, AND DODGE NEEDS TO FINALLY ADMIT THEIR BIG SCREW UPS ON THESE. *JB

VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A MECHANIC FOR INTERMITTENT BRAKE NOISE. WHILE CHECKING VEHICLE BRAKES, MECHANIC NOTICED BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS NEARLY PULLED THROUGH SPINDLE. UPPER JOINTS WERE VISIBLY LOOSE WITH EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT (FACTORY SPEC IS .060"; MECHANIC FOUND .125"). VEHICLE HAD STEERED AND DRIVEN NORMALLY BUT COULD HAVE HAD MAJOR SUSPENSION FAILURE WITHOUT GIVING ANY SIGN TO OPERATOR THAT THERE IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. VEHICLE HAS 'LOW' (65K) MILES FOR SEVEN YEAR OLD VEHICLE AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. FAILED JOINTS ARE NOT SERVICEABLE-SEALED FOR LIFE- A VERY SHORT LIFE, AND CANNOT BE LUBRICATED. DESIGN OF SUSPENSION COMPONENTS' IS POOR RESULTING IN WEAR THAT IS EXCESSIVE. NO WARNING THAT FAILURE IS IMMINENT CAUSING POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V596000, REGARDING THE UPPER BALL JOINT; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

I HAD BOUGHT MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA IN 2001, LESS THAN 1 YEAR OF PURCHASING THIS TRUCK, I LOST OIL PRESSURE, RETURNED THE TRUCK TO DEALER WHERE THEY TRIED TO REPLACE MY MOTOR WITH A MOTOR THAT HAD MORE MILES, THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. THEN ANOTHER YEAR LATER, GEARS IN MY TRANSMISSION WERE SPENT WHERE I HAD TO PAY A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. TRUCK HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A YEAR, CAUSE OF ENGINE KNOCKING AGAIN, WITH NO OIL PRESSURE, ALSO REPLACED THE OIL PUMP, STILL NO PRESSURE. NEW CONVERTER WAS PUT IN, STILL GOOD!! BRAKES AND ROTORS ARE ANOTHER BIG COMPLAINT OF MINE, WHEN I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY REPLACE THESE PARTS, LIKE EVERY 6 MONTHS, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY? I USED TO LOVE DODGE, BUT THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN A 1 BIG HEADACHE, EVEN PARKED, CAUSE I KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE COSTLY TO REPAIR IT AGAIN. *JB

THIS WEB SITE UNDER VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE THE CORRECT CHOICES FOR A 98 DODGE DAKOTA 2 DOOR CLUB CAB TRUCK - MANUFACTURER CHRYSLER 2 ISSUE 1 - DESIGN FLAW IN THE BALL JOINTS OF THE DADGE DAKOTA TRUCKS A) WE REPLACED THEM APRIL 2003 COST TO US $1107.89 B) TV SPECIAL AIRED ABOUT DEFECTS DEC 2003 AND DEC 2004 C) LOOKING FOR REIMBERSMENT - OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE 2 - CATALYTIC CONVERTER A) HAVING OUR THIRD CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED - KNOWN DEFECT BUT CHRYSLER WILL NOT COVER THE COST. REPLACEMENT SCHEDULED FOR 3/28/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55MPH, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE SIDEWALLS SHREDDED ON EACH SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRE IS GOODYEAR. THE BRAND NAME IS WRANGLER. *AK

WHEN PUTTING HEATER ON THE VENT SETTING THE ELECTRIC LOCKS, THE DOME LIGHTS AND THE 4 WAY FLASHERS START BLINKING, HAD CENTRAL TIMER MODULE REPLACED, STILL IS DOING SAME THING. *NM