1997 Dodge Dakota complaints

FAILURE OF UPPER BALL JOINTS AT APPROX. 80000 MILES. FAILURE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE OFSEVERE FRONT TIRE WEAR. HAD UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT TIRE WEAR. TOOK TRUCK TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT I HAD TO HAVE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ALSO BECAUSE "YOU NEVER JUST REPLACE THE UPPER, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE LOWER ONE'S ALSO" THIS CORRECTED THE TIRE WEAR PROBLEMS. THE DATES ARE ESTIMATES, I WOULD HAVE TO SEARCH THRU MY RECORDS OR THE RECORDS OF THE DODGE DEALERS FOR EXACT DATES. I KEEP ALL THE PAPER WORK, SO A SEARCH IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. VIN IS AVAILABLE, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT HERE AT WORK.*AK

MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA HAS HAD TO HAVE BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES, TWICE SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 1999. *AK

REPLACE BOTH SIDES OF UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AT 60K AND 120K DESPITE USING THE BEST GREASE IN THEM SYNTHETIC. I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SEAT BACK BEFORE SINCE NEW IT FALLS BACK. FRONT BUCKET. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT TWICE. *AK

LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLY AT 40000 MILES ALSO ALL RUBBER SEALS ON TOP AND ON ALL STEERING ARMS ARE GONE, TRUCK HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THEY WOULD ONLY REPLY THE LOWER JOINTS BECAUSE THEY WERE READY TO FAIL, WARRANTY COMPANY WOULD NOT REPLACE UPPER BALL JOINTS OR ANY OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DRY AND WILL PROBABLY FAIL WITH-IN THE NEXT 5000 MILES/ TRUCK HAD ONLY 100 MILES LEFT ON WARRANTY... ALSO HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE CATALITIC CONVERTER REPL 3 TIMES. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS AT A DEAD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK *SCC *JB

WE HAD TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS ON OUR '97 DODGE DAKOTA AFTER 49,000 MILES BECAUSE IT BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE OUR TRUCK. THIS ALSO AFFECTED THE WEAR OF OUR TIRES WHICH WE HAD TO REPLACE AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO, THE BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED RIGHT, THEY WERE REPLACED AT JUST OVER 30,000 MILES. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS WE HAD REPLACED. IDEALLY, WE'D LIKE TO ALSO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE PREMATURE WEAR ON THE TIRES, BUT REALIZE THAT MIGHT BE ASKING TOO MUCH. HOW DO WE FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME PART OF THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST DAIMLER-CHRYSLER? (IT WAS STILL DODGE WHEN WE BOUGHT THE DAKOTA) FORTUNATELY, MY HUSBAND WAS AWARE OF THE DANGER THE BALL JOINTS CREATED AND WE HAD THEM REPLACED BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HELP! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *LA

1997 DODGE DAKOTA, VIN#[XXX]: DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 8000 MILES. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED @ 30,000MI, BUT NOT DONE UNTIL 55,668MI. 2ND SET WORE BEYOND .19" 8000MI LATER. LITHIA DODGE'S REMARKS: NOT LIFE THREATENING, JUST KEEP THEM GREASED.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, A V8 ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I NOTICED MY FRONT TIRES WEARING ON THE INSIDE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER ON 12-20-01. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED LOWER BALL JOINT AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS. ON 1-31-03 I RETURNED TO THE DEALER COMPLAINING OF A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, AGAIN I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED LOWER BALL JOINTS AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS. NOW I AM NOTICING THE TIRES WEARING ON THE INSIDE AGAIN AND THE DEALER TELLS ME IT AGAIN NEEDS UPPER BALL JOINTS BUT THAT THE NEW REDESIGNED PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THESE FAILURES HAVE HAPPENED AT TEN THOUSAND MILE INTERVALS, THE FIRST REPAIR WAS AT 46,261 THE SECOND AT 56,125 AND NOW IT HAS 67,261 MILES ON IT. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND IS USED AS A DAILY COMMUTER VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM AT 46,261 MILES IS EARLY FOR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE BUT I GUESS IT COULD HAPPEN HOWEVER TWO MORE TIMES IN 21,000 MILES IS PREMATURE FAILURE. I'VE WORKED IN THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR BUSINESS FOR TWENTY FIVE YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM ON MY OWN VEHICLES WHICH ARE METICULUSLY MAINTAINED. THIS IS DEFINATELY A SAFTEY ISSUE AS THIS CAN CAUSE SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE.*AK

GLASS IN REARVIEW MIRRORS CRACKED. *LA

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE WORN PREMATURELY (36000 MILES) AND ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT SAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITHOUT REPLACING THEM. DODGE NEEDS TO GET A HANDLE ON THIS BEFORE ANY ACCIDENTS OCCUR. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS, A NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS A NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS EXPERIENCED PREMATURE WEAR. AS A RESULT, THE BALL JOINTS PRODUCED A GRINDING NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB *MR

THREADS ON SPINDLE WERE CORRODED AND STRIPPED.*MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE ON HIS VEHICLE. *CB *JB

TIMING CHAIN BROKE. IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO VALVES AND HEAD.*JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TRANSMISSION FLUID PROBLEM. SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER HAD TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY YEAR. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED TO WORK AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP AND BROKE INTO THREE PIECES. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. *AK

UPPER BALL JOINT WORE OUT PREMATURELY AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT, PER DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS KEPT IN THE GARAGE WITH ONLY 50K MILES AND THE CONSUMER DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE HAD EXPENSIVE FAILURES. *PH *JB

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH IN THE RAIN DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A UTILITY POLE HEAD ON. FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE DRIVERS NOSE WAS BRUISED. PASSENGER'S HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD. PASSENGER'S FACE WAS BRUISED AND WINDSHIELD CRACKED. *AK

FRONT END SUSPENSION FAILED, AND CAUSED THE THREAD ON THE TIE ROD TO BECOME WEAK. THE THREADS APPEARED CORRODED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *CB *JB

LOW OIL PRESSURE AT IDLE SPEEDS. ACCORDING TO DEALER, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 5.2L V8 ENGINE. FIX IS TO REPLACE THE OIL PUMP AND OIL SENDING UNITAT A COST OF OVER $800.00.*AK

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA EXTRA CAB. IT CONSTANLY LEAKS WATER ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS, SOAKING THE CARPET.MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORT THIS PROBLEM TOO. ALSO THE DRIVERS SEATBACK WILL NOT LOCK. WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKE,THE BACK OF THE SEAT RECLINES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT.*AK

DEALER REPLACED UPPER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINTS AT 35000 MILES, AGAIN WAS REPLACED AT 80000. DEALER KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF THE BALL JOINTS, BUT CLAIMED THEY WERE STILL GOOD AND CONSUMER COULD STILL DRIVE ALTHOUGH THE BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT PREMATURELY.

I OWN A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT PICKUP. IT IS A 4X4 WITH A 318CID ENGINE AND AUTO. TRANS. AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES, DURING A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, I HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT. HAVING 25 YEARS AUTO EXPERIENCE MYSELF, THIS PART WAS DEFINITELY BAD AND I REPLACED THE WHOLE UPPER CONTROL ARM, AS THE BALL JOINT ALONE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. CURRENTLY, AT 84,000 MILES, BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE BAD AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT USED MUCH IN OFF ROAD CONDITIONS AND THEN ONLY ON PAVED ROADS. THIS IS PREMATURE PART FAILURE AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS I DRIVE AT OR ABOVE THE POISTED SPEED LIMITS IN MY TRAVELS. TOTAL FAILURE OF THESE PARTS WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT. *JB

THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM LEAKED WATER ONTO THE PASSENGER CABIN FLOOR BOARD. *JB *PH *JB

WITHOUT WARNING, JUST AFTER EXITING A FREEWAY, THE REAR WHEELS OF MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK, LOCKED UP. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE. TOW TRUCK ARRIVED , AND ADVISED THAT THE REAR AXLE HAD LOCKED-UP. THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 52,423 MILES. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATE AND THEN GO OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT WILL TURN OFF IF TURN SIGNALS ARE ENGAGED.*AK

POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED DURING COLD WEATHER. WAS SLUGGISH DURING SLOW IDLE. MOPAR MECHANIC SAID THAT COMPLETE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST OVER $1000 AND MAY STILL NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. *TT

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP BOTH FRONT SEATS RANDOMLY FALL ALMOST FLAT, CAUSING SEVERAL NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS FROM LOSING CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. ON OCCASIONS THE DRIVER SEAT HAS FALLEN AND STRIKING OUR 2 YEAR OLD IN THE FACE. NOT ONLY DOES IT COLLAPSE FROM STOPS, AS DOES IT HAPPEN WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP, SPEED BUMPS, OR OTHER SMALL ROUGH PATCHES IN THE ROAD. I HAVE FOUND NO WAY TO KEEP THEM UPRIGHT AND I FULLY BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOOT THE $700+ BILL TO REPLACE/REPAIR THESE SEATS. *NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V193000 IN 12/01. HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

1997 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB 2 WD PICKUP HAD EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AT 25,000 MILES SO ALL TIRES REPLACED. TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED EVERY 7,000 MI. AFTER TIRE REPLACED TOOK TO DODGE DEALER FOR FRONT END ALIGNMENT. DEALER REFUSED BECAUSE THEY SAID FRONT BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED COSTING $900. WHEN ASKED IF THIS WAS UNUSUAL DEALER SAID NO AND THAT BALL JOINTS COULD WEAR OUT IN 10,000 MILES. I CALLED DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO COMPLAIN AND THEY REFUSED MY REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE SAYING NO PROBLEMS OF THIS TYPE HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THE TRUCK WAS NEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD, NEVER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, ONLY DRIVEN TO WORK AND HOME WITHIN 40 MILES OF MY HOME. TRUCK WAS NEVER ABUSED AND I FEEL THE BALL JOINTS (AND TIRES) SHOULD NOT HAVE WORN OUT IN THIS SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. I AM AN ENGINEER AND BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THAT LED TO THIS PREMATURE FAILURE. I HAVE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK WITHOUT REPLACING THE BALL JOINTS YET SINCE NO ONE HAS TOLD ME THERE IS ANY SAFETY REASON NOT TO. THE TRUCK DRIVES FINE, STRAIGHT, AND EASY. *NLM

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HANDLE CAME OFF, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING. *JB

CLANKING NOISE IN RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. AXLE SEAL BROKE, REPLACED, 3 WEEKS LATER NOISE AGAIN BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PH

VEHICLE SEAT BEAL FAILED,DRIVER SIDE.

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE HAD POPPED, CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO STAY ON. TS

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE VEHICLES' HEADLIGHT GOES OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH 3 TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. CONSUMER STATES' WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IT FILL LIKE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS KICKING BACK. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRATICALLY, TE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACE 3 COMPUTER MODULES (CENTER TIMER MODULE, PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD MODULE AND AIRBAG MODULE), THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THROUGH THE INTERNET THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR HIS VEHICLE BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE CURRENT RECALL DID NOT FIT THE MECHANICAL SYMPTOMS HIS TRUCK WAS EXPERIENCING. *JG *NLM

NHTSA# 13411-01-V-153-000: CLOCK SPRING MATERIAL, COULD INTERFERE WITH THE CLOCKSPRING RIBBON AND CAUSE AN OPEN CIRCUIT THE DRIVER AIR BAG SYSTEM WILL BECOME DISABLED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL BE ON. CONSUMER STATES HAS THE SAME PROBLEM HIS VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS NOZLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

CONSUMER STATES WHEN VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINE BACKWARDS INTO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT AND THE SEAT FRAME TWISTED. WHICH COULD OF CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES IT REAR SEAT WAS OCCUPIED AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.DEALER CONTACTED. NLM

WHILE CHANGING LANES ON A HIGHWAYPOWER STEERING FAILED WITH NO WARNING. SHAFT BROKE BEHIND THE PULLEY DUE TO FLUID NOT PASSING THROUGH THE SYSTEM, RESULTING IN THE STEERING WHEEL STFFENING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.AK

IN A REAR END COLLISON NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT. IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE THAT IT CRACKED RADIATOR.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED PREMATURELY, THIS CAUSED WEAR ON THE FRONT TIRES. *SLC

SPEEDOMETOR AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING REPLACED SPEED SENSOR PER DEALER AND STILL NOT WORKING. ALSO SEAT DOESN'T LOCK IN UPRIGHT POSITION ON DRIVERS SIDE. TRANSFER CASE SEAL WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE. I HATE THIS TRUCK AND I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY. *AK

TWO FREEZE PLUGS WERE NOT REPLACED IN THE BACK OF THE BLOCK, CHRYSLERS RESOLUTION WAS STOP LEAK, HOWEVER AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC PULLED THE TRANSMISSION TO REPLACE THE FREEZE PLUGS AND FOUND STOP LEAK ALL OVER THE FLY WHEEL AREA, EVEN THOUGH CHRYSLER STATED THAT THEY HAD REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.*JB

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUTOUT PRIOR WARNING A DEER RAN ACROSS THE STREET AND WAS HIT BY CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A RED LIGHT, VEHICLE WENT BACKARDS, CONSUMER RESTARTED AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT BROKE, CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. *SLC