Page 5 of 11 · complaints 201–250 of 545

1998 Dodge Dakota complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Mar 4, 200490,000 milesMI

FAILURE OF ALL BALL JOINTS IN MARCH OF 2003 AND THEN A SUBSEQUENT REPLACEMENT OF 2 OF THOSE BALL JOINTS IN JULY OF 2003. CURRENTLY 1 MORE OF THE BALL JOINTS IS GOING BAD.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Mar 4, 200490,000 milesMT

DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS AT 90000 MILES. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Mar 4, 200460,021 milesGA

PREMATURE FAILURE OF RIGHT AND LEFT UPPER BALL JOINTS

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Mar 4, 200468,000 milesTN

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIRES. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BALL JOINTS WERE RUBBING , AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Mar 4, 2004WI

THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GARAGE FOR TIRE REPAIR. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INNER SIDE OF TIRES AND WHEEL ARE LOOSE.

Suspension › Front › Shock Absorber
Filed Mar 4, 200461,000 milesMT

REPLACED THE TWO UPPER BALL JOINTS,SHOCKS,AND TIRES ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 61,000 MILES ON IT.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Mar 3, 200430,000 milesMD

BALL JOINTS AND STEERING COLUMN ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK. BOTH WERE WORN OUT AFTER 30,000 MILES.*AK

Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing
Filed Mar 3, 200455,000 milesTX

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE WITH 55,000 MILES. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I HEARD A CLUNKING FROM THE FRONT END IN A HARD RIGHT LOW SPEED TURN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DODGE DEALER AND BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACE. HAD A FAILURE OCCURED AT HIGH SPEED IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG FAILURE. AS A SECOND OWNER I CAN SAY HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED, BUT THE VEHICLE SHOWED NOT OTHER SIGNS OF ABUSE. QUITE THE OPPOSITE IT SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE. DATE BELOW IS APPROXIMATE. THE REPAIR WAS EXPENSIVE, BUT MORE IMPORTANT IT SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED IF THE WHEEL CUTS LOSE AT EVEN MODERATE SPEED. THE PROPERTY DAMAGE CHECKED IS TO VEHICLE THANKS. *AK

Steering
Filed Mar 2, 200452 milesSC

HEARD CRACKLING AND POPING FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, AND TRUCK STARTING TO PULL TO THE LEFT. FOUND NY-LOCK SPINDLE NUT (TORQUED TO 185#, FACTORY SPEC'S) ALMOST OFF. RIGHT HAND THREADED SPINDLE WITH INNER RACE OF BEARING ROTATING IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AGAINST THE NUT. BEARING TRASHED, HAVING TO BUY WHOLE HUB ASSEMBLY @ $163. CHECKED RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY WHILE FRONT END RAISED AND WAS ABLE TO TURN NUT WITH A PAIR OF 10" CHANNEL LOCKS. HAD TO REDO BOTH SIDES AT 52+K ORIGIONAL MILES, NO ONE HAS TAMPERED WITH VEHICLE. WHERE'S THE OLD REPAIRABLE SYSTEM WITH THE COTTER KEY?*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Feb 26, 200485,536 milesPA

TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART WAS REPLACED IN JANUARY 2003. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED JANUARY 2004, TECHNICIAN INSTALLED NEW BALL JOINTS. *AK *MR

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Feb 24, 200456,345 milesMI

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A SUBTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED EXCESSIVE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT WEAR.*AK *JB

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Feb 19, 200475,000 milesMN

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE WEARING OUT. *AK *MR

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Feb 19, 200484,350 milesFL

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Feb 11, 2004CA

I HEAR A POPPING SOUND WHEN I TURN LEFT. I TOOK MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID ALL FOUR OF MY BALL JOINTS (TWO UPPERS AND 2 LOWERS) ARE SHOT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT GETTING NEW BALL JOINTS. THE PARTS DEPT. MANAGER TOLD ME THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACK ORDER ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND HE EXPECTED TO GET THEM IN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. AS FOR THE UPPERS, HE SAID HE COULD GET THEM WITHIN A FEW WEEKS. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE DODGE KNOWS THE BALL JOINTS ARE DEFECTIVE SO THEY PULLED EVERYTHING FROM STOCK AND ARE HAVING NEW ONES MADE UP. I THINK DODGE MIGHT BE DOING THIS TO AVOID A RECALL. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Feb 6, 200480,000 milesWA

MY COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK. MY TRUCK HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT, BUT I BABY IT, HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND CAN REMEMBER JUST ABOUT EVERY POTHOLE I'VE HIT ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT MAKES ME CRINGE EVERY TIME. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE THE LOUD NOISES I COULD HEAR, AND FEEL, WHEN I DROVE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ALL FOUR OF THEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE THE BALL JOINTS WERE FAULTY UPON MANUFACTURE, AND HOPE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR. GRANTED THIS IS PROBABLY A LOW PRIORITY ISSUE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF FATALITIES ATTRIBUTED TO BALL JOINT FAILURE, AND IT GENERALLY DOES NOT INVOLVE FIRE, OR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT MY TRUCK IS MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE, AND THE STEERING FEELS MUCH TIGHTER, AND ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE NEW BALL JOINTS. WHETHER THIS IS JUST IN MY HEAD, OR I REALLY DO FEEL A DIFFERENCE, I AM RELIEVED TO SAY THAT I GOT IT DONE. BUT I DID CONSIDER NOT DOING IT AND WAITING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT POTENTIAL RECALL STATUS. I WOULD LIKE TO URGE PEOPLE NOT TO WAIT IF THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, AND KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR A FUTURE RECALL. THE BIT OF SLOPPINESS, AND POTENTIAL FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT, IS A LARGE RISK, AND IF YOU CORRECT THE PROBLEM NOW YOU CAN MITIGATE THE RISK THAT WILL BECOME AN ISSUE AS THE AUTOMOBILES WITH FAULTY BALL JOINTS GROW IN AGE AND SEVERITY OF DEFECT. PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO PUSH FOR RECALL.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Jan 26, 200468,000 milesTN

THE VEHICLE'S UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 23, 200459,000 milesIL

WHILE DRIVING ,TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT TO NEXT GEAR, RPM'S GO REALLY HIGH AND THE SPEEDOMETER STICKS. I'M AFRAID WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET ACROSS AND IT MIGHT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *LA

Seat Belts
Filed Jan 20, 2004VA

I BOUGHT MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF KNOWING THAT I HAD SELECTED A SAFE, COMFORTABLE, RELIABLE CAR. HOWEVER, THAT PERCEPTION WAS GONE THIS MORNING WHEN I FOUND THE WEBSITE CALLED WWW.UNSAFEBELTS.COM . *AK I AM APPALLED (YET NOT SURPRISED, QUITE HONESTLY) TO LEARN THAT CHRYSLER IS KNOWINGLY ALLOWING MANY PEOPLE TO DRIVE THEIR CARS WITH SEATBELTS THAT ARE NOT ADEQUATE OR RELIABLE. I AM MORE SHOCKED THAT NHTSA AND OTHER GROUPS LIKE IT ARE NOT LOBBYING FOR SAFER BELTS. AS THE OTHER OWNER OF MY CAR DRIVES THE VEHICLE AT LEAST 20 HOURS PER WEEK, I AM SHOCKED AND SADDENED BY THIS INACTION. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FOR A RECALL OF THESE BELTS. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR TODAY AND REQUESTING REPLACEMENTS FOR MY SEAT BELTS. I WILL ALSO BE ASKING CHRYSLER TO COVER THE COST OF THIS REPLACEMENT.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Jan 16, 2004IA

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT REQUIRE REPLACEMENTS AS WELL AS TIE RODS. *CB

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Jan 15, 200480,200 milesIA

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 30 MPH, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. AN INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINT AND THE UPPER ARM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Jan 13, 2004KS

PREMATURE WEAR ON LEFT BALL JOINTS FOR 1998 DODGE DAKOTA 2WD.

Tires
Filed Jan 12, 200414,900 milesCA

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT. *AK AFTER GOING TO SEVERAL TIRE DEALERS THEY OFFERED NO SUGGESTIONS BUT TO REPLACE THE TIRE AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE. *CB *JB

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Jan 10, 2004OH

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT ARE BAD. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Jan 9, 200445,000 milesMO

BOUGHT USED 1998 DODGE DAKOTA IN JULY 2002. VEHICLE HAD 45,000 MILES. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD BEEN REPLACED. VEHICLE STARTED MAKING POPPING NOISES IN OCTOBER 2003 AND CONTINUED TO WORSEN. I COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. FINALLY TOOK IT TO DEALER IN DEC 2003 AND WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE SHOT. VEHICLE HAD 61,000 MILES AT TIME OF REPLACEMENT FOR SECOND SET OF LOWER BALL JOINTS. DEAL ER ADVISED THAT AT TIME OF FIRST REPLACEMENT AFTER MARKET BALL JOINTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THAT THEY WERE FACTORY REPLACEMENTS.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Jan 2, 200466,000 milesMA

1998 DODGE DAKOTA UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE DEALER DIAGNOSIS. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 30, 200346,100 milesPA

CONTROL ARM UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE. THE STATE OF PA REQUIRES VEHICLES TO PASS AN ANUAL INSPECTION IN ORDER TO DRIVE ON THE ROADS. MY DODGE DAKOTA WILL FAIL THIS INSPECTION NEXT FEB. THE RIGHT UPPER BALLJOINT ON MY VEHICLE (WHICH SHOULD HAVE A LIFE SPAN MINIMUM 80 TO 100 K; MY VEH. HAS 46K) NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED TO BE CONSIDERED SAFE BY PA STANDARDS. DODGE PROVIDED NO WAY TO PERFORM PREVENTITIVE MAINTENENCE ON THIS VEHICLE PART. POOR DESIGN ON THEIR PART IS NOT WORTH THE COST OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH AND THEY KNOW IT BECAUSE THEY MODIFIED THE REPAIR REPLACEMENT PART WHICH TO ME ADMITS A FLAW TO BEGIN WITH.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Dec 24, 200348,000 milesNY

1998 DODGE DAKOTA 2WD STANDARD CAB PICKUP WITH A 3.9 LITER V6 ENGINE. AT 48,000 MILES THE DRIVERS SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT REQUIRED REPLACEING AND NOW AT 52,000 MILES THE PASSENGER SIDE IS MAKING POPPING SOUNDS. I AM PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS AS DODGE PRICES ARE DOUBLE TO TRIPLE THE COST.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Dec 24, 200342,008 milesPA

LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 42, 000 MILES ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA DUE TO THE REPAIR SHOP BEING UNABLE TO PERFORM A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WILL MOST LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO DEPENDING ON MILEAGE PUT ON THE VEHICLE IN THAT TIME. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 23, 2003MN

THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control › Catalytic Convertor
Filed Dec 23, 200311,000 milesWI

CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. NOW AT THE 5TH YEAR IT NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND THE DEALER REFUSES BECAUSE THEY DID IT 14 MONTHS AGO AND IT'S NO LONGER UNDER THEIR 12 MONTH WARRANTY AND IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL 8 YR, 80,000 MILE WARRANTY BECAUSE I'M AT 109,000 MILES, THEREFORE IT WILL COST ME OVER 600$ TO REPLACE A DEFECT IN THEIR EQUIPMENT. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT 600$ INTO MY CAR EVERY 14 MONTHS FOR SUCH A MAJOR COMPONENT PLUS ALL THE OTHER MINOR UPKEEP A VEHICLE TAKES.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 19, 200370,000 milesOK

I'VE GOT A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA AND JUST HAD THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD ABOUT 65000 MILES OR SO WHEN I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AND I FINALLY HAD THEM REPLACED AT ABOUT 73000 MILES. I EMAILED DODGE ABOUT IT AND THEY GAVE ME NO WORTHWHILE ANSWERS EXCEPT I DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR ANY RECALLS OR REIMBURSEMENT. I KNOW BALL JOINTS SHOULDN'T GO OUT THIS SOON AND WANTED TO SEND THIS INFORMATION TO YOU BECAUSE I SAW WHERE YOU ARE LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. THANKS, GREGORY THOMAS. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 19, 200340,000 milesPA

PER BROADCAST ON DECEMBER 19, 2003 ON CBS NIGHTLY NEWS, THE DODGE DURANGO/DAKOTA BALL JOINT, UPPER AND LOWER ISSUES, NOT YET A RECALL BY THE MFG. WE OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA, PURCHASED IN 2000 AND AT EVERY STATE INSPECTION, THE UPPER AND LOWER FRONT BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION THAT ALL DODGES 97 AND UP HAVE BALL JOINT ISSUES, SO THE MFG IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME NOW. EVERY YEAR IT IS 300+ $ TO REPLACE THESE FOR THE NEEDED STATE INSPECTION, THEY GO BAD EVERY YEAR, AND ARE DANGEROUS IF NOT REPLACED. WE ONLY PUT ABOUT 10, 000 MILES A YEAR ON THE VEHICLE ALSO. THE JOINTS CANNOT BE GREASED W/O DEALER OR MECHANIC ASSISTANCE. PER THE NEWS THESE ITEMS NEED TO BE REPLACED TO ACCOMODATE LARGER BALL JOINTS WHICH IS GOING TO BE COSTLY. WE CALLED ABOUT 2YRS AGO TO CHRYSLER DODGE, WHO ADVISE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. NOW WE SEE THERE ARE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND CAUSING FATALITIES AND ACCIDENTS. WE DONT WANT TO FIND OUT THIS WAY, WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A RECALL TO HAVE THE JOINTS AND ARMS REPLACED TO ACCOMODATE THE BIGGER BALL JOINTS REQUIRED FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE RE ALL DODGE TRUCKS/ SUVS AND NEEDS TO HAVE A PROMPT INVESTIGATION DONE NOT ONLY BY THE DEALERS/CHRYSLER DODGE WHO ALREADY ARE AWARE ANYWAY, NO NEED FOR THEM TO INVESTIGATE SOMETHING THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRING AT THE COST OF THE CUSTOMER FOR THE PAST 10YRS OR SO. THIS NEEDS INVESTIGATED BY SOM

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 18, 200357,351 milesCA

THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF MY '98 2WD DODGE DAKOTA MAKES A LOUD 'POPPING' NOISE DURING SHARP LOWSPEED TURNS - A CHECK OF THE MESSAGE BOARDS REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLE WITH DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS RESULTING FROM IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED OR MANUFACTURED BALL JOINTS CONSTITUTING AN OBVIOUS DRIVER SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD THESE PARTS FAIL PREMATURELY AS THEY HAVE IN MANY LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 18, 200355,000 milesOH

PREMATURELY WORN UPPER BALL JOINT FOR 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT TRUCK (2W) WITH 55,000 MILES. SEVERE SQUEAKING AND GRINDING NOISE ALONG WITH OBVIOUS IRRATIC BRAKING PROBLEMS.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 18, 200351,000 milesWI

SEEN THE CBS NEWS ABOUT UPPER BALL JOINTS ON DODGE DAKOTA ON 12/18/03. HAD MY LEFT SIDE BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON 7/15/02 AND MY RIGHT SIDE BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON 8/5/03. PRETTY CLOSE TO $500 TO HAVE REPLACED.*AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Dec 17, 2003104,000 milesOH

1998 DODGE DAKOTA HAS WORN LOWER BALL JOINTS - MANUFACTURER DID NOT INSTALL GREASE FITTINGS TO ALLOW FOR PROPER PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Dec 10, 200390,300 milesMI

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXCEEDED TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE FAILED. *AK THE BRAKE LINE WAS POSITIONED UP AGAINST THE MOVING SUSPENSION PART THAT WORE A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE. *SCC *JB

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 10, 200370,000 milesVA

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR. *AK *NLM *PH

Suspension › Front
Filed Nov 26, 2003FL

1998 DODGE DAKOTA XLT TRUCK UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURES. MILEAGE: 40,000 V8 (318CI) ENGINE HIGHWAY DRIVEN BOUGHT NEW EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FRONT END SHIMMY FROM DAY ONE. TOTAL OF 12 TIRES TRIED RESULTING IN NO IMPROVEMENT AND MARRED RIMS FROM TIRES BEING MOUNTED AND OVER 18 BALANCING. *LA

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Nov 19, 200334,000 milesNY

WHILE HAVING TIRES REPLACED AND ALIGNED MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND INNER TIE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE AN ALIGNMENT COULD BE PERFORMED. *AK

Steering › Rack and Pinion
Filed Nov 10, 20037,000 milesFL

WHILE DRIVING AT 40-50 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT RACK AND PINION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Nov 6, 200349,141 milesFL

UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE. *LA

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Nov 6, 200349,141 milesFL

LOWER PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT FAILURE. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Nov 6, 200348,171 milesFL

LOWER DRIVER'S SIDER BALL JOINT FAILURE. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Nov 3, 200355,000 milesKS

THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES. THEY WERE MAKING A THUMPING NOISE WHEN SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNING A CORNER AND GOING OVER A BUMP. THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED AND THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES LATER WITH AFTERMARKET UNITS. UPON CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE OE UNITS THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY AND THE GREASE WAS HARD. *LA

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Oct 30, 200352,000 milesMA

WHILE DRIVING ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED. BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD TO DEPRESS, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 30, 2003300 milesCO

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. 2 MONTHS AFTER 8/98 PURCHASE DATE, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE BRAKES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, THE MAP SENSOR WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. THE SEAT BELTS COME OFF ENTIRELY TOO EASY. ALL OF THIS AND THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT. I SENT ARBITRATION PAPERS TO CHRYSLER TWICE WITH NO RESPONSE. *LA

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Oct 28, 200349,052 milesMD

FAILURE OF UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK AT 49052 MILES.OULD GET NO SATISFACTION FROM DEALER. *AK

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Filed Oct 28, 2003CA

I HAVE A 1998 2WD DODGE DAKOTA THAT HAS SUFFERED FROM EXCESSIVE FRONT TIRE WEAR SINCE NEW. THE DEALER COULD NEVER SEEM TO FIND A CAUSE FOR THIS AND THE VEHICLE HAS COST ME A FORTUNE IN REPLACEMENT TIRES AND FRONT END ALIGNMENTS. WITH THE VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY, AN INDEPENDENT FRONT END SHOP RECENTLY REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, INNER TIE ROD ENDS AND RIGHT-SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL IF THESE REPAIRS HAVE CORRECTED THIS LONG-STANDING (67,000 MILES) PROBLEM, BUT BECAUSE THIS TRUCK HAS THE SAME FRONT SUSPENSION AS THE DODGE DURANGO CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION, I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT.*AK

Suspension › Front
Filed Oct 28, 200362,972 milesNJ

WORN FRONT WHEEL BEARING & EXCESSIVE WEAR ON UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS.*AK

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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