MY HUSBAND AND I USE TO OWN A 2000 DAKOTA QUAD CAB.I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHEN WE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM, BUT I DO REMEMBER THE COST TO FIX IT WAS GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY $2000.00. WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE OR BRAKE OR AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. OURS DIDN'T SQUEEK OR CLUNK, OURS SHIMMIED SO BAD OUR WATCHES ON OUR ARMS (WHILE DRIVING) RATTLED. WHEN WE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS CAUSED DUE TO US NOT PUTTING THE ORIGINAL TIRES BACK ON THE TRUCK WHEN WE REPLACED THE TIRES. PUTTING ORIGINAL TIRES BACK ON THE TRUCK DID ALLEVIATE ENOUGH OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE TRADED THE DAKOTA FOR ANOTHER VECHICLE WITHOUT TAKING A TREMENDOUS LOSS AS WAS THE SITUATION WHEN WE TRIED TO TRADE IT IN BEFORE RETURNING THE TIRES TO ORIGINAL. FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BELIEVE IT WAS DUE TO OVERSIZE TIRES THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. WE ONLY PUT COOPER TIRES COMPARABLE TO THE ORIGINALS ON THE TRUCK, BUT GOODYEAR IS THE ONLY MAKER OF THE SIZE OF TIRE WE NEEDED AND THOSE TIRES WERE ON BACK-ORDER.
2000 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 2000 record →
HAD TO REPLACE LOWER BALL JOINT AT 55,000 MILES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLES NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, MECHANIC DETERMINED NEED TO BE REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS. DEALER NOTIFIED.
WHEN VEHICLE HIT A BUMP A CLICKING SOUND CAME FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. A MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE SEVERELY WORN OUT. ALSO, ROTORS ON BOTH SIDES WERE WARPED TO THE POINT THAT THEY COULDN'T BE TURNED SAFELY.*AK
DEALER REPLACED LOWER BALL JOINTS AT 60,000 MILES. *AK
MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA HAS WORN OUT BALL JOINTS. THERE IS NO WAY THESE THINGS SHOULD HAVE WORN OUT. I COULD NOT FIND ANYPLACE TO GREASE THEM. MY DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. MY TEEN SON IS DRIVING THIS TRUCK AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. I CAN'T BELIEVE CHRYSLER IS STICKING THERE HEADS IN THE SAND!
THE BRAKE ROTORS ON MY 200 DODGE DAKOTA WARP, CAUSING INEFFICIENT BRAKING AND VIBRATIONS AFTER ONLY 15K MILES. DODGE WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT, IN MY OPINION BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY ON REPLACEMENT PARTS. IT'S DANGEROUS!!
WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO WORN PARTS. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
UNEVEN WEAR OF FRONT TIRES PROMPTED AN ALIGNMENT. DURING ALIGNMENT INSPECTION, UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE FOUND TO BE "SEVERELY WORN". OTHERWISE VEHICLE DROVE NORMAL. *AK
I RECENTLY MOVED TO MISOURRI AND TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR THE REQUIRED SAFETY INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT MY UPPER BALL JOINT WAS WEARING SIGNIFICANTLY. *AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM BALLJOINT AND LOWER BALLJOINT (50,000 MILES). *AK
RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINT LOOSE. *JB
MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK HAD TO HAVE THE UPPER RIGHT BALL JOINT REPLACED. THE TRUCK HAS UNDER 38,000 MILES OF LIGHT-DUTY USE. THIS SEEMS TOO EARLY FOR THIS TYPE OF PART FAILURE. WHEN WILL THE OTHER BALL JOINTS FAIL?*AK
MOST RECENT PROBLEM. FRONT END: ) "CLUNKING" NOISES FOLLOWED BY FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY BREAK. FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY DISENGAGED FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING.*AK HOSTORY OF BRAKE PROBLEMS: 1) REAR DRUMS INEFFECTIVE, AND LOCK UP UNDER HUMID CONDITION AFTER SITTING. 2) FRONT ROTORS WARPED X2 OCCURENCES. DEALER REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS. SECOND INCIDENT "NOTT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY." 3) FRONT BRAKE PADS FALL AND WEAR DIAGONALLY RESULTING IN INEFFECTIVE BRAKING. 4) GENERALLY POOR AND UNRESPONSIVE BRAKING.
MOST RECENT PROBLEM. RONT END: 1) "CLUNKING" NOISES FOLLOWED BY FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY BREAK. FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY DISENGAGED FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *AK HOSTORY OF BRAKE PROBLEMS: 1) REAR DRUMS INEFFECTIVE, AND LOCK UP UNDER HUMID CONDITION AFTER SITTING. 2) FRONT ROTORS WARPED X2 OCCURENCES. DEALER REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS. SECOND INCIDENT "NOTT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY." 3) FRONT BRAKE PADS FALL AND WEAR DIAGONALLY RESULTING IN INEFFECTIVE BRAKING. 4) GENERALLY POOR AND UNRESPONSIVE BRAKING.
UPON SERVICING THE VEHICLE TECHNICIAN INSPECTED BALL JOINTS AND NOTICED ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *MR
REPLACEMENT OF BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS AT MY EXPENSE BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE.*AK
FAILED VA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION BECAUSE OF LOOSE INNER TIE ROD, THE ENTIRE RACK WAS REPLACED INORDER FOR IT TO PASS.*AK
ONE OF THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS POPPED OFF, CAUSING THE TIRE TO DETACH AND ROLL UNDER THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND AVOID A COLLISION. *AK THE DETACHMENT OCCURRED ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO THE LACK OF GREASE. THERE WAS ALSO EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *SC
I BOUGHT A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA EXTENDED CAB SLE MODEL. IT NOW HAS ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN REGULARLY WASHED AND WAXED BUT IS NOT GARAGED. IT IS BLACK WITH A GRAY LOWER BODY PANEL. SEVERAL LARGE WHITE DISCOLORATIONS HAVE APPEARED ON THE ROOF OF THE TRUCK. NO AMOUNT OF WASHING WAXING OR POLISHING COMPOUND HAS ANY EFFECT ON THESE WHITE SPOTS. THEY SEEM TO BE A DEFECT IN THE CLEAR COAT. I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST ONE OTHER BLACK DAKOTA OF THE SAME VINTAGE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE WERE FIRST NOTICED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. *JB
HEARD A LOT OF SQUEAKING AND CLUNKING, TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD UPPER BALL JOINTS HAVE GONE BAD ALONG WITH INNER TIE-RODS. THIS WOULD COST AROUND $1200 TO FIX, THAT COST COULD BE REDUCED ALOT IF A PERSON COULD FIND NON-OEM PARTS BUT INSTEAD YOU ARE FORCED TO BUY FROM DODGE AND THEN YOU CANT EVEN BUY THE INDIVIDUAL TIE-RODS YOU HAVE TO BUY THE ENTIRE STEERING ASSEMBLY. DODGE KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM AND DID HELP WITH THE COST OF THE PARTS BUT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD GO OUT ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 45000 MILES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IF EITHER PART HAD FAILED COMPLETELY I COULD HAVE LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP FOR HEATER CORE REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC WAS ON A TEST DRIVE WHEN THE TIE ROD BROKE. *AK *SCC
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A CLANKING SOUND WHEN TURNING CORNERS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO FOUND THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *MR
UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED TWICE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *MR
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AND PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AN INDEPENDENT SHOP DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM
BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THIS TRUCK HAVE EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THEM. ONLY 45,000 MILES WHEN PROBLEM BEGAN.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BALL JOINT PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE.*AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT AND RIGHT BALL JOINTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM
THE VEHICLE'S BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE WHICH MADE IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT. *AK *NM
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT. WHEEL CAME OFF, AND CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR BALL JOINTS. ALSO, THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW CONSUMER TO SPEAK TO ANY DIAMLER CHRYSLER DODGE PERSONNEL, AND THEY WERE NOT GIVING ANY ADEQUATE INFORMATION CONCERNING REPAIR COST OR EVEN IF THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK
2000 DODGE DAKOTA WORN OUT BALL JOINTS ON FRONT OF TRUCK. WAS TOLD THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL DAKOTA'S OF THIS TYPE BY SEVERAL MECHANICS. THERE IS NO WAY TO GREASE THE BALL JOINTS . WAS TOLD PARTS ARE IN VERY HIGH DEMAND DUE TO SO MANY TRUCKS WITH FAILURES. MY TRUCK PULLS TO THE RIGHT VERY BADLY .*AK
CONSUMER SAW ON NEWS ABOUT VEHICLE MANUFACTURER'S BALL JOINT PROBLEMS WHERE JOINTS ARE PREMATURELY BRAKING ALLOWING THE ASSEMBLY AND THE WHEEL TO COME LOOSE ON DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCKS. *LA *MR
CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A POWER STEERING PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION POWER STEERING LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED.*AK
I HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE THE ROTORS ON MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB FOR THE SECOND TIME NOW AND IT ONLY HAS 39K MILES ON IT! THE TRUCK VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY FROM HIGHWAY TO ANYTHING ABOVE 30MPH WHEN YOU TRY AND STOP. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERSISTANT SINCE ABOUT 12000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ILL DODGE EVER STAND BEHIND THIS OR MAKE A GOOD REPLACEMENT PART OR DO WE ALL HAVE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT??*AK
BAD BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK
THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK *SC *JB
AFTER HEARING OF THE PROBLEMS WITH UPPER BALL JOINTS, I PULLED THE RIGHT SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT LOOSE AND FOUND EXTREME PLAY IN THE JOINT. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT LOCATE A JOINT FOR ME ANYWHERE IN THE STATE AND DETERMINED THAT THE JOINT WAS BACKORDERED BY 3000. TO GET THE BALL JOINT I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE UPPER CONTROL ARM AT THE PRICE OF 175.00.(PART ONLY) I REMOVED THE ORIGINAL CONTROL ARM AND CUT AWAY THE RUBBER SEAL TO FIND THAT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE JOINT WAS FRACTURED AND THE JOINT WAS WORN TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO FALL APART. I BELIEVE THAT WITH SOME PRESSURE I COULD PULL THE JOINT APART WITH MY HANDS. WHAT MAKES THIS PROBLEM SO DANGEROUS IS THAT I HAD NO PULLING, TIRE WEAR, KNOCKING, OR CREAKING NOISES TO ALERT ME OF THIS PROBLEM. IF I HAD NOT TAKEN A PROACTIVE LOOK AT THIS JOINT, IT WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE COME APART SOON. I HAVE SAVED THE PART AND WOULD BE WILLING TO SHIP IT TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE IT. I HAVE ALSO ORDERED A LEFT SIDE BALL JOINT TO REPLACE AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. DODGE SHOULD IGNORE THE LAWYERS AND STEP UP TO THE PLATE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. IT MIGHT JUST SAVE A CUSTOMER. RIGHT NOW THE NEW FORD TRUCK IS LOOKING BETTER THAN THE DODGE FOR MY NEXT PURCHASE. *LA
BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY TRUCK ARE BAD, THE MECHANIC WORKING ON THE VEHICLE SAID THEY COULD CAUSE A WRECK IF THEY FAIL WHILE I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *LA
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARP ABOUT EVERY 10 TO 11,000 MILES. HAVE HAD THEN TURNED ONCE AT APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES, AND HAVE LIVED WITH IT SINCE THEN. COST $115 TO TURN THE ROTORS THE FIRST TIME, AND IT'S NOT WORTH IT THAT OFTEN. *LA
FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILING AT APROX 43,000 MILES. I HEARD THE SQUEEKY / RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR TURNING. I EVENTUALLY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DODGE DEALER. VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DODGE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY.
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR FRONT ALIGNMENT. DURING THE REPAIRS MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
PREMATURE WEAR ON FRONT END COMPONENTS. UPPER BALL JOINTS AND BRAKES.*AK
I LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND I FAILLED MY YEARLY TRUCK INSPECTION BECAUSE OF A BAD UPPER BALL JOINT. I HACE A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB AND IT IS A 4 X 4. THE TRUCK HAS 33,900 MILES ON IT. I HAVE NO RECORCE BUT TO FIX IT SINCE I NEED MY VEHICLE TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT CHRYSLER IS HAVING MANY PROBLEMS WITH UPPER BALL JOINTS IN THEIR DAKOTA AND DURANGO LINE. IF I PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED AND THEN CHRYSLER DECIDES TO HAVE A RECALL, WOULD I GET REINBURSED FROM CHRYSLER? I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT I NEED NEW FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THEIR ROTORS? THANKS STEVE MUZZY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS BROKE OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM *MR
THERE WAS A BALL JOINT PROBLEM IN WHICH THE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE TURNING INTO A SERVICE STATION . *AK THE SUSPENSION. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD FALLEN OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE UPPER BALL JOINT LOOKED AS IF IT WERE TORCHED. THE RUBBER AND THE BALL JOINT WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *SCC
TRANSMISSION IN A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA, TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP IN OVERDRIVE. DODGE RECOMMENDED A TOTAL REBUILD. TOTAL COST OF REBUILD WAS $1465.00 AT MY EXPENSE. *CB
I OWN A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE UPPER BALL JOINT SITUATION WITH THESE VEHICLES AND DECIDED TO CHECK MINE. BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE TOAST. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS. THEY SHALL BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, THOUGH. I VISITED DODGEDAKOTAS.COM AND READ ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT DODGE KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT WILL LET PEOPLE DRIVE AROUND WITH BAD SUSPENSION PARTS. *CB
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE SURGE, ENGINE KNOCKING AND LOST OF OIL PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED NO HELP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
REAR DIFF WENT OUT
AFTER FOLLOWING ALL MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED SERVICING AND OIL CHANGES, MY HUSBANDS '00 DODGE DAKOTA STARTED MAKING RATTLING NOISES IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. SO WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR. APPARENTLY THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED! IT ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT! I AM BAFFLED THAT THIS COULD EVEN HAPPEN AS MOST OF TODAY'S ENGINES LAST ROUGHLY 150,000 TO 200,000 MILES! NONE OF THE REPAIRS FALL UNDER THE WARRANTY AND THE LEMON LAW TIME PERIOD HAS LAPSED. WE ARE FURIOUS ABOUT THIS! I WILL WRITE EVERY POSSIBLE SOURCE AND ENTER COMPLAINTS. WE WOULD BE THRILLED IF OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US IN A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT DODGE DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. BUT THEN FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, I AM FINDING THEIR PRODUCT IS NOT WORTHY OF BEING STOOD BEHIND. WHAT A RIP OFF!
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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