1999 Dodge Dakota

THE BALL JOINTS IN MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA, UPPER AND LOWER BOTH SIDES, ARE WORN OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRUCK HAS 70,000 MILES AND SHOULD NOT NEED THIS APPROXIMATELY $1,000.00 REPAIR. THE REASON THEY WEAR OUT SO FAST IS THAT THERE ARE NOT GREASE FITTINGS, AND THE PART CAN'T BE PROPERLY LUBRICATED. THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO SAID I CAN'T GET ANY RELIEF UNLESS THERE IS A RECALL. PLEASE RECALL THESE PARTS. *AK

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 AND I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS (UPPER AND LOWER) AND TIE RODS REPLACED AT 67,000 MILES. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE I WAS HAVING BRAND NEW TIRES INSTALLED, AND WHEN NEW TIRES ARE INSTALLED I FIGURED IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET AN ALIGNMENT AS WELL. THE MECHANICE SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE THE TRUCK AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS WERE TOO LOOSE - AND THIS IS A VERY REPUTABLE MECHANIC HERE IN TOWN, SO I KNEW I WASN'T GETTING TAKEN FOR A RIDE. SO, FOR A COST OF $1,052 I HAD TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DID SAY IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AS OF YET, BUT AFTER SEEING IN THE NEWS RECENTLY WITH ALL THE OTHER DAKOTAS/DURANGOS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, I WONDER HOW MUCH LONGER I COULD HAVE GONE BEFORE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, SO I'M GLAD I HAD THEM REPLACED, BUT AM THINKING THE TRUCK SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE JOINTS REPLACED NOT WITH THE SAME JOINTS, BUT WITH A BETTER DESIGNED ONE.*AK

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB 4X4 THAT HAD 32,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE LOWER FRONT TIE ROD WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAD TO GET THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY TIME BUT NOT THE MILEAGE. WITH THIS INCIDENT, IT'S THE MILEAGE THAT PUTS THE WEAR ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM NOT TIME. I HAVE NOTIFIED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THAT I WANTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD NO. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE RATE. I WANT CHRYSLER TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, NOT LINE THEIR POCKETS WITH UNNECESSARY REPAIR COSTS. *NLM

ON 11/21/01 I TOOK MY DAKOTA IN TO CUMBERLAND AVE. GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. I USUALLY GO TO LEE AUTO MALL. I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET THE TRUCK INSPECTED SO I WENT TO CUMBERLAND GARAGE. I CAME UPON A REPAIR ORDER FROM CUMBERLAND AVE. GARAGE. ASIDE FROM SOME MINOR REPAIRS THEY HAD LISTED BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS AS NEEDING REPAIR. AT $298.74. I ENDED UP TAKING MY TRUCK TO LEE AUTO MALL IN WESTBROOK (ME.) THEY NEVER MENTIONED THE BALL JOINTS HAD A PROBLEM. NOTE THE DATE OF THE REPAIR ORDER FROM CUMBERLAND GARAGE AS BEING 2001. THIS MEANS LEE DODGE LET ME DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WASN'T SAFE SINCE 2001! I BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN TO LEE DODGE THIS PAST SUMMER. I WAS TOLD BOTH MY BALL JOINTS AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED!THE COST WAS $900.00. I MENTIONED I KNEW AT JUST46K MLS. IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR A VEHICLE TO HAVE BALL JOINTS THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I SAID THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM USUALLY DIDN'T OCCUR UNTIL ABOUT 100K MILES. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS UNTRUE. ALSO NOTE WHEN CUMBERLAND GARAGE NOTICED MY TRUCK NEEDED BALL JOINTS REPAIRED MY TRUCK HAD ONLY ABOUT 37K MILES. 11/04/03 I HAD A MINOR ACCIDENT.THE SHORT OF IT : I LOST CONTROL OF MY TIRES. MY WHEEL WOULD TURN BUT MY FRONT TIRES WOULD NOT RESPOND AND MY REAR TIRES WERE STUCK/SPINNING ON PILES OF WET LEAVES. I STEPPED ON THE GAS WHILE TRYING TO TURN MY VEHICLE AND THE GAS DID NOT RESPOND. MY BREAK WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRUCK THRUST FORWARD AND HIT MY BROTHERS CAR. I HAVE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE SLEEPING JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME, SOMEONE I LOVE OR SOMEONE ELSE JUST BECAUSE LEE DODGE WANTED TO SQUEEZE MONEY OUT OF ME. OR BECAUSE CHRYSLER DID NOT WANT TO TELL THEIR CUSTOMERS THEY HAD PUT FAULTY PARTS IN THEIR TRUCKS. I SUPPOSE I SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER WITH REGARDS TO THIS MATTER. I AM VERY UPSET I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AT ANY TIME! DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME? *AK

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING FAILED, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT . AFTER THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STEER. ALSO, THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT GEAR BOX HAD A HOLE IN IT. THERE WAS A 2 INCH PIECE OF A BOLT THAT WAS KNOCKED OUT WITH FORCED PRESSURE. THE DEALER DID NOT WANT TO HELP THE CONSUMER.*AK THE STEERING BOX LEAKED AND CONTAINED EXCESSIVE PLAY. THE ROTORS AND WINDSHIELD WIPES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB *NM

1999 DODGE DAKOTA SLT 4WD. ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION REVEALED FRONT BALL JOINTS EXCESSIVE WEAR AND PLAY. FAILED NEW HAMPSHIRE INSPECTION[SAFETY RELATED ITEM:CONTROL] ONLY 54K MILES. BALL JOINTS REPLACED AND ALIGNMENT COMPLETED AT SULLIVAN TIRE INC. MANAGER REVEALED HE HAD DONE ANOTHER DAKOTA AND A DURANGO THAT SAME DAY FOR BALL JOINTS ALSO. FREQUENT ITEM FOR DODGE SO HE NOW KEEPS THEM IN STOCK IN HOUSE.*AK

OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 4WD. BALL JOINTS AND IDLER ARM GOING BAD. VEHICLE HAS 56,000 MILES. NOTICED NOISE ARISING FROM FRONT SUSPENSION AND LOOSENING AT AROUND 40,000 MILES, BUT DID NOT KNOW TILL AROUND 53,000 MILES WHEN A MECHANIC BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION WHILE IT WAS AT AN ALIGNMENT SHOP. THESE PARTS, I WAS ADVISED, SHOULD NOT BE WEARING TILL AROUND 130,000 MILES. TWO PEOPLE AT MY WORK ALSO OWN THESE VEHICLES, ONE PERSON OWNS A 2WD DAKOTA, ANOTHER OWNS A 4WD DURANGO. BOTH PERSONS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH BALL JOINTS AS WELL. *LA

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA.( SAME SUSPENSION AS DURANGO).I WAS ADVISED BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS, LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE IDLER ARM WERE SEVERLY WARN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE DIASSEMBLING ALL JOINTS DID COME APART. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE HAD 73,778 MILES ON IT. 99 PERCENT OF THESE MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES, AND I WAS SURPRISED AND IRRITATED THAT THEY HAD WORN OUT SO SOON, ALSO GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT CAUGHT IT PRIOR TO THE BALL JOINT SEPARATING. *AK