2002 Dodge Dakota

I OWE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA AND HAD A RECALL FOR UPPER BALL JOINT THAT WAS REPAIRED BY MERRICK DODGE IN MERRICK NY. THE DEALER ADVISED ME THAT THE WAY THEY DO THE RECALL AN ALIGNMENTWAS NOT NECESSARY. I WAS INFORMED BY CHRYSLER THAT A TOE ALIGNMENT WAS REQUIRED. THIS RECAL WAS DONE IN JANUARY 2005. THE NEW TIRES THAT WERE INSTALLED IN NOVEMBER OF 2004 HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INNER EDGES OF BOTH FRONT TIRES EVENLY. THE ALIGNMENT WAS NEVER DONE OR DONE IMPROPERLY AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO CORRECT OR EVEN ADDRESS SAID ISSUE. ALL I ASK IS A FRONT END ALIGNMENT SO THAT THE TIRES WILL WEAR IN A SAFE AND CORRECT MANNER.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA STARTING MAKING CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING. HAD RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FOR UPPER BALL JOINTS. UPON BRINGING TO DEALER, WAS TOLD BOTH LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS COMMON BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE. WE HAVE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND GOODYEAR TIRES SPLIT. ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS ARE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE. 99.9% WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE. WE NOW HAVE 2. PREVIOUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT INTERACTIONS STOPPED ME FROM BUYING A DODGE IN JUNE OF 2005 SO I PURCHASED A NISSAN. *JB

EVER SINCE THIS TRUCK WAS NEW IT FEELS AS THOUGH SOME COMPONENT IN THE FRONT END SUSPENSION IS LOOSE, I CAN FEEL IT THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN. FIVE TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO FIND AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM HAVE RESULTED IN: NOTHING OUT OF SPECS ON THE FIRST VISIT; REPLACED THE FRONT SHOCKS ON THE SECOND VISIT; REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY ON THE THIRD VISIT; REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE FOURTH VISIT; AND ALIGNED THE STEERING COLUMN ON THE FIFTH VISIT. LOOKING THOUGH THE CONSUMER COMPLAINT SECTION I FOUND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME EXACT COMPLAINT WITH THEIR DAKOTA TRUCKS. *JB

2002 DODGE DAKOTA RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER. HOT SPOT ON THE FRONT ROTORS CAUSED PULSATION WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION MADE NOISE AND INTERMITTENT DELAYED SHIFTING. THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING WERE REPLACED. THE RIGHT FRONT OUTER TIE ROD END WAS REPLACED. THE LEFT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS UPSET THAT AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A FULL ALIGNMENT, BUT CHRYSLER WILL ONLY PAY FOR ONE THIRD. SPECIALLY, CHRYSLER WILL ONLY PAY FOR THE TOW IN ADJUSTMENT, AFTER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT. THE RECALL WAS 04V596000. THE TOW IN ADJUSTMENT WAS NOT AFFECTED AS MUCH AS THE OTHER CAMBER AND CASTER. THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE ON THE TRUCK. THE OWNER WAS LOOKING AT A CHARGE OF ABOUT $60.00 THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CONTROL ISSUES WITHOUT THE ALIGNMENT, WHICH WOULD BE THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

THOUGHT I WOULD "BUY AMERICAN" AND GET THE DODGE DAKOTA 4 DR CREW. LOVE ITS STYLE, COMFORTS, MORE POWER THAN I NEED (4.7L V8) 2WD HAS NO TRACTION IN SNOW OR ICE. VERY EASY TO DRIVE AND COMFORTABLE 6FT.2 220LBS.(2 TRIPS NJ TO CALIF.) GAS MILEAGE STINKS...13-18MPG, NO LOADS. BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 28K, LEFT TOP BALL JOINT WORN (NO RECALL YET)A/C NEEDED CHARGING, RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARINGS REPLACED 49K, REAR LEAF SPRING NOISY, TRANSMISSION HESITATION OCCASIONALLY. GREAT TRUCK TO DRIVE AND HAUL BUT RELIABILITY REALLY IN QUESTION WITH ONLY 49K. PROBABLY BACK TO NISSAN OR TOYOTA.

DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTOR CORPORATION P.O. BOX 21-8004 AUBURN HILLS, MI 48321-8004 ATTENTION: QUALITY ASSURANCE MY DODGE PRESENTLY HAS 49,200 MILES. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED AT RECOMMENDED AND REQUIRED INTERVALS AT MANAHAWKIN DODGE APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3,000 MILES. EARLY INTO MY OWNERSHIP I HAD INTERMITTENT TROUBLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THEY TRIED TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. THEY DID A RECHARGE OF THE SYSTEM AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD AT 28998 MILES THAT THE "PULSING" WHEN MY BRAKES WERE APPLIED WAS DUE TO "HOT SPOTS" ON MY FRONT ROTORS. WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN TO A RELATIVELY NEW TRUCK THAT IS USED AS A PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE I WAS TOLD THEY REALLY "DID NOT KNOW BUT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE OTHERS." IT IS NOTED THAT I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS ON MY PREVIOUS NISSANS. THAT ENDED UP COSTING ME $393. I BEGAN HEARING A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND INTERMITTENT DELAYED SHIFTING INTO GEAR RESULTING IN THE TRANSMISSION BEING SERVICED WHICH INCLUDED CHANGING FILTERS, LUBRICANT, ETC. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MY UPPER BALL JOINT WAS WORN AND REPLACED ONE SIDE ONLY. THIS I SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SOME DODGE VEHICLES AND I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DAIMLERCHRYSLER REGARDING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE PART. TODAY I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD PLAY IN THE RIGHT FRONT BALL BEARING AND THE HUB NEEDED A TOTAL REPLACEMENT. ALONG WITH THAT A STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT ONCE IT WAS COMPLETED. WHEN I ASKED HOW AXLE BEARING COULD GO BAD WITH THIS LOW A MILEAGE I WAS TOLD THAT THE HUB IS SEALED AND NO WAY TO LUBRICATE AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BAD. IN ADDITION, I HAVE A NOISY LEFT LEAF SPRING THAT NEEDS A PART. THE COST FOR THE FRONT HUB IS OVER $600. I RARELY GET OVER 16 MILES PER GALLON EVEN I THE BEST DRIVING CONDITIONS. SINCERELY, CHARLES W. STAUFFER CC: NHTSA NJ DIVISION CONSUMER AFFAIRS FILE