2004 Dodge Dakota

MY TRUCK HAD BEEN MAKING THE NOTORIOUS SQUEAKING SOUNDS FROM THE FONT END THAT THE DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. I KNEW NOTHING OF THE BALL JOINT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL MY FIANCE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE TRUCK. THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WAS FAULTED TO MY FIANCE'S FAULT. WHEN SPEAKING WITH HER, SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE TRUCK AND THEREFORE STRUCK THE OTHER CAR 'WHILE GOING AROUND THE CORNER'. WHEN SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SHE FOUND THE TRUCK LOWERED TO THE GROUND ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DUE TO THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY POPPING OFF THE TRUCK. BY 'POPPING OFF' I MEAN THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT POPPED OUT OF ITS LOCATION AND THE RIVETS HOLDING THE TOP OF THE SPINDLE POPPED OUT OF THERE POSITION. YES I SAID POPPED. THERE WERE NO RIPPING OF PARTS ETC, THE ASSEMBLY JUST POPPED OFF THE TRUCK. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT A LOW SPEED GOING THROUGH A TURN. THIS IS THE EXACT ENACTMENT THAT CHRYSLER HAS STATED THAT THE WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF IF THE PART FULL MALFUNCTIONED. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN USING THE SAME PARTS IN THE 04 DAKOTA TRUCK AS THAT USED IN THE 00-03. WHY IS THE PART NOT BEING CORRECTED? WHY IS CHRYSLER NOT TAKING CONTROL OF THIS ISSUE AND RESOLVING THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL? CHRYSLER IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK EVERYDAY THAT THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THIS PART AND CORRECTING THE ISSUE. IS IT GOING TO TAKE THE DEATH OF AN INDIVIDUAL CAUSED BY THIS FAILING PART FOR THEM TO STEP UP AND ADMIT THEY HAVE MESSED UP? WE CANT WAIT FOR THIS. START SAVING THE LIVES AT RISK NOW BY GETTING THIS RECALL STARTED AND GETTING ALL OF THE DAKOTA FIXED. IF IT IS NOT DONE NOW, EACH INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS THE POWER TO GET IT DONE, IS PUTTING MANY LIVES AT RISK. WHAT SHOULD WE AS DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS DO TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED AND PROTECT OUR FAMILIES? *NM

I AM LOOKING FOR ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO SPEAK TO MY ATTORNEY ABOUT PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING WITH THEIR 04 DAKOTA'S. I HAVE HAD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END, WHIRLING NOISE AT IDLING GETS LOUDER WHEN BLINKER ON, WINDOWS MAKE CLUNKING NOISE WHILE ROLLING UP OR DOWN, SEVER E SHAKING WHILE BRAKING ( WARPED ROTORS), TRANSMISSION LEAKING, AND THE LIST GOES ON. I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF LEMON LAW AND IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO FIND AN ATTORNEY. THIS ONE IS EXCELLENT.*JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHIMMY/VIBRATION IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE RACK AND PINION, FRONT SHOCKS AND ALL FOUR TIRES HAD BEEN CHANGED. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *AK (12/05/05) THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS WITH NO RESULTS. *SC

DT: 2004 DODGE, DAKOTA. THE CONSUMER STATED STEERING HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND IT WAS STILL DEFECTIVE. THE IDLER ARMS WERE REPLACED ONCE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING NOISE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. SHE REPEATEDLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD THE IDLER ARMS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD CLICK WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED, IT WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES AND PROBLEM RECURRED. THE CONSUMER FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. ALSO, POWER STEERING PUMP, THE RADIO, AND THE KNEE PANEL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR SHOCKS AND SPRINGS/ THE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR/DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT/THE CLOCK DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE, ROOF JOINT MOLDING WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH 800 MILES ON IT.*AK