This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My tires have been wearing on the outside for over a year now, I had the truck looked at and all ball joint uppers and lowers are bad. This truck only has 90,000 miles and has been driven to and from work for the last 5 1/2 years that I have owned it. The front passenger side is ready to give way.
The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Dakota. The ball joints have completely worn out and also has a very noisy lifter in the vehicle. The vehicle drifts in and out of lanes at any speed; however, the failure was noticed while driving 10 mph. The contact has not taken the vehicle to the dealer. He was informed of a recall on the previous year's model, but his VIN was not included. The recall number was unavailable. The current mileage was 93,500 and failure mileage was 82,000. Updated 03/14/08. The shifter didn ot stay in park
We own a 1998 Dodge Dakota sport 4X4. It currently has 144K kilometers. We just installed our 3rd set of upper ball joints, and have replaced the lower ball joints twice. We expect to replace the lowers again before next year. We know when the joints need replacing, when the vehicle becomes difficult to keep within a lane at highway speeds, due to excessive play in the steering. I see from the internet that Chrysler has issued a recall for 2000 and later models. This is insufficient, as many people on the internet are experiencing the same issue in models as late as 1996. I believe this issue is well known in the industry, one person or family getting killed by this defect for there to be an official recall is not good enough. Our vehicle maintenance is paid by our company, however a family that may not be able to afford such expensive replacement on a regular basis, may be putting themselves in jeopardy.
The contact states every year when he takes vehicle to be inspected they inform him the upper and lower ball joints need to be replaced. The ball joints have been replaced three times. The replacement takes place approximately every 20, 000-25,000 miles. A local mechanic said it was the design of the ball joints that caused the problem.
- Wheeling, WV, USA
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Walking back to my parked "98 Dodge Dakota, after dining out with family, I noticed that my front passenger side wheel was cock-eyed while the driver's side wheel was pointing straight. I had the local Dodge dealer/service department check it out and they discovered that 3 out of 4 ball joints were bad. The service manager said that it was a very dangerous situation and I shouldn't have been driving the vehicle. I was appalled to hear that since I had no indication that I or my passengers were in any danger: The truck never pulled to one side, and it didn't steer funny, or give me any reason to believe that something was so terribly wrong. The service manager urged me to replace all four ball joints, which I did at a cost of over $773.81. I think Dodge needs to recall the '98 Dakotas' ball joints. There's no reason a vehicle with only 73,000 miles on it should have 3 out of four ball joints go bad to the point that the wheels are coming off.
Ball joints failed, passengers side came loose and the wheel feel off and the transmisson had to be rebuilt due to cheap internal parts. But if you own a 98 Dodge Dakota have your ball joints checked they are a hazard and someone is going to get killed, if they already have not....
The consumer had a 98 Dodge Dakota, took to tire shop, truck could not be aligned because it had defective ball joints. Contact called the daimler Chrysler, who informed him that there was no recall on this vehicle after repairs were done vehicle had steering problem. There was a noise in the steering column. Then, at repair shop owner was informed there was a defective steering gear, and would cost $800. Owner did not repair steering and vehicle veered to the right/left. Tire company stated the crown of the road caused vehicle to pull to the left/right. Tire shop indicated they could repair the problem, but there were 500 steering gears on back order. Owner felt there was a problem with the steering gear otherwise there wouldn't be 500 steering gears on back order.
The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Dakota. The front end upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. Chrysler said that there was no recall. Also front end was aligned and the brake front rotors had to be turned.
While driving 45 mph front passenger wheel felk off. Driver pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to a garage for inspection. Mechanic determined that the upper and lower ball joints broke, and needed to be replaced.
On my 1998 Dodge Dakota I experienced a "klunking" sound in the front end. Found out at 84,000 miles that the ball joints were bad and contributed to wheel bearing and hub assembly problems. Repair bill was $738.95. I had the repair performed at my local Dodge dealer "morgan Dodge" in durham, nc. The dealership told me the repair was necessary and the vehicle was unsafe to drive without the repairs. The oem replacement parts are on national backorder and the dealership had to use aftermarket parts for the ball joints. I have contacted Dodge and they said the vehicle is out of warranty and "is not subject to any recall" so they can not assist me.
Noise from front end, had checked out and mechanic found left side ball joints (upper and lower) were prematurely worn. I had them replaced at my expense. I saved the old parts. Now the passenger side nedds to be replaced. Again the dealer tells me the recall does not apply to my car.
I own a 1998 Dodge dokota truck and had to have the ball joints replaced in November, 2003. I have heard they are recalling the dokota's starting in year 2000. What about the ones before that year. I have receipts where it cost me $753.71 to have this work done.
(1) front end making a popping noise. When I turned. Truck was still under warranty dealership kept saying it was brake noise. (2)upper and lower ball joint failure, ball joints were rusted out, (3)all 4 ball joints replaced at my expense, when truck was barely out of warranty.
While pulling away from the gas pump consumer heard a loud noise and then the front right side of vehicle fell/dropped. Consumer was able to observe that the front right lower ball joint broke. Vehicle was towed to a repair shop, and mechanic confirmed that it was the lower ball joint. Also, the left lower ball joint needed to be replaced. Dealer was not notified.
Purchased truck in 1998 and in 2001 at 48000 miles had to replace upper and lower ball joints in the front end on both sides and I think I am going to have to replace them again and mileage is over 99000. I also made two other complaints for both front calipers seizing on this website. I would have made complaints sooner, but just found out about this site. I wanted to make complaints after hearing about the problems with the Dodge Dakota and durango model year 2000 and up with their ball joints.
Left and right side upper and lower ball joints severely worn. Dust boots torn and no grease fittings (suppose to be lifetime lubricated). Replaced with after market ones with grease fittings. Vehicle only has 64,700 miles.
1. excessive drifting back and forth in the lane I was driving in. Uneven tire wear. 2. service tech said that I was lucky a wheel didn't come of while driving. 3. replacement of upper and lower ball joints on my 98 Dodge dokota sport.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Massillon, OH, USA