Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID
190070108/03/2001623172Information on new power steering fluid.*slc10/26/2001

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STEERING
09/02/2009105000
 Steering locking up due to faulty steering shaft universal joint
04/01/2006100000100
 Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds on normal road conditions, the steering wheel malfunctioned on a worsening basis while trying to turn in any direction. the vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who determined the intermediate shaft of the steering column needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not included in any recall due to the vin. no replacements had been made. the contact encountered similar complaints on the nhtsa website # 10120725 regarding the steering column.
12/22/2004520002
 While driving 30 mph the upper ball joints failed. as a result, the steering also failed, causing the vehicle to crash into a guard rail. no injuries reported. *ak
01/01/19011
 Heard a clunking noise from front end. vehicle also shakes when apply brakes. *bf while driving over 65 mph the front end of the vehicle shook as though it was misaligned or unbalanced. it also shook when the brakes were applied at speeds of 50 mph or higher. the vehicle's wheels have been balanced, the steering aligned, the brakes and rotors have been replaced yet the problem recurs. *nm
07/27/2003608/26/2000
 Consumer stated that while driving the vehicle would only shift to neutral. dealer notified. *ph when the vehicle was in 3rd gear it went to neutral and the engine rpm's increased for a short period of time when the transmission should have changed to 4th gear. the vehicle had been to the service dealer 6 times for repairs. there was a vibration in the front of the vehicle due to warped rotors. faulty wheel bearings caused a popping noise in the steering when the consumer made left turns. *scc *nlm
06/28/20021
 Consumer states the shaft under the hood fell apart at the gear box, this caused consumer complete steering loss. please provide any further information.*jb
STEERING - COLUMN
05/10/2005600001
 Driving down the road made a complete stop started to make right turn but the tires did not turn luckiely i stopped just in time to prevent an accident the steering shaft that connects to the steering colum completly broke off therfore leaving me with no control of my truck. i replaced the steering shaft. the replacemen part has been replaced with a upgraded part. that lead me to believe the manufactuer knows about this problem. this could have been much worse if i was on the highway traveling at a much higher speed. i was out of 286.00 dollars but i much rather be out of 286. dollars than out of my loved ones.please help before some body gets seriously hurt or loses thier lives. dodge also have a recall on this truck problems with the conrol arms that could break and have no control of the steering this also leads me to believe why the the steering shaft on my truck broke off. *ak
05/01/200236000011/10/1999
 Steering column develops clunk. is most notable on braking and acceleration. original column replaced at end of 36000 mi warranty period. new unit developed same problem after 12000 mi. concerned that failure may cause binding in steering and loss of control. *nm
04/05/200415000303/30/2000
 At approx. 8k miles, pulsing and shimmy started in front end. had to resurface rotors. had to do again later at about 35k. not normal. at 15k reported front end creaks/groans dealer found no problem. at 35k more of the same, dealer replaced front stabilizer/sway bushing. at 38k miles, replaced lower steering column. helped some but still creaking when steering at low speed. at 53k asked again about steering groan. dealer says he could fix for about $1000 (of course out of warranty now! and i've been asking about this since 15k miles). also at 53k, replaced lower ball joints left side and fuel pump. at 59k back in the shop today to replace right ball joints which cause vehicle steering to wander and have badly worn inside right tire. quality of vehicle is lousy and they won't admit it or stand behind it. the rotor and front end problems could be very dangerous because they impair the drivers control of the vehicle. *jb
STEERING - GEAR BOX - SHAFT SECTOR
12/17/2004700001
 While driving 50 mph steering shaft failed. as a result, steering failed, causing the vehicle to crash into a guard rail. *ak
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
02/28/200771528104/30/2000
 Noise from engine compartment and vibration from steering wheel. sounds as if power steering pump was low on fluid. makes a load noise when steering became difficult to steer. drove short distance to repair facility and was shocked that the high pressure hoses had split. also the rack and pinion steering will have to be rebuilt if possible if not replaced. also a boot was torn and has to be replaced. work has not been started as i find it is necessary to get more than one estimate. the local garage wants in excess of $1200 for the repairs while the dealer wants over $2000. approximately 12 months ago i had the upper ball joints replaced under warranty and had to get a front end alignment at an extra charge. no visual signs of wear was noticed. *jb
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
04/18/200241500008/08/2000
 Power steering pump went bad, causing a major leak of power steering fluid to be sprayed throughout the engine compartment, causing both the power steering to fail while driving and causing the drive train belt to begin slipping. *nlm
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
520001
 Consumer was complaining about a power steering problem. while driving through an intersection power steering locked. vehicle was then towed.*ak
STEERING - LINKAGES
10/31/200328832104/17/2002
 Upper control arms loose, defective, plus steering linkage needs to be replaced. *la
05/22/2002103/01/2000
 While driving 35 mph vehicle started to shake and could not turn. after stopping and looking at vehicle saw front tie rod had come apart.towed vehicle to dealer who determined tir rod came apart and the upper and lower ball joints are bad.*ak
STEERING - LINKAGES - KNUCKLE - SPINDLE - ARM
12/09/2006115000101/20/2003
 Truck started to pull to right upon mid-level braking. was told brakes ok, tie rod ends bad/replaced, no change. then told rack & pinion bad/replaced, slight change, still pulls to right, getting worse. now 3 months later and after $400.00 in repairs, i go with a different shop, i was told brakes caliper bolts are stripping out. this causes the brake shoes to move when braking, binding, then pulling the steering wheel out of hands. has also caused right tie-rod end to go bad again. the biggest danger is that upon braking the steering wheel turns to the right and i could lose control of the truck. have been trying to find a good used steering knuckle and all the ones found have the same problem. the fix is, if caught soon enough, heli-coil new threads or replacing the steering knuckle ($415.00 part alone). *jb
11/05/200572000108/24/2001
 On my 2000 dodge dakota my steering knuckle snapped past the tie rod on the wheel part of the right passenger side if the vehicle (front) this part is approximately a 1 inch by one inch of solid steel. this resulted in a crash with a parked manatee county patrol car. i believe this part should not have snapped under any circumstances. the investigating police offier agreed. i was not issued any traffic violation after the officer saw what had happened. i also believe this is a manufacturer defect that should be investigated . i plan to be following up on this with a phone call to your ageny. i wonder how many ticking time bombs are out there? i am aware of the recall of upper ball joints falling off and i am wondering if maybe defective steel is the cause. *nm
05/23/20055000006/18/2000
 Vehicle 2000 dodge dakota pick up 2 wheel drive. failed new jersey motor vehicle inspection for ball joints. there was a letter about the upper ball joint failure. upon inspection found both upper and lower ball joints have excessive play to the point where they may pull out of the socket.
STEERING - LINKAGES - LINK - DRAG - CONNECTION
12/10/2004108/31/2000
 With the pending dodge recall on the ball joints, why will it only cover the 4x4 trucks. the same ball joints are used on the 2 wheel drive ones and have had the same failures. i am the owner of a 2000 dakota club cab. i travel 110+ miles a day with the truck. currently at 90000 and planing on 200+. is the plan on nhtsa and dodge to wait till deaths before the 2 whell tricks are fixed??? am if i am the informent one to die, then are you going to explain why this issue was not fixed to my wife and 1 year old son!!!!!!! let's not do the job half way. let's just do the job right!*ak
STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
04/01/2006106395111/19/1999
 Dt*: the contact stated while backing out of an angled parking space, the passenger side tire would not turn. the contact determined the outer tie rod came apart. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and the contact repaired the vehicle. the manufacturer was alerted.
01/31/20052
 While servicing vehicle for nhtsa recall campaign 04v596000 concerning upper ball joints it was determined that inner tie rods were bad due to wear.*ak
11/04/200489375109/02/2000
 On the evening of november 4, 2004, the right front tire assembly of my 2000 dodge dakota pickup truck fell off. my 17 year old son was making a right turn into the driveway of a friend's home when he heard a loud bang. when he got out of the truck he found the right front-end of the truck resting on the wheel assembly. the following morning, the truck was towed to a local repair shop that i use for car maintenance and repair. upon arrival at the repair shop, the shop owner told me that the upper ball joint had failed. as a result of the failure, the lower ball joint and outer tie rod were also damaged and had to be replaced. based upon the mileage on the truck, the shop owner told me that the ball joint should not have failed. total cost to repair the upper and lower ball joint and the outer tie rod was $595.67. *nm
12/06/20042
 Consumer stated she had to have the lower ball joint, and tie rod replaced. *ak
11/01/20042
 Dodge dakota ball joint'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>ball joint'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>ball joint failure twice. replaced ball joint and tie rods'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>tie rods'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>tie rods. tie rod actually broke. *bf the consumer sent in a complaint to the nhtsa on line but had trouble. *tc
10/12/200455000104/13/2000
 Driver side tie rod end needed replacement at approx. 55,000 miles. this unit is sealed at the factory and not servicable by the owner. it was replaced by vissing dodge, jeffersonville. in. service manager noted that this unit could fail resulting in loss of steering control,(worst case senerio). i was concerned about driving back to cal. with this problem and its safety related issues. passenger side unit is now squeeking and will need replacement. truck now has approx. 58,500 miles. *ak
11/18/2004208/15/2003
 Tie rod broke. replaced toe rod and all ball joints. *ak
11/23/20041
 While pulling inside of the parking lot, the vehicle started to vibrate. the noticed that the driver and passenger wheel failed to move on its own. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the consumer that the upper and lower ball joints and tie rod needed to be replaced. please fill in additional information. *jb
08/10/20041
 While driving, heard a rubbing noise from front wheel area. ball joints and tie rod on front driver side had went bad. did not hear any pre-warning signs. only noticed when the noise of rubbing started. had to replace both ball joints and tie rod. *jb
07/26/2004970002
 Driver's side front wheel separated and fell off while driving at 10 mph. no injuries or damage were sustained because of the low speed being driven at the time of the incident. this occurred because front upper ball joint and tie rod separated and fell off. *ak
07/07/20043
 While driving at 45 mph ball joints on driver's side exploded underneath the pickup, breaking into bits and pieces. the tire completely disengaged. the axle was bent, and the inner tie rod had to be replaced. *ak *ts *tc
06/25/200472000202/01/2003
 Only 70000 on the 2000 dodge dakota. tie rods broke without warning. had to replace 2 outer and 1 inner tie rod. at the same time the ball bearings were found to be in horrible shape. those had to be replaced too. *ak
11/17/200364833112/04/1999
 Failed va state safety inspection because of loose inner tie rod, the entire rack was replaced inorder for it to pass.*ak
03/15/200330000
 At about 30,000 miles premature failure of upper control arms, ball joints, tie rods and then tires and allignment costing over $1200 on 2000 dodge dakota 2wd . **ak
10000204/12/2000
 Tie rods and ball joints failed prematurely, causing the left front tire to blow out at 10,000 miles. also, the rim was destroyed. *ak
12/24/200376000201/02/2000
 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
350001
 While driving the vehicle hit a bump and jumped off the road. the dealer determined that the upper/lower ball joints and the left outer tie rod end was worn out and must be replaced. please provide any additional information. *nm
11/25/2003490001
 My 2000 dodge dakota r/t has just under 50,000 miles and was diagnosed with faulty upper ball joints. along with a slew of front suspension components including tie rods, sway bars, and lower control arms. *la
06/01/200377000106/02/2000
 Tie rod broke on a 2000 dodge dakota.*mr when returning home, the consumer turned the corner and the vehicle seemed to slide. immediately it began to shake side to side like a washing machine with an uneven load. the consumer managed to get off the road onto a parking lot. consumer first thought it was a flat tire, but it wasn't. a man and woman who saw the vehicle shaking, stopped to see if the consumer needed help. the man went to look at the vehicle and noticed the tie rod was broken on the right side after looking under the vehicle. consumer reported the failure to the manager on august 4,2003 and he stated there wasn't a recall and he wasn't sure if other dodge dakota's experienced the same failure. consumer was informed that the vehicle wouldn't be covered under warranty and there was nothing they could do. *ph *jb
07/15/20031
 Consumer stated that while driving and without warning the front passenger side tie rod snapped. dealer notified. *ak the consumer pulled off the road into a parking lot, then backed up, and the tie rod snapped off. the tie rod had gone through the rim on the right front tire which all had to be replaced. the problem was reported to dodge and they did not respond. *scc *jb
 While driving 20-25 mph and without warning left tie rod fell off, causing vehicle to become inoperative. dealer has been notified; however, stated it was caused by wear and tear. *ak
03/26/2002108/28/2000
 While driving 10 mph, vehicle started to shake violently. consumer attempted to exit main road, but could not control steering, vehicle hit a curb and came to a rest, vehicle was towed to dealer who determined front tie rod had come apart. *ak *tt
08/29/2001109/09/2001
 While backing up she could not straighten wheels, had vehicle towed to dealer who is replacing a broken tie rod at this time, side unknown. *ak
STEERING - RACK AND PINION
02/28/200771528104/30/2000
 Noise from engine compartment and vibration from steering wheel. sounds as if power steering pump was low on fluid. makes a load noise when steering became difficult to steer. drove short distance to repair facility and was shocked that the high pressure hoses had split. also the rack and pinion steering will have to be rebuilt if possible if not replaced. also a boot was torn and has to be replaced. work has not been started as i find it is necessary to get more than one estimate. the local garage wants in excess of $1200 for the repairs while the dealer wants over $2000. approximately 12 months ago i had the upper ball joints replaced under warranty and had to get a front end alignment at an extra charge. no visual signs of wear was noticed. *jb
02/12/2005885001
 While driving at highway speed steering rack and pinion failed, causing the vehicle to pull to the left, and resulting in a collision. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership will be notified.*ak
11/08/20042
 While driving steering wheel jumped on its on. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and took it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the rack and pinion steering and upper ball joint needed to be replaced. *ak
660003
 Vehicle is experiencing slack in the steering column. also, there is a problem with the rack and pinion steering. right side of the vehicle is causing the tires to wear unevenly. there is a rattling and squeaking noise in the front right side. *ak *jb
10/15/2002
 Consumer states while driving approx 45 mph vehicle's power steering failed w/o warning. checked by dlr who advised rack and pinion failed. mr
STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK
01/03/2005480001
 The vehicle's steering rack failed resulting in noise while steering. *nm the vehicle was originally taken to the dealer to have the ball joint recall done. the consumer informed the dealer of a creaking noise in the steering and was informed that the noise was a symptom of the recalled ball joints. when the vehicle was finally taken to the dealer they indicated that the steering rack was faulty and causing the noise in the steering wheel. the consumer had to pay $1000. to have the steering rack replaced. the consumer believes this part should have been covered under the recall for the ball joints. *nm
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
4
 The steering wheel feels loose on the steering column. the vehicle regularly makes popping sound. the consumer believes the vehicle was unsafe to operate. *yh
05/01/20003
 When steering to left or to right a noise will occur. dealer replaced steering shaft once, and steering column twice, but noise still occurs. *ak rear brake drums and front brake rotors failed. *yh
12/01/1999912/09/1999
 Consumer noticed a popping sensation coming from front end. *ak left front ball joint replaced, steering shaft freplaced, however popping noise still exists. consumer states vehicle pulls to the right and there is tire wear. *slc
05/01/200003/01/2000
 There is play in the steering column. the steering wheel will move approximately 1/8 to 1/4 up and down. the dealer claims it's because of the collaspable steering column.