Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | ||||||||||||||||
| 04V596000 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION | from 01/07/1999 to 12/31/2002 | V (Vehicle) | 592707 | 12/21/2004 | ODI | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 12/21/2004 | 12/21/2004 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. this could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which may not always be heard by the vehicle occupants. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will replace the front suspension upper ball joints. this safety improvement campaign began on december 21, 2004. owners can contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. | |||||||||||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | ||||||||||||||||
| 08E064000 | SKF USA, INC. | E (Equipment) | 2805 | 11/05/2008 | MFR | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 10/20/2008 | 10/20/2008 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | Skf is recalling 2,805 hub units, part no. br930361, sold as a service part for 1997-2004 dodge dakota vehicles and 1999-2003 dodge durango vehicles equipped with 2-wheel drive & rear axle abs. due to a specification error, the rotor pilot for the hub unit may be too long. this results in the wheel to not be seated fully against the hub flange face during mounting. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Improper seating of the wheel can result in excessive vibration, brake rotor noise, difficulty removing the wheel after installation and operation of the vehicle, and possibly wheel-end separation during vehicle operation. should wheel-end separation occur, the driver could loose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Skf will notify owners and replace the defective hub units free of charge. the recall began on november 5, 2008. owners may contact skf vsm north america customer service at 1-800-644-8999. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Skf's recall no. skf pro 08-029us/ca.this recall only pertains to aftermarket skf hub units and has no relation to any original equipment installed on dodge dakota or durango vehicles manufactured by chrysler.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 0201004 | 12/16/2004 | 10011940 | Upper ball joint extended warranty. *tt | 02/07/2005 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | ||||||
| EA03023 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 11/19/2003 | 02/11/2005 | UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION | 04V596000 | |
| Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | ||||||
| EA03023 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 11/19/2003 | 02/11/2005 | UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION | 04V596000 | |
| Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | ||||||
| EA03023 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 11/19/2003 | 02/11/2005 | UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION | 04V596000 | |
| Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER ARM | ||||||
| EA03023 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 11/19/2003 | 02/11/2005 | UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION | 04V596000 | |
| Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | ||||||
| EA03023 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 11/19/2003 | 02/11/2005 | UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION | 04V596000 | |
| Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 09/12/2007 | 50000 | ||
| I started noticing a lurch or lateral shift of the front end during tight left and right turns at low speed (35 mph or less). driving at highway speeds on straight roads did not indicate any problems. recently, during a brake system inspection, significant slop / free movement at the upper ball joint & wheel knuckle assembly connection was noted (> 0.5). i researched the problem and discovered the nhtsa issued recall for upper ball joint failures on 2000-2003 dodge dakotas as well as the dodge issued tsb for the same defect. i took my 2001 dakota in to a dodge dealer for the recall repair. the dodge dealer and chrysler both conveniently took the position that my vin was not part of this recall, therefore they were not responsible for making the repair. my vehicle has the same failure mode described in the nhtsa recall and the dodge issued tsb. the nhtsa should force dodge to expand the scope of vin's covered by the recall to include all 2000-2003 dakotas that experience premature ball joint failures. a safety related suspension component should not fail at 50,000 miles. to arbitrarily exclude some vehicle vin's from the recall even though they have the same defects is dishonest and not in the best interest of the traveling public. i urge the nhtsa to force dodge/chrysler to repair this defect on all 2000-2003 dakotas. | |||
| 05/08/2011 | 142000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the passenger side upper ball joints arm separated from the wheel. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic shop where the contact was awaiting repairs. the dealer was contacted who offered no assistance. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 140,000. | |||
| 05/08/2011 | 142000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the contact stated the passenger side upper ball joints arm separated from the wheel. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic shop who will be repairing the failure. the dealer was contacted who offered no assistance. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 140,000....mw | |||
| 01/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| Dodge dakota 2001, consumer replaced ball joints. *bf the consumer had to pay for a 2 wheel alignment after the ball joints were replaced. the consumer feels the alignment should have been included in the replacement. *nm | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| 'recall campaign' concerning upper ball joint wear. driving on tires that are worn out unevenly. *bf the consumer could not get the tire aligned and had been driving on the tires that are worn out unevenly. the alignment reading was totally off due to the failing ball joints and the shop would not rotate the tires. *sc | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1 | 10/01/2001 | |
| 2001 dodge dakota had several ball joint replacements at low miles. *bf all the ball joints were covered under warranty. *nm | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 47000 | ||
| Right front ball joint had to be replaced because of excess wear on tires and loose driving. i now have just over 50k miles and have been told that both right and left ball joint need to be replaced. truck has a terrible ride and a dodge dealer stated that my problem would not be covered under any bullitin or warranty. cost is estimated to be over $1200.00 | |||
| 12/01/2000 | 2 | 12/01/2000 | |
| A continuous clunk in the front left suspension which the consumer was told was the ball joints. *ph the left side was at 380 degree and the oe specific was 0, and needed to be replaced. a non dealer told the consumer that the original design was poor. *sc | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving, the front of the truck began to shake along with a noise. the consumer inspected the front and noticed the passenger side tire had come off. the consumer was able to pull the entire tire off with his hands because the ball joint had failed. *jb. | |||
| 06/02/2003 | 34000 | 1 | 10/28/2000 |
| I have a 2001 dakota that started knocking on bumps at approx. 25000 miles. i determined that this was not normal and took it to a 5 star dealer at approx. 34000 and 37000 miles at which both times they could not find a problem. it is very obvious there is an issue with the suspension. my father owns a 1995 dakota that had the same problem. once the ball joints were replaced, not by a dodge dealership, the noise issue was resolved. there are many reviews stating this issue but chryler does nothing to address it. the only thing i am left to do is pay $800-$1000 to repair it. i unfortunately cannot afford this and risk having it break at anytime. *ak | |||
| 07/10/2002 | 8 | 11/02/2001 | |
| Vehicle will start to move to the right when the consumer applies the brakes while driving. problem gets worse when driving at higher speeds. vehicle has been to the dealer three times, but the repairs do not work . contacted dealer. *ak consumer states the caiplers have been replaced on several occasions, also the vehicle was realigned, also there was an oil and transmissin leak.*jb | |||
| Jump a little when hitting rough spots in the road. problem became evident when traveling on a long gravel road | |||
| 07/12/2001 | |||
| When pressing on brakes steering wheel pulls to right. when turning steering wheel on its own it makes a loud pop. contacted dealer. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2000 | |||
| Vehicle handles poorly,wanders,no feel to steering.has been back to dealer several times. dealer has stated that manufacturer is aware of problem but hasen't come up with a solution.vehicle is very difficult to drive,very hard to keep going in a straight line,and to stay in the right lane. i don't feel that dodge is doing all that it can to remedy this situation.i am planning a trip to alaska pulling a fifth wheel trailer next summer and do not feel that it would be safe to do so with this vehicle.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 04/01/2011 | 169000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while reversing out of a parking lot, he heard a loud noise and was unable to move the vehicle. upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front passenger side tie rod broke. the vehicle was towed home, where the tie rod and lower ball joints were replaced. the vehicle was not taken to an authorized dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 169,000 and the current mileage was 170,000. sm. | |||
| 04/01/2011 | 169000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while reversing out of a parking lot he heard a loud noise and he was unable to move the vehicle. the contact mentioned that once he inspected the vehicle he noticed that the front passenger side tie rod broke. the vehicle was towed, and in order to remedy the failure he decided to replaced the tie rod and the bottom ball joints. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 169,000 and the current mileage was 170,000, pm | |||
| 40000 | 2 | ||
| While driving consumer heard a popping noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. dealer replaced the front axle, but the problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2003 | 62670 | 0 | 10/20/2001 |
| I own a 2001 dodge dakota and noticed a loud clunking sound from my wheel when i turn the wheel at a hard angle and it is worse when in 4 wheel drive. the vechicle is out of warranty so it has not been in to get repaired. i have saw several reports where similar noise resulted in a lost wheel on the vechicle. dodge should recall this ball joint problem and make my vehicle safe to drive. i drive my vehicle for work sales purposes and put on very many miles per year at highway speeds. this noise happens most of the time and when cold or in 4 wheel drive worse when the wheel is turned hard. | |||
| 02/25/2003 | 46000 | 1 | 02/14/2002 |
| Ball joints on my 2001 dodge dakota pickup are already bad after 46k miles. i heard many complants about the same problem from other owners.*jb | |||
| 2 | |||
| Consumer states that vehicle pulls to the left when driving, on numerous occasions the vehicle has jerked to the left in such a manner as to take control away from the driver, it was found that the tires had never been balanced, a front end mechanic informed consumer that there was a problem with the front end of the vehicle, consumer states that now the front tires jump or cup during sharp turns to the left, the rear end was also replaced. *slc | |||
| 09/06/2000 | 50 | 09/06/2000 | |
| While driving and coming to a stop vehicle will start to fail, and will not pull. had to shut vehicle down and restart. contacted dealer, and dealer stated didn't know what the problem was. *ak the consumer stated that the front end was slightly out of alignment. the motor has a problem when the vehicle stops for a moment at a light or sign, it will shudder and choke . *yh | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving, front end of vehicle pulls severely to the right, dealer can not identify cause of problem. *ak control arm was replaced. calipers were replaced. dealer found air leak with the gas tank and replaced the fuel pump, this was causing the engine light to illuminate. *slc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 11/04/2004 | 29000 | 1 | 06/15/2004 |
| I purchased the vehicle used but it had new brakes. i had it for a month and drove approx. 1000 miles and the brake rotors became warped. i had them turned and they were fine. i drove the vehicle for approx. 5 more months and 6000 miles and the rotors became warped again. the vibrations occur very badly when braking from 50 mph-40 mph. when braking from a higher or lower speed than 40-50 there are only minor vibrations. i also have noise coming from the front drivers side suspension when turning at slow speeds and going over a bump/curb(such as to enter/leave a driveway). *jb | |||
| 02/09/2003 | 29367 | 2 | 12/22/2000 |
| Excessive ball joint wear. my wife (stephanie ball) filed a complaint back in 1999 for the same problem. i think his name was steve from nhtsa contacted us and keep us informed of the problem. she has had the ball joints replaced five times in her dakota. the last contact from nhtsa was that they was going to make dodge recall these vehicles for this dangerous problem. it has been two years and we have not heard any more on this issue. i help by getting names of other people that was having the same problem. i manage an auto parts store a auto of madison wv and this is not just an isolated problem. i know of 4 dakota that were wrecked and sustained severe damage due to ball joint failure. the adjuster from state farm's mother had a wreck due to ball joint failure. and he said that he had seen several that had wrecked. i could replace these ball joints with aftermarket moog brand and solve the problem. but it shouldn't be up to me to solve it. i would have thought after the firestone episode that issues like this would be taken more seriously. i contacted the dealer today because you have to check the ball joints every couple of weeks. i don't want to take a chance on killing someone because of a problem that has existed since 1997. the dealer said that the ball joints was supposed to have so much play from the factory. the aftermarket one i sell do not. anyone with common sense knows that if a component in a high stress area that takes a lot of beating is not supposed to have any play. the longer you drive it the worse it gets. i recently took a wv state inspection class. the state police have dodge durango's. he said to make sure and check the ball joints because they were having the same problem i am . so i think the time has come to get this problem corrected, before some else wrecks or someone gets killed. its pretty evident when the trooper teaching the inspection class tells you to pay special attention to this problem! please notify me if you need anything. *nlm | |||
| 12 | 06/13/2001 | ||
| The consumer experienced problems with (possibly)the ball joints. while he is driving there is a clunking sound that gets worse when turning on curves. the dealer has been contacted and stated that this is a common problem with this model and is unable to help. ts other problems are as followed: the vehicle will slide/skate over any bump/uneven surface and corner, noise in front end/passenger side front wheel/passenger side window, the engine light was on-found evap leak, bad gas cap, rear brake drums are hopping, abs light on, internal mail relay and valve plug shorted, and front inner brake pad spring clips bent out of shape. the consumer requests the following: refund of the purchase of the vehicle, lessen the bank payments for the time of use, and apply a refund towards the purchase of a new dodge ram. scc | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving, front end of vehicle pulls severely to the right, dealer can not identify cause of problem. *ak control arm was replaced. calipers were replaced. dealer found air leak with the gas tank and replaced the fuel pump, this was causing the engine light to illuminate. *slc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 08/15/2001 | 2115 | 9 | 05/04/2001 |
| Bad control arms ball joint assembly,steering wonders to right,power steering pump replaced,steering shaft replaced waiting for new steering column,lower control arm and ball joint replaced under warranty,chrysler zone office knows they have a defect in the front end of the dakota and durango stated it was cheeper to replace parts.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 01/25/2008 | 65689 | 1 | 11/01/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. while driving 2 mph, the contact heard a banging noise coming from the passenger side front tire. he stated that the steering was difficult to turn. upon inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the passenger side front lower ball joints were disengaged. the mechanic stated that the cause of the failure was due to the lower ball joints not being lubed. in addition, the lower ball joints were rubbing against the upper ball joints. the mechanic replaced the front lower and upper ball joints. there had been no further occurrences. the failure mileage was 65,689 and current mileage was 66,471. | |||
| 02/08/2007 | 55000 | 5 | 02/08/2007 |
| I bought a 2001 dodge dakota 4wd a month ago. i have had to replace the lower ball joints, catalytic converter, timing chain, water pump and now the transfer case has gone bad. the truck only has 55000 miles on it. i have only made one payment on the truck and have paid the repair shop over $1500 in repair costs. they only time that i have got to drive the truck is to the repair shop except when i bought it. this is ridiculous, a truck with low miles like this should not have this many problems. the dealer said that they would look at it this time put they couldn't make any promises. we paid for everything else to get fixed and i refuse to pay for anything else. i paid $10,000 for a truck that i can't even drive, i'm actually scared to drive it because who knows what will happen next. apparently dodges are pieces of crap to put it politely. *jb | |||
| 12/22/2006 | 59822 | 1 | 08/06/2006 |
| I would like to know why only the upper ball joints on the 2000-2004 dakotas is covered in the recall as the lower ball joint are the same design where there is no way to grease up the lower ball joints and it would lead to the same problem as the upper ball joints? *nm | |||
| 10/15/2006 | 88000 | 1 | 02/01/2001 |
| 1. normal driving circumstances. front end suspension started making clunking/popping noises and steering became erratic. truck has 85,000 miles. 2. could not safely drive the vehicle. the steering was too risky. i also noticed while the tow truck driver was pulling the vehicle onto the truck that the front right wheel was leaning over at about 30 degree angle. 3. mechanic diagnosed that the upper ball joints has basically rusted and deteriorated. lower joints were also on their way to failure. additional research has shown that the 4 wheel drive models were recalled. why weren't the 2 wheel drives. this problem mirrors the issue that they had. *nm | |||
| 02/08/2003 | 48000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge dakota extended cab 4x4. rattling in front end when going over small bumps such as man holes and washboard. sounds similar to a loose hub cap. was told the lower front ball joints were bad and daimler/chrysler has a bulletin published internally on how to fix the problem and may cause the wheel to fall off. sounds like a manufacturing defect to me that they should replace. *nm | |||
| 10/23/2005 | 99680 | 1 | 08/23/2005 |
| Dt: the contact stated while driving vehicle had to swerve to miss an oncoming vehicle. the lower ball join broke at this time. the contact's vehicle went into a creek. the injuries to the occupants of the vehicle were still being determined. the vehicle is currently being inspected. *ak | |||
| 08/24/2005 | 31915 | 2 | 02/08/2003 |
| Dt: consumer owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the upper ball joints had to be replaced at 31,915 miles. the lower ball joints were replaced at 37,556 miles. the service dealer stated that there were problems with this year, make, and model vehicle. the consumer stated that while driving there was a noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. he did not notice if there was any play in the steering until the lower ball joints were replaced. since the replacement it has a tighter steering control. there was a recall on the upper ball joints, but there has been no recall on the lower ball joints. *ak *mr *jb | |||
| 05/02/2005 | 1 | 11/15/2002 | |
| The consumer stated the lower ball joint was loose and the wheels could actually fall off. | |||
| 12/06/2004 | 83000 | 1 | |
| Repairs to the upper ball joint was completed by the consumer prior to receiving a recall notice. consumer wished to have the lower ball joints repaired since they were defective. consumer was told by manufacturer and dealer that the lower ball joints were not included in the recall. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer's vehicle was included in recall campaign 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear. however, consumer was waiting for awhile and was told there were no parts available. *ak | |||
| 10/11/2004 | 60000 | 2 | |
| Consumer was informed that upper ball joint/tie rods werer worn out. this caused the vehicle to pull to the right. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 11/04/2003 | 42000 | 1 | |
| The consumer took the vehicle for a safety inspection. he was then informed the ball joints were worn and needed to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 01/10/2005 | 1 | 04/15/2001 | |
| 2001 dodge dakota was recalled to replace upper ball joints. during repair lower ball joints were also found to be defective. had to pay out of pocket for them to be replaced. the failure of the upper ball joints could also lead to the failure of the lower, and this should be included in the recall. *ak | |||
| 01/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but when taken in for repair, results showed that the lower ball joints needed to be replaced as well.*ak also, inner tie rod wore out, failed state inspection due to excessive wear. sideto side play in tire when jocke dup. dealership stated this was a common problem. *ak | |||
| 12/30/2004 | 1 | 09/18/2000 | |
| Recall 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear: consumer received this recall notice, and contacted his local dealer, who informed the consumer that no parts would be available until march 2005.*ak | |||
| 12/28/2004 | 43000 | 1 | |
| The consumer states the lower ball joints were worn. please provide additional information. *jb | |||
| 11/22/2004 | 60000 | 1 | |
| While driving 30 mph front ball joint punctured the front driver's side tire. this forced the vehicle into a ditch. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership informed the consumer of the ball joint failure and repaired it. *ak | |||
| 12/08/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 03/30/2001 |
| Tires on the front end of my 2001 dodge dakota 4wd 3.9l v6 were wearing really unevenly. come to find out that i had one upper and one lower ball joint on opposing sides that went bad. my truck only had 40,000 miles on it and they were all highway. both ball joints have been replaced and was done in december 2003. it wore out two brand new tires.*ak | |||
| 11/17/2004 | 54800 | 1 | 03/29/2001 |
| I just replaced the ball joints on my 2001 dakota. they were very loose and had alot of play. i'm lucky i got mine repaired before it caused an accident like others i've recently heard about. i've also replaced the front drive shaft, rear u-joints and rear differential all within the last year. i have to believe that all this is related. i'm probably up over $3,000 in repairs for these things.*ak | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 45000 | 3 | |
| My 2001 dodge dakota 2wd has 45,000 miles on it and already needs 3 ball joints replaced.*ak | |||
| 11/23/2004 | 66000 | 2 | |
| Front upper and lower ball joints wore out prematurely. *ak the faulty ball joints caused abnormal wear on the driver's side front tire. the manufacturer refused any assistance because the vehicle was out of warranty. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 16000 | 1 | 02/15/2003 |
| The upper and lower ball joints on my 2001 dodge dakota extended cab 4x4 pickup have had massive deterioration with only 17,500 miles on them. they cause tremendous steering and tracking problems, and have caused me to not be able to drive the vehicle because of safety concerns. because these cannot be lubricated or adjusted, they must be replaced. i will either do these repairs myself in the near future or have then done at a qualified garage, but i will save the defective parts. i have not done anything excessive with the vehicle such as off-roading, trailering, heavy loads, or any non-standard use. all equipment (tires included) on the truck is factory, i.e. no aftermarket modifications that would cause non-standard loads or stresses. this type of premature failing at only 17,500 miles is not acceptable, and from my research i understand it is a common problem with the year and model of vehicle.*jb | |||
| 12/23/2003 | 43000 | 1 | 11/19/2003 |
| Ball joints make loud metallic noise, wear tires quickly, requiring excessive alignment/balancing. *jb | |||
| 12/04/2001 | 43500 | 2 | 12/04/2001 |
| I would like to know why dodge has not recalled the dodge dakotas for defective ball joints and disc rotors. i have scanned the internet and found a large number of people who have had the same problem as i. my 2001 dakota was purchased in december. of 01 and has 44,000 miles . i am 54 years old and this was my first new vehicle. unfortunately it was a dodge. i will never own another dodge product,and if asked my opinion will not recommend dodge to anyone !!!!!!!!! please send this to the dodge corp.*ak | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 65000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle vibrated when the brakes were applied. the consumer thought that the brakes were bad when it was discovered that it was not the brakes but the ball joints had failed. the consumer had to have the ball joints replaced and had to come out of pocket to do so. *jb | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 2 | 01/27/2001 | |
| Driver side front of p/u started 'knocking' when traversing bumps or making right hand turns at 12000. passenger side front tire began to feather at 30000. at 37775 with new shocks and tires, allignment was needed to correct pulling to the right. was discovered that lower passenger and upper driver side ball joints were horribly shot. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 69000 | 2 | 07/29/2003 |
| Wheel and assembly came off while traveling on the highway. cv joint, ball joints, brake removed.*ak | |||
| 08/05/2004 | 75000 | 1 | |
| While driving at a low speed, the inner tie rod end came out of the socket and the front driver side tire turned to the left. this resulted in vehicle crashing into a concrete phylum. the inner tie rod , front lower ball joint, fender, bumper, blinker and rim needed to be replaced. also when making a sharp right turn driver's side inside rim was rubbing against something underneath the vehicle. dealership was not willing to replace any component until they were able to duplicate the failure.*ak | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| Webmaster foia request all complaint/notices/documents or warning between nhtsa nd daimler chrysler re: problems malfunction, failures of the upper/lower ball joints associated with the dodge dakota truck for my 2001. (nar) *ph *cb *jb | |||
| 04/09/2001 | 03/08/2001 | ||
| Local dodge dealer service dept informed me today that most likely ball joints on my 2001 dodge dakota probally need to be replaced. with less than 30000 miles this is unbelieveable. jwk | |||
| 1 | |||
| Front end felt loose and the steering wheel shook. vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who determined that upper and lower ball joints were worn out and must be replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/10/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving between 25 and 30 mph, consumer heard noise coming through the front end. dealership replaced driver side upper and lower ball joints. at consumer's expense. *ak | |||
| 25000 | 3 | ||
| Consumer heard a noise in the front end. it was diagnosed as a problem with the ball joints. consumer replaced the ball joints 3 times in the past 55,000 miles. currently, he was about to put on a new set of ball joints. *ak | |||
| 07/22/2003 | 10000 | 1 | |
| At any speed when vehicle hits a bump a rattling sound is heard in the front end. dealer examined the vehicle and did not find a problem with the suspension. *ak | |||
| 12/19/2003 | 29000 | 9999 | 12/08/2003 |
| Ball joints are cheap and dangerous. my vehicle has only 35,000 miles and the ball joints are in bad shape on both sides and needs to be replaced, like many others around the country!! im sure im not the only one with this problem.*ak | |||
| 16600 | 1 | ||
| Consumer complained about a ball joint problem. both upper and lower ball joints prematurely wore out. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| Ball joint failure. i have already filed a complaint in regards to upper ball joint failure on my truck. when i first started checking on the problem the only repair solution was upper control arm replacement. by the time of investigating for an after market product dodge had released a ball joint only part. this indicates to me that dodge saw that there was a unusual amount of ball joint failures. now to make things worse i am starting to get the same symptoms i had before (within two months of replacing the uppers). which tells me that either the lowers are going out now or the new uppers were defective as well. it also seems strange that alot of the problems are happening just after the warranty period. i think dodge may be using planned failure. i also think nhtsa officials investigating this problem should look at comments on other websites. not everyone knows that they can report a problem on this website. just do a search for dodge dakota ball joints and look and see how many complaints there are out there. the scariest thought are people who will continue to drive the vehicle and not know that it is the ball joint and how serious the failure could be. | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 5000 | 1 | 08/30/2001 |
| I have a 2001 dodge dakota 2wd and i have a very loud popping noise coming from my left front suspension system that seems to be coming from the ball joint area. it happens when i turn sharp and hit a bump also. i understand from many people who own these vehicles that this is the first sign of a common problem with ball joints grinding and coming apart. this is a safety related issue that needs to be addressed.*ak | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 47408 | 1 | 12/17/2003 |
| Vehicle failed georgia state inspection. technician indicated the need to replace the upper and lower ball joints. *ak *mr | |||
| 12/20/2003 | 52000 | 2 | 07/01/2001 |
| Both upper ball joints failed and had to be replaced. the ball joints have no way to grease them so they will fail. i replaced the upper ball joints with a 3 party joint that has a grease fitting so that i will be able to use my truck safely. *ak | |||
| 33000 | 1 | ||
| Upper and lower ball joints malfunctioned. *ak | |||
| 08/07/2003 | 35000 | 1 | 08/08/2003 |
| Upper balljoint defective 35000 miles chrysler would not replace. this found when a alignment performed. i replaced both balljoints. i have all bills and defective parts.*ak | |||
| 10/27/2003 | 1 | 05/16/2001 | |
| Front suspension problems identical to that of the dodge durango. have had both lower and upper control arms/ball joints relaced with less than 50,000 miles on the vehicle. parts were replaced by dealership with same defective parts as originally installed on vehicle. personally, no accidents related to this problem yet. concerned about overall safety of dakota owners. we have a 2001 dodge dakota.*ak | |||
| 08/18/2003 | 51655 | 3 | 08/08/2001 |
| Early failure of vehicle ball joints. vehicle has 51000 miles on it, and ball joints are failing.*ak | |||
| 22000 | 3 | ||
| Vehicle has a clucking noise in the front suspension when making a turn. this is caused by the ball joints wearing out, and needing replacement.*ak | |||
| 08/15/2001 | 2115 | 9 | 05/04/2001 |
| Bad control arms ball joint assembly,steering wonders to right,power steering pump replaced,steering shaft replaced waiting for new steering column,lower control arm and ball joint replaced under warranty,chrysler zone office knows they have a defect in the front end of the dakota and durango stated it was cheeper to replace parts.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER ARM | |||
| 12/27/2004 | 3 | ||
| While driving vehicle stalled. consumer was able to restart vehicle, and drive it to the dealer. after a knocking noise was heard coming from the front vehicle was placed on diagnostic machine, but the problem could not be duplicated for stalling. however, mechanic determined that the left and right control arms needed to be replaced due to corrosion. *ak | |||
| 03/12/2004 | 60000 | 1 | 08/01/2001 |
| I have a 2001 dodge dakota 2wd. i have a popping noise coming from the front end of my vehicle when making turns. i had the local dodge dealership look into this for me and they say the source of my problems is the upper control a-arms. since my warranty has expired, they can not service my truck. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 04/10/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the contact stated he previously had repairs performed on the vehicle under nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension: front: control arm: upper ball joint). he was experiencing an abnormally loud squeaking and clunking when driving at various speeds. the contact stated the failure has recurred and the same symptoms he experienced before were the same symptoms he was experiencing presently. there were no further repairs made to the vehicle. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 94,000. | |||
| 01/25/2008 | 65689 | 1 | 11/01/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge dakota. while driving 2 mph, the contact heard a banging noise coming from the passenger side front tire. he stated that the steering was difficult to turn. upon inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the passenger side front lower ball joints were disengaged. the mechanic stated that the cause of the failure was due to the lower ball joints not being lubed. in addition, the lower ball joints were rubbing against the upper ball joints. the mechanic replaced the front lower and upper ball joints. there had been no further occurrences. the failure mileage was 65,689 and current mileage was 66,471. | |||
| 10/19/2007 | 87500 | 1 | 09/30/2007 |
| Ball joint problem on 4x2 dodge dakota. popping grating sound and lack of control in the upper ball joint assemblies. these use the same upper ball joint assy. as the 4x4 units that have been recalled. these cause the same problems and dangerous safety issues. *tr | |||
| 10/15/2006 | 88000 | 1 | 02/01/2001 |
| 1. normal driving circumstances. front end suspension started making clunking/popping noises and steering became erratic. truck has 85,000 miles. 2. could not safely drive the vehicle. the steering was too risky. i also noticed while the tow truck driver was pulling the vehicle onto the truck that the front right wheel was leaning over at about 30 degree angle. 3. mechanic diagnosed that the upper ball joints has basically rusted and deteriorated. lower joints were also on their way to failure. additional research has shown that the 4 wheel drive models were recalled. why weren't the 2 wheel drives. this problem mirrors the issue that they had. *nm | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 52000 | 2 | 09/01/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated there were problems with the ball joints. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic shop for repair on the upper front right ball joints. a recall letter was received pertaining to the ball joints and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer repaired the upper front left ball joints under the recall and informed the contact to send the manufacturer copies of the prior repair work performed on the ball joints. after sending the manufacturer a letter with invoice, a letter was received from the manufacturer denying reimbursement for the costs of the previous repairs. | |||
| 07/15/2004 | 1 | 06/15/2003 | |
| Dt: the contact received nhtsa recall campaign 04v596000 concerning the upper ball joints. they had previously been repaired, as well as the lower ball joints. when contacted the manufacturer to be reimbursed, they would not reimburse him for the lower ball joints. the contact stated when the upper ball joints wore out the lower ball joints wore out as well. *ak | |||
| 08/24/2005 | 31915 | 2 | 02/08/2003 |
| Dt: consumer owns a 2001 dodge dakota. the upper ball joints had to be replaced at 31,915 miles. the lower ball joints were replaced at 37,556 miles. the service dealer stated that there were problems with this year, make, and model vehicle. the consumer stated that while driving there was a noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. he did not notice if there was any play in the steering until the lower ball joints were replaced. since the replacement it has a tighter steering control. there was a recall on the upper ball joints, but there has been no recall on the lower ball joints. *ak *mr *jb | |||
| 06/22/2005 | 111000 | 1 | 03/10/2005 |
| 1. clunking noise coming from the front end of my truck. 2. upper ball joing wear at a dangerous level. 3. i had to have the parts replaced, and i still have the old part. this part was recalled under the 4x4 vehicles, and mine is 2wd so i had to pay for repairs. i believe my safety was at risk, and it had nothing to do with the fact my vehicle was not a 4wd. | |||
| 03/05/2005 | 54011 | 1 | 11/18/2001 |
| Annual vehicle inspection of my 2001 dodge dakota sport 2wd verhicle (54,000 miles), performed on 03/05/05, necessitated the replacement of detatched ball joint. *ak | |||
| 12/07/2004 | 54000 | 1 | |
| No parts for recall#04596000 ball joints. eddie dodge 803-359-2501. please provide more information. *jb | |||
| 01/19/2005 | 61829 | 2 | |
| Upper ball joints were replaced. recently, the upper ball joints for this vehicle were recalled ,and the owner contacted the dealership. again had the ball joints replaced, but they did not do an alignment. currently, the tire is pulling to the left, and the dealership will not make any adjustments. *ak | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| Re: dodge recall: i own a 2001 dodge dakota, it feels like the wheels wobble. *bf | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| Dodge dakota failure of front ball joints, replaced ball joint. *bf *jb | |||
| 02/04/2005 | 127000 | 1 | |
| Recall campaign 04v596000 was issued. consumer stated the upper ball joints wore out prematurely. however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| 2001 dodge dakota front wheel fell off, which caused damage to front end of vehicle. *bf the consumer wondered if the wheel falling off could have been the result of the upper ball joints being defective. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| The consumer was asked to call back within a week because the parts were still unavailable. when the consumer called back, the dealer told him that they again did not have parts and they would contact him when they did. *jb | |||
| 01/12/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 40 mph, the driver heard a loud knocking noise coming from the front. suddenly, the vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the front right upper ball joint needed to be replaced. please provide further details. | |||
| 01/10/2005 | 1 | 04/15/2001 | |
| 2001 dodge dakota was recalled to replace upper ball joints. during repair lower ball joints were also found to be defective. had to pay out of pocket for them to be replaced. the failure of the upper ball joints could also lead to the failure of the lower, and this should be included in the recall. *ak | |||
| 01/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but when taken in for repair, results showed that the lower ball joints needed to be replaced as well.*ak also, inner tie rod wore out, failed state inspection due to excessive wear. sideto side play in tire when jocke dup. dealership stated this was a common problem. *ak | |||
| 01/05/2005 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| Dealership was not performing the upper ball joint wear recall 04v596000 repairs within a reasonable time. the next available appointment date is april 5th 2005.*ak......the safety recall states that consumer can loose control of vehicle and crash. he is afraid to drive it, especially on long trips. dodg ehas not helped consumer. *ak | |||
| 12/30/2004 | 1 | 09/18/2000 | |
| Recall 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear: consumer received this recall notice, and contacted his local dealer, who informed the consumer that no parts would be available until march 2005.*ak | |||
| 12/29/2004 | 1 | ||
| The dealership is refusing to perform the upper ball joint wear recall 04v596000 because the consumer didn't purchase the vehicle from them. *jb | |||
| 12/28/2001 | 0 | 07/26/2001 | |
| The control arm and upper ball joints, when is the recall going to happen?? my truck is really really bad. the front end alignment i got is no good and my new tires are being eaten up by this. i need my truck for work and this is so dangerous to drive in this condition. *nm | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 57000 | 1 | |
| The upper ball joint is making a clicking noise and causing the front left wheel to wobble, especially down hill at lower speeds. consumer will inform the dealer. *ak *nm | |||
| 04/16/2004 | 69059 | 1 | 01/10/2001 |
| On april 16, 2004 i was driving my 2001 dodge dakota sport 4x4, at approximately 15-20 mph when it appeared my had fallen off, but was still somehow attached to the vehicle. the wheel collapsed inside the wheel well with the top of the wheel towards the engine. the brake line was ripped out and i lost control of the vehicle and had no brake power. the vehicle slid to the side of the road and eventually stopped. the result was the upper ball joint separated in the front right tire causing the suspension to collapse, the right front wheel falling off, the brake line being ripped out and losing braking ability, and lost control of the vehicle. to correct the failure, the truck had to be towed to a repair shop, replaced the upper front right ball joint, brake line work, and the cost of labor. the towing cost $45, the ball joint cost $56.80, and the labor cost $75 for a total of $187.41. *jb | |||
| 12/11/2004 | 1 | 10/01/2004 | |
| This complaint is about the fact that only the 4x4 dodge dakotas have been recalled about the ball joints. the fact is that they all use the same ball joints and well how do we know that the 4x2 are not going to go. what are you going to wait until someone get hurt before they recall the 4x2? i don't think that is right that they only recall the 4x4 they should recall all the dakotas and durangos of those years. i am not one for that i buy a truck and the manufacture has don't wrong by giving faulty parts and i would have to suffer the consequence. that just is not right if they already know that they have faulty parts on the trucks. so this is a complaint that they should recall all the dakotas if not all then also the 4x2.. there was no incident as of december 11, 2004 but the complaint required that i put a date in but there was no incident. this is just a complaint. *jb | |||
| 12/08/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 03/30/2001 |
| Tires on the front end of my 2001 dodge dakota 4wd 3.9l v6 were wearing really unevenly. come to find out that i had one upper and one lower ball joint on opposing sides that went bad. my truck only had 40,000 miles on it and they were all highway. both ball joints have been replaced and was done in december 2003. it wore out two brand new tires.*ak | |||
| 11/17/2004 | 54800 | 1 | 03/29/2001 |
| I just replaced the ball joints on my 2001 dakota. they were very loose and had alot of play. i'm lucky i got mine repaired before it caused an accident like others i've recently heard about. i've also replaced the front drive shaft, rear u-joints and rear differential all within the last year. i have to believe that all this is related. i'm probably up over $3,000 in repairs for these things.*ak | |||
| 11/15/2004 | 50000 | 1 | 04/08/2004 |
| I have seen several reports of the us government asking daimlerchrysler to recall 2000-2004 dodge durangos and dakotas, 4 wheel drive. the 2 wheel drive dakotas have the exact same ball joint and failure! will these also be included in the recall? mine have yet to fail but make a horrible popping/rubbing noise when i make turns at a slow speed. this is a 2001 dodge dakota 2 wheel drive with 50,000 miles.*ak | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 45000 | 3 | |
| My 2001 dodge dakota 2wd has 45,000 miles on it and already needs 3 ball joints replaced.*ak | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 24000 | 1 | 05/25/2003 |
| I own 2 dodge dakotas one 1997 and one 2001. i have not replaced the ball joints, but they are making poping and cracking noises. the 2001 only has 24000 miles on it. when making a hard turn both dakotas seem to wobble like somthing is loose. i have not had any accidents yet but somthing is wrong. also the front tires have warn uneven on both trucks. front end alignment was almost impossable on the 2001 model.*ak | |||
| 11/23/2004 | 66000 | 2 | |
| Front upper and lower ball joints wore out prematurely. *ak the faulty ball joints caused abnormal wear on the driver's side front tire. the manufacturer refused any assistance because the vehicle was out of warranty. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 16000 | 1 | 02/15/2003 |
| The upper and lower ball joints on my 2001 dodge dakota extended cab 4x4 pickup have had massive deterioration with only 17,500 miles on them. they cause tremendous steering and tracking problems, and have caused me to not be able to drive the vehicle because of safety concerns. because these cannot be lubricated or adjusted, they must be replaced. i will either do these repairs myself in the near future or have then done at a qualified garage, but i will save the defective parts. i have not done anything excessive with the vehicle such as off-roading, trailering, heavy loads, or any non-standard use. all equipment (tires included) on the truck is factory, i.e. no aftermarket modifications that would cause non-standard loads or stresses. this type of premature failing at only 17,500 miles is not acceptable, and from my research i understand it is a common problem with the year and model of vehicle.*jb | |||
| 10/24/2004 | 56049 | 1 | |
| While driving 10 mph upper ball joint failed. as a result, the front passenger side tire separated from the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 12/23/2003 | 43000 | 1 | 11/19/2003 |
| Ball joints make loud metallic noise, wear tires quickly, requiring excessive alignment/balancing. *jb | |||
| 10/21/2004 | 58000 | 1 | 02/24/2001 |
| Upper ball joint failed on the wheel assembly on the passenger side; entire wheel assembly fell off the dodge dakota truck. fortunately my wife was only driving at about 5 to 10 mph when it happened. no one was injured. my wife had just been on the pa turnpike 30 minutes earlier she would have been killed if the upper ball joint had failed when she was on the turnpike. 2 001 dodge dakota 4-wheel drive truck, v8 engine. dealer can fix the wheel assembly, we have yet to get the bill, the truck is still in the shop.*ak | |||
| 12/04/2001 | 43500 | 2 | 12/04/2001 |
| I would like to know why dodge has not recalled the dodge dakotas for defective ball joints and disc rotors. i have scanned the internet and found a large number of people who have had the same problem as i. my 2001 dakota was purchased in december. of 01 and has 44,000 miles . i am 54 years old and this was my first new vehicle. unfortunately it was a dodge. i will never own another dodge product,and if asked my opinion will not recommend dodge to anyone !!!!!!!!! please send this to the dodge corp.*ak | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 65000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle vibrated when the brakes were applied. the consumer thought that the brakes were bad when it was discovered that it was not the brakes but the ball joints had failed. the consumer had to have the ball joints replaced and had to come out of pocket to do so. *jb | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 2 | 01/27/2001 | |
| Driver side front of p/u started 'knocking' when traversing bumps or making right hand turns at 12000. passenger side front tire began to feather at 30000. at 37775 with new shocks and tires, allignment was needed to correct pulling to the right. was discovered that lower passenger and upper driver side ball joints were horribly shot. *ak | |||
| 07/10/2003 | 4000 | 2 | |
| When turning in either direction front end produced a cracking and squeaking noise. dealers stated upper ball joints broke. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Noticeable grinding and stress sound especially when making a sharp turn over an uneven surface, such as turning into driveway while traversing a shallow curb. while getting vehicle inspected, i was informed that my upper ball joint was in need of replacement before total failure. this seems rather a premature failure of such a part seeing as how the truck is a 2001 with then around 55,000 miles on it. *ak | |||
| 08/08/2004 | 58000 | 5 | |
| While driving consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the upper ball joints. dealership repaired the problem four times, but problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 08/10/2004 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2001 dodge dakota and my ball joints are abnormally worn and i'm going to have to replace them here soon. i know about the problem with the ball joints not being lubed and i'm asking that you guys push daimler/chrysler into recalling the dodge dakota 2001 with the defective ball joints. i know i'm not the only one, this problem has been noted with dodge durangos but the dakotas use the same ball joints. recall please. i don't want my wheels to fall off because of the ball joints. recall. urge daimler/chrysler please, protect us the consumer. 2001 dodge dakota cabplus 35000 miles4x4 thank you. *jb | |||
| 08/24/2004 | 34163 | 1 | 08/24/2001 |
| Failure of upper ball joint/socket assembly. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 69000 | 2 | 07/29/2003 |
| Wheel and assembly came off while traveling on the highway. cv joint, ball joints, brake removed.*ak | |||
| 04/20/2004 | 59000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dakota club cab ball joints worn completely out at 59k miles. 1 joint had 7/8 of up and down movement, almost completely out of socket. all miles hwy miles.several other problems since new also. very poorly built. will never purchase another chrysler product, never. *jb | |||
| 07/10/2004 | 23816 | 1 | 04/26/2001 |
| While driving at about 50 mph right upper ball joint broke apart, causing the rim to pivot into what was remaining. it destroyed the rim and broke the brake line. luckily, no other traffic was close so no accident with another vehicle occured. the truck was hauled (wrecker) to the dealer and a new ball joint, rim, and brake line were installed.*ak | |||
| 07/20/2004 | 47390 | 1 | |
| Pe 03-032 , front susp. upper ball joint:the vehicle was taken in for an oil change and the consumer found that the upper ball joints were worn. *jb the vehicle's rotors were also warped. *nm | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| Webmaster foia request all complaint/notices/documents or warning between nhtsa nd daimler chrysler re: problems malfunction, failures of the upper/lower ball joints associated with the dodge dakota truck for my 2001. (nar) *ph *cb *jb | |||
| 07/05/2004 | 61800 | 1 | 12/01/2000 |
| While pulling out of a driveway the front driver side tire separated from the vehicle. as a result the front end collapsed. the dealer stated that upper ball joint failed. *ak *nm | |||
| 06/09/2004 | 59339 | 1 | 05/30/2001 |
| My pick-up passed virginia state vehicle safety inspection on 28 of may 2004. on june 9, i was driving home on a bumpy road and the upper right ball joint separated. *la | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving 35 mph consumer heard a knocking sound coming from the front. consumer had the vehicle serviced, and was informed that the ball joints needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 60122 | 1 | |
| Upper ball joints wore out. dealer stated the parts were on back order and not available. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Upper ball joint and left right tie rod end failure. *ph *la | |||
| 1 | |||
| The consumer was concerned with the upper ball joints incidents and how to fix the problem. *ph *sc | |||
| 04/09/2001 | 03/08/2001 | ||
| Local dodge dealer service dept informed me today that most likely ball joints on my 2001 dodge dakota probally need to be replaced. with less than 30000 miles this is unbelieveable. jwk | |||
| 03/17/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving 55 mph, a clanking noise was heard coming front both sides of the vehicle. the driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic determined the passenger side upper ball joint needed replacing due to worn out parts. *ak the sway bar squeaked. the broken seal caused the ball joints to dry. *sc *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Front end felt loose and the steering wheel shook. vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who determined that upper and lower ball joints were worn out and must be replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/13/2004 | 32000 | 1 | 08/13/2002 |
| Premature ball joint damage @ 32,000 miles had the ball joint replaced before any damage could be done.... thats to the news report on other dodge dakota ball joint failuers. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2004 | 18000 | 1 | |
| Upper ball joint failure on my dodge dakota, at 18500 miles. *ak | |||
| 02/28/2004 | 63000 | 1 | |
| Upper ball joints failed. as a result, the front wheels wobbled back and forth. *ak | |||
| 03/10/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving between 25 and 30 mph, consumer heard noise coming through the front end. dealership replaced driver side upper and lower ball joints. at consumer's expense. *ak | |||
| 25000 | 3 | ||
| Consumer heard a noise in the front end. it was diagnosed as a problem with the ball joints. consumer replaced the ball joints 3 times in the past 55,000 miles. currently, he was about to put on a new set of ball joints. *ak | |||
| 02/16/2004 | 77000 | 1 | |
| Upper ball joints failed. as a result, front wheels wobbled while driving. *ak | |||
| 01/16/2004 | 1 | 09/23/2000 | |
| Want to check to see how many complaints about the airbag clock spring on a 2001 dodge dakota. also want to no more about the ball joint on the same truck and what cause the problem and roughly how many miles on these vehicle before this occurs. thanks. *jb | |||
| 07/22/2003 | 10000 | 1 | |
| At any speed when vehicle hits a bump a rattling sound is heard in the front end. dealer examined the vehicle and did not find a problem with the suspension. *ak | |||
| 02/09/2004 | 27900 | 0 | 08/22/2000 |
| While traveling at approximately 55 mph right upper ball joint seperated from the vehicle causing driver to lose control of the vehicle. the vehicle swerved wildly into oncoming traffic, due to right front tire being on its side under the vehicle. vehicle was finally brought under control and to the shoulder of the road. | |||
| 12/20/2003 | 54000 | 1 | 11/21/2000 |
| 2001 dodge dakota pick up ball joinst wore out at 54000 miles, had 1998 dakota also bought new , all ball joints wore out at 40000 miles, seems to be a problem chrysler hasnt fixed for several years.*ak | |||
| 12/19/2003 | 29000 | 9999 | 12/08/2003 |
| Ball joints are cheap and dangerous. my vehicle has only 35,000 miles and the ball joints are in bad shape on both sides and needs to be replaced, like many others around the country!! im sure im not the only one with this problem.*ak | |||
| 34000 | 1 | ||
| When driving over bumps in the road a rattling noise was heard. consumer found the upper ball joints were worn out and loose. *ak | |||
| 16600 | 1 | ||
| Consumer complained about a ball joint problem. both upper and lower ball joints prematurely wore out. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| Ball joint failure. i have already filed a complaint in regards to upper ball joint failure on my truck. when i first started checking on the problem the only repair solution was upper control arm replacement. by the time of investigating for an after market product dodge had released a ball joint only part. this indicates to me that dodge saw that there was a unusual amount of ball joint failures. now to make things worse i am starting to get the same symptoms i had before (within two months of replacing the uppers). which tells me that either the lowers are going out now or the new uppers were defective as well. it also seems strange that alot of the problems are happening just after the warranty period. i think dodge may be using planned failure. i also think nhtsa officials investigating this problem should look at comments on other websites. not everyone knows that they can report a problem on this website. just do a search for dodge dakota ball joints and look and see how many complaints there are out there. the scariest thought are people who will continue to drive the vehicle and not know that it is the ball joint and how serious the failure could be. | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 5000 | 1 | 08/30/2001 |
| I have a 2001 dodge dakota 2wd and i have a very loud popping noise coming from my left front suspension system that seems to be coming from the ball joint area. it happens when i turn sharp and hit a bump also. i understand from many people who own these vehicles that this is the first sign of a common problem with ball joints grinding and coming apart. this is a safety related issue that needs to be addressed.*ak | |||
| 36000 | 1 | 12/06/2000 | |
| While driving consumer heard a squeaking noise coming from the front of the vehicle. the front left upper ball joint was replaced by an independent mechanic. *ak | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 29823 | 3 | 01/25/2001 |
| Upper ball joints wore out prematurely. *ak *mr | |||
| 05/19/2003 | 34 | 1 | 09/13/2000 |
| Left/driver side ball joint replacement.the front was making a squeaking noise. the ball joint was found to be bad with only 34000 miles on truck.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2003 | 52000 | 2 | 07/01/2001 |
| Both upper ball joints failed and had to be replaced. the ball joints have no way to grease them so they will fail. i replaced the upper ball joints with a 3 party joint that has a grease fitting so that i will be able to use my truck safely. *ak | |||
| 12/04/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 09/28/2002 |
| While driving consumer heard a loud knocking noise coming from the ball joints. the dealership/mechanic informed the consumer that the upper front ball joints were worn out. *ak *ph *nm | |||
| 33000 | 1 | ||
| Upper and lower ball joints malfunctioned. *ak | |||
| 08/07/2003 | 35000 | 1 | 08/08/2003 |
| Upper balljoint defective 35000 miles chrysler would not replace. this found when a alignment performed. i replaced both balljoints. i have all bills and defective parts.*ak | |||
| 10/26/2003 | 64050 | 1 | |
| While driving there would be heavy vibration in the steering wheel. dealership/mechanic informed consumer that front ball joints were wearing out. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2002 | 15456 | 1 | 02/01/2001 |
| The upper ball joints have become loose, causing front end to produce a loud thumping noise. *ak *mr | |||
| 10/27/2003 | 1 | 05/16/2001 | |
| Front suspension problems identical to that of the dodge durango. have had both lower and upper control arms/ball joints relaced with less than 50,000 miles on the vehicle. parts were replaced by dealership with same defective parts as originally installed on vehicle. personally, no accidents related to this problem yet. concerned about overall safety of dakota owners. we have a 2001 dodge dakota.*ak | |||
| 10/20/2003 | 40690 | 08/12/2001 | |
| Upper ball joint on both right and left side are failing. vehicle only has approximately 40000 miles on it. just out of warranty. *la | |||
| 08/18/2003 | 51655 | 3 | 08/08/2001 |
| Early failure of vehicle ball joints. vehicle has 51000 miles on it, and ball joints are failing.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving passenger's front tire separated from vehicle without warning. dealer diagnosed cause as defective upper ball joint.*ak | |||
| 22000 | 3 | ||
| Vehicle has a clucking noise in the front suspension when making a turn. this is caused by the ball joints wearing out, and needing replacement.*ak | |||
| 46000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states when the vehicle goes over a bump in the road, theres is a banging noise. took to dealer, and dealer is replacing the front upper ball joints. *ak | |||
| 06/04/2003 | 79472 | 1 | 10/26/2000 |
| While traveling 25 mph pulling inside of a parking lot, the right side wheel assembly broke off. *ak while making a turn into a parking lot, the complete right side front wheel assembly upper arm, axles, and all other components of the four wheel drive assembly had fallen off, and caused the brake line to break off. chrysler accepted no responsibility. the main factor was failure of the upper ball joint which was a sealed unit. *scc *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 46719 | 1 | 11/07/2002 |
| Without warning vehicle lost control while driving 40 mph. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the front hub assembly needed to be replaced.*ak.....*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 03/09/2006 | 45410 | 1 | 06/06/2001 |
| Right front lower shock bolt sheared off while driving, causing shock to break loose from lower control arm. *nm | |||
| 03/14/2001 | 21500 | 2 | 10/15/2001 |
| Transmission continues to shift erratically, despite being seen by two different dealers. the tcm seems to be an issue. reprogramming it doesn't seem to fix the problem. the factory tsb has been done twice but has failed to remedy the problem. vehicle will sometimes lurch up into 2nd gear at lower speeds without warning or down to 1st from 2nd without warning despite traveling at a constant speed of approximately 20 mph. after 22500 miles the vehicle has developed a moderate to severe problem when braking. the vehicle seems to hop in the front end during braking and the brakes seem to loose effectiveness momentarily. closer investigation revealed both front shocks had failed. the front brake system seems to be in good working order. no leaks, normal pad and rotor wear, no grooves on rotor, the front shocks were replaced but the vehicle continues to have the braking hopping pulsating problem. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 03/05/2004 | 41000 | 2 | 11/28/2003 |
| Found out that my front wheel bearings are both going out. this vehicle only has 42,000 miles.*ak | |||
| 02/25/2004 | 52045 | 2 | 07/14/2001 |
| Front wheel bearings failed at 50,000 miles.*ak there was a whining noise while driving at low speeds. the vehicle was taken on a test drive and the noise could be heard from the left front bearing. the technician determined that there was play in the left front wheel bearing. the hub and bearing were replaced. four months later there was a humming noise when turning left. the technician found play in the right front wheel bearing. the technician replaced the right front wheel bearing. *nm | |||
| 05/21/2003 | 33000 | 1 | 09/01/2000 |
| While driving on a side road through a neighborhood, the front driver-side tire, wheel, brake, and rotor arm fell off my car. i believe the bearing failed and disconnected itself from the axel. | |||
| Consumer called complaining about having problems with the front driver side tire. also stated that while driving the vehicle the whole tire came off. dealer was contacted and stated that the wheel bearing was broken . ts | |||
| SUSPENSION - MULTIPLE AXLE | |||
| 2 | |||
| While making left or right turns consumer heard a popping noise. consumer had the vehicle serviced by a technician, who determined that the front axle was defective, but failed to fix it until it would be recalled. a few months later, while driving 60 mph consumer heard a popping sound again. vehicle slid sideways and crashed into a tree. vehicle was totaled. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 2 | |||
| Consumer states that vehicle pulls to the left when driving, on numerous occasions the vehicle has jerked to the left in such a manner as to take control away from the driver, it was found that the tires had never been balanced, a front end mechanic informed consumer that there was a problem with the front end of the vehicle, consumer states that now the front tires jump or cup during sharp turns to the left, the rear end was also replaced. *slc | |||
| 1 | 06/14/2001 | ||
| The rear left axle failed.*jb | |||
| While driving around 50 mph loud noise came from left rear wheel. contacted dealer, and dealer stated no fluid was in back of truck. *ak | |||