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 | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle was three years old when the right ball joint had to be replaced. *ph the consumer heard a popping noise from the front of the vehicle, which alerted him of a problem. *jb | |||
| 08/30/2003 | 20000 | 20 | 04/15/2000 |
| Power steering fails. lose control of steering at highway speeds after about 1.25 hours. first occurance in august 2002, then october, 2002. did not drive on highway for extended period until august 2003 - failed again and again on mountain roads, exits, straightaways while passing, gentle curves. november 2002 dealer replaces rack and pinion and bushings at 23,997 miles. august 18, 2003, 31424 miles, dealer replaces column, intermediate shaft and bolt per starline. sep 3, 2003, 31904 miles, dealer replaces all four control arms - cannot replicate problem as they will not drive the required miles, i'm their test dummy. the knobs for air conditioning also broke at this time - charged to fix this. manufacturer says to contact dealer, dealer won't drive necessary miles - i still have to check the sep 3 repair to see if it really fixed the problem. each time the alignment is out and they will not fix this as part of the warranty item although i maintain my vehicles' alignment. the brakes have been relined at 26k miles because the dealer said they were shuddering - which i had not experienced until they repaired them. shocks have been replaced, have been trying to get the rear struts replaced due to excessive sway and loss of control when carrying a load, another thing they claim not to replicate. | |||
| 06/25/2003 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Upper and lower ball joints have failed. 40,000 miles on vehicle. ball joints should last much longer than this. dealer wants $1,200.00 to change them. truck has already had new front drive shaft, new sway bar bushings, new driver seat cushion, new fuel injectors, new electric motor in right rear window. what has happened to ram tough. may have to go back to like a rock. old pickup 1979 chevrolet never had ball joint problems, much less any thing else major. thanks rick worsfold. *nlm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 98000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab. while driving approximately 30 mph the contact began to hear a squeaking noise and the steering wheel suddenly became loose. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where they informed that the the steering wheel failure was related to the defective upper ball joints. the manufacturer was notified and the contact was advised the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 134,000. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab. while driving approximately 30 mph the contact began to hear a squeaking noise and felt the steering wheel becoming loose. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where the contact was told the steering wheel felt loose due to the failure of the upper ball joints. the manufacturer was notified and the contact was informed the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 134,000. sm. | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 1 | 06/15/2000 | |
| 2000 dodge dakota front end problem. nothing has happened yet, but the front end of my truck makes unidentifiable noise when turning. i have been to the mechanic 3 times and no one has been able to identify or fix it. i don't feel i should have to pay for this if it defect.as well, i would like the problem corrected. please advise. thanks.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 11/13/2003 | 90923 | 1 | |
| My 2000 dodge dakota was in the shop to have upper and lower control arms replaced on the left front side. the vehicle had 90923 miles at the time of repair, at a cost of $803. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 05/17/2004 | 57001 | 1 | 04/14/2001 |
| Normal, regular duty use of a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab v8 requiring regular maintenance, needed a front end alignment at 57,000 miles. the local dodge dealer (mike brown @ granbury) performed the alignment, conducted two (2) test drives while i was there and returned the vehicle to me with a comment that it was pulling to the right. i took the vehicle back with the 'pulling to the right' problem and the dervice manager said to bring it back the next am and they would make it right. they called to notify me that the right lower control arm bushing was deteriorated and that they couldn't align it to specifications. they had a replacement lower control arm and bushing (comes as one part) for $280.00 and 4 hours labor ($65/hr) would fix it. my response was 'pull it out front and park it'. my discussion with the service technician when i arrived at the dealer was about how in 31 years of new and used vehicle ownership i have never had a front end go bad in 57,000 miles.he brought out that the v8 left exhaust manifiold heats up the bushing and deteriorated it faster that one would expect. we agreed that it was a design problem and therefore a manufacturer engineering issue. i will go back to collect my initial alignment fee charged on a job that could not be performed to factoory specs due to failing front end parts.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 08/03/2006 | 57122 | 4 | 04/17/2000 |
| Felt 'clunking' noises through steering wheel. during annual massachusetts vehicle inspection in august 2006 truck failed on front suspension test. took to wcs automotive in rockland, ma. mechanic determined both upper and lower ball joints on both right and left side required replacement. total repair bill was $809.56. old (original) parts no longer available. *jb | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 08/14/2004 |
| While the vehicle was at the repair shop for a front end alignment, the mechanic informed the consumer that the upper and the lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *jb consumer believe 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive dodge dakota trucks have the same front ball joints, therefore repairs should be paid for under the current recall. *bf *nm | |||
| 02/10/2005 | 48000 | 1 | 02/16/2003 |
| All the balljoints on my 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 2wd with 51,000 miles, have gone bad. the lowers i replaced because there was no recall or notice of extended warranty. while replacing the lowers, one the the dust boots fell off the upper ball joint on the passenger side. i then inspected the boot to find that there was dried grease(flaky) and the balljoint was extremely easy to rotate by hand. i then realized that the boot should not have been able to come off on its own. so i called two local dodge dealerships and explained the issue. they explained that even though the boot came off(and did confirm it should not have), and that the grease maybe dried out, that they would not replace the balljoint until it actually has play in it. now i know that without grease, the balljoint will wear out faster, and that these have already been an issue. i am really concerned that they do not want to correct the problem before it becomes dangerous. i do have high resolution pics of the balljoint described above. thanks.*ak | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 1 | ||
| No event yet, however as the 2000 4 x 2wd dodge dakota has the same ball joints as the 4 x 4 version it should be included in the recall. since it is not, i am filing this complaint. if any failure, accident or injury does occur from dodge's refusal to repair my 2000 dodge dakota under this recall i want note made of my complaint. *ak | |||
| 12/08/2004 | 70000 | 2 | 04/02/2000 |
| Bad front ball joints.*ak | |||
| 10/27/2004 | 60000 | 3 | 02/15/2000 |
| The front end of my 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4wd knocks during turns. front tires badly worn. brought to independent shop and was told front ball joints, shocks, and tie rod ends badly worn and not safe to drive. will cost over $900 to repair. first noticed front end noise around 60000 miles.*ak | |||
| 10/11/2004 | 58000 | 6 | |
| I own a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab vin 1b7gl2an2ys700386. this vehicle currently has 58000 miles. during an inspection of my brakes, i discovered several front end parts with unacceptable wear. at my own expense, i am replacing upper and lower ball joints on both sides as well as both outer tie-rod ends. i was lucky enough to have discovered these problems before any actual failure occurred. the truck is not new but these parts should have no where near this amount of wear at only 58000 miles. i have since discovered that i am only one of many that has experienced these problems with this type of vehicle. i plan to save all the old parts as well as my receipts in hopes that eventually i might be reimbursed. *nm | |||
| 05/05/2004 | 87000 | 4 | |
| 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 slt. heavy duty suspension. top of the line model. took truck in for service on a squeeking front end suspension. service finds right upper ball joint needs replaced. once the technician got into the work he finds all four ball joints, uppers and lowers, need to be replaced. truck has 87k road miles all on paved road. never been taken off road. vehicle was partially repaired. pending my ability to pay for remaining right lower, and left upper and lower ball joint replacement.*ak | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 1 | ||
| Upper and lower ball joints wore out. makes a horrible popping sound when turning the wheel or intially going forward and backing up while cutting the wheel.*ak | |||
| 03/08/2004 | 63000 | 1 | 11/24/2000 |
| My 2000 dakota quad cab which has 63,000 miles on it. i took it into the dealer to have it checked out because it was making clunking noises and also make squeaking noises in the front end (like a worn out 70s model truck). this problem has been occurring since the truck had about 30,000 miles on it. their diagnosis is that both front upper and lower control arms need to be replaced. (right and left side). both the bushings and the ball joints are worn out. the service tech that called me back to tell me what was wrong said i would not continue to drive your vehicle in the condition it is in, it is not safe due to the worn ball joints. *ak | |||
| 03/11/2004 | 74000 | 1 | 09/13/2003 |
| Upper and lower ball joints defective. replaced @ 75,000 miles when handling degraded and clunking noise started to avoid catastrophic event.*ak | |||
| 03/04/2004 | |||
| While driving the vehicle and turning left or right, consumer heard a rattles noise. vehicle was taken to independent shop, mechanic determined need to be replaced the ball joints. dealer notified. | |||
| 69000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle was taken to dealership for ball joint replacement. wheel came off, and consumer had vehicle towed. dealership refused to repair ball joints. also, they would not allow consumer to speak to any diamler chrysler dodge personnel, and they were not giving any adequate information concerning repair cost or even if they would repair the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 01/12/2004 | 45000 | 1 | 06/08/2000 |
| 2000 dodge dakota 4.7l quad cab ball joints started making squeaking noises when turning at around 40,000 miles. noise is now getting unbearable and steering somewhat lurches when turning tightly. needs major work on ball joints much earlier than would be reasonable. *la | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 0 | 1 | 07/15/2001 |
| I am responding to the news of the faulty ball joints in dodge dakotas. i too have a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab with just over 56,000 miles on it and it needs to have the ball joints replaced. *la | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 1 | ||
| Have replaced upper/lower ball joints once this year. they now need to be replaced again! am now also getting whirring noise when i am driving. when reversing out of parking space or turning corner, pulling into driveway, get huge clanking noise consistently. dealer refused to replace at 30,150 miles. bought truck to transport kids in safety. now i transport my 3 kids in terror. thanks dodge. not.*ak | |||
| 10/19/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 12/26/2001 |
| Upper and lower ball joints premature wear out 45,000 miles . *ak | |||
| 10/13/2003 | 41881 | 1 | 09/30/2003 |
| The ball joints on my 2000 dodge dakota have failed with 41,000 miles on it. *la | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 64825 | 4 | 12/11/2000 |
| Dodge dakota quad cab, 2000 upper and lower front ball joints failed. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 08/03/2006 | 57122 | 4 | 04/17/2000 |
| Felt 'clunking' noises through steering wheel. during annual massachusetts vehicle inspection in august 2006 truck failed on front suspension test. took to wcs automotive in rockland, ma. mechanic determined both upper and lower ball joints on both right and left side required replacement. total repair bill was $809.56. old (original) parts no longer available. *jb | |||
| 08/31/2005 | 65000 | 1 | 05/30/1999 |
| 2000 dodge dakota recall #119667 (upper ball joint replacement). i took my vehicle in to get the recall performed and i was told i needed to pay for an alignment to set caster, they are telling me that the toe adjustment is included in the recall but not the caster, dodge customer service agrees with them. i have been in the business of repairing cars for 18 years and 99% of vehicles that have upper ball joints replaced need a caster adjustment. dodge needs to include this in the recall and give the people that have paid for this adjustment their money back. *nm | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 08/14/2004 |
| While the vehicle was at the repair shop for a front end alignment, the mechanic informed the consumer that the upper and the lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *jb consumer believe 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive dodge dakota trucks have the same front ball joints, therefore repairs should be paid for under the current recall. *bf *nm | |||
| 02/10/2005 | 48000 | 1 | 02/16/2003 |
| All the balljoints on my 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 2wd with 51,000 miles, have gone bad. the lowers i replaced because there was no recall or notice of extended warranty. while replacing the lowers, one the the dust boots fell off the upper ball joint on the passenger side. i then inspected the boot to find that there was dried grease(flaky) and the balljoint was extremely easy to rotate by hand. i then realized that the boot should not have been able to come off on its own. so i called two local dodge dealerships and explained the issue. they explained that even though the boot came off(and did confirm it should not have), and that the grease maybe dried out, that they would not replace the balljoint until it actually has play in it. now i know that without grease, the balljoint will wear out faster, and that these have already been an issue. i am really concerned that they do not want to correct the problem before it becomes dangerous. i do have high resolution pics of the balljoint described above. thanks.*ak | |||
| 12/15/2004 | 1 | 08/07/2004 | |
| I called moss brothers dodge to get an appointment to have the recall #d47 to replace the front upper ball joints. they told me i would have to wait until february 1st 2005 before they would have the ball joint in stock.*ak i live in the mountains at 7,000 feet and have to drive down the hill about twice a week and now am afraid to drive at all. seems to me that the dodge dealer should have the ball joint in stock because of the recall. what can be done? | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 1 | ||
| No event yet, however as the 2000 4 x 2wd dodge dakota has the same ball joints as the 4 x 4 version it should be included in the recall. since it is not, i am filing this complaint. if any failure, accident or injury does occur from dodge's refusal to repair my 2000 dodge dakota under this recall i want note made of my complaint. *ak | |||
| 12/08/2004 | 70000 | 2 | 04/02/2000 |
| Bad front ball joints.*ak | |||
| 09/10/2003 | 1 | 05/25/2000 | |
| 2000 dodge dakota upper ball joints. last year, my upper left ball joint (bj) failed. thankfully i was still in a parkign lot at the time. if this failed at speed on the highway, it would have invloved sginificant injuries. *ak due to the failure of the one bj, i had a dodge dealer replace the left tire rod end and the left front axle shaft assembly since they bent when the tire and wheel assmembly came loose. in addition, i had the both lower joints replaced and the right upper bj and right side tie rod. the problem i have now is that the new dodge tie rods rub against the wheels on sharp turns. i took the vehicle and the service reps indicated there is no problem with this. however, the tie rod ends continue to wear the factory aluminum wheels. one dealer rep indicated that in 2001 the dakotas went to 16 wheels, and since my 2000 has 15 wheels, that i need to buy 16 wheels so the tie rods don't rub. well, quite frankly that is unacceptable. i find dodge / damiler chrysler response to the upper ball joint issues pathetic. in addition, the spray nozzle freeze up anytime the temperature goes below 30 degrees. i've used all kinds of washer flui, and even added rubbing alcohol to the fuild, regardless this is a visibility hazard, and it should be noted the design was changed in the 2001 dakota / durango models | |||
| 11/20/2004 | 70000 | 2 | 10/28/2000 |
| Dodge dakota upper ball joint failure. shaking steering wheel and front end noise clued me in to the known problem. ball joints were replaced with better moog greasable ones.*ak | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 40000 | 1 | 10/06/2003 |
| Problem started with popping noise in front suspension. tires eventually were wearing uneven. took truck to dealer for alignment. they could not perform due to worn out upper ball joints. replaced ball joints and noticed left upper joint had deteriorated to the point that it was close to separation. also noticed tires had worn to the point that inner steel belts were exposed. *jb | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 73000 | 1 | 02/14/2000 |
| Since filing my complaint last month, my front passenger side upper ball joint detached and cause my wheel to nearly fall off. luckily i had just pulled onto a street when the wheel fell off, so my speed was less than 5mph. i have been waiting on backordered parts to be shipped since my orignal complaint in october, so the worn ball joints had not been replaced yet. *ak | |||
| 10/30/2004 | 55300 | 1 | 11/12/2000 |
| Noticed very loud squeaking in front end of 2000 dodge dakota. took in for dealer to service(46,000 miles). mentioned ball joints. they replaced sway bar bushings. four months later squeaking was back(51,000 miles). returned to dealer questioning ball joints again. they lubricated the sway bar bushings. five months later vehicle in for state inspection and drivers side upper ball joint failed, passenger side upper ball joint almost out of tolerance (55,000 miles). had both replaced with oem from dodge. sent email to service manager questioning coverage by dodge and received no response. *jb | |||
| 10/27/2004 | 60000 | 3 | 02/15/2000 |
| The front end of my 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4wd knocks during turns. front tires badly worn. brought to independent shop and was told front ball joints, shocks, and tie rod ends badly worn and not safe to drive. will cost over $900 to repair. first noticed front end noise around 60000 miles.*ak | |||
| 10/20/2004 | |||
| Begining symptoms of ball joint wear and possible failure on my 2000 dodge dakota. have also replaced my front rotors four times with only 61,000 miles on vehicle. | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 31183 | ||
| While driving 20 mph the passenger side wheel snapped off. *nm the consumer stated that steering did not feel right in the front end. *tc | |||
| 10/11/2004 | 58000 | 6 | |
| I own a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab vin 1b7gl2an2ys700386. this vehicle currently has 58000 miles. during an inspection of my brakes, i discovered several front end parts with unacceptable wear. at my own expense, i am replacing upper and lower ball joints on both sides as well as both outer tie-rod ends. i was lucky enough to have discovered these problems before any actual failure occurred. the truck is not new but these parts should have no where near this amount of wear at only 58000 miles. i have since discovered that i am only one of many that has experienced these problems with this type of vehicle. i plan to save all the old parts as well as my receipts in hopes that eventually i might be reimbursed. *nm | |||
| 09/24/2004 | 52750 | 1 | 11/10/2000 |
| 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 52000 miles dealer maintained regularly turned into parking lot where entrance crossed over city sidewalk, mild to moderate bump, heard a loud thump, then grinding, and lost steering control. stopped car and found right front upper ball joint separated with wheel almost complete flat on ground. allied dealer refused to cover repair. vehicle towed, replaced ball joint. ~$160 concerned about the rest of ball joints on vehicle!!!!!!!*ak | |||
| 09/03/2003 | 35000 | 1 | 05/26/2000 |
| I own a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab truck, and wanted it to be noted that both front tires came off the truck due to inner tie rod socket disconnected from main rack and various ball joint repairs have been made. thus far, i have not crashed or injured anyone, but that may be because i am afraid to drive the truck. *jb | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2000 dodge dakota steering problems.*mr the consumer's vehicle made strange noises, shook excessively and pulled to the right. the consumer suspects that the ball joints are the cause of the problem. the consumer would like to know the status of the investigation in progress on the dodge dakota's. *nm | |||
| 06/04/2004 | 2 | ||
| I have a 2000 ddge dakota & went to get a tire fixed & learned that my front tires are about to fall off!!! i had no idea that the upper ball joints were bad! then i found out that a recall may be issued for these concidering how many have went bad!!! i am just very lucky that my 2 infant children were not injured in an accident do to a falty part that has not been recalled yet! is there going to be a recall???*ak | |||
| 03/29/2004 | 65000 | 06/25/2003 | |
| 2000 quad cab 4 x 4 dakota. i bought the dakota used with 59,000 miles. shortly after the front end began to squeak and clunk. a dealership diagnosised the problem to be the upper ball joints. this is aweful early to have ball joint failures. i had the ball joints replaced for $360. the service manager also informed me that daimlerchrysler is aware of the problem but will not issue a recall because they do not believe it to be a safety issue. if an upper ball joint fails, then it will seperate from the knuckle. the knuckle holds the wheel in place. so, if the ball joint fails there as high probability that the wheel will come off. | |||
| 05/05/2004 | 87000 | 4 | |
| 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 slt. heavy duty suspension. top of the line model. took truck in for service on a squeeking front end suspension. service finds right upper ball joint needs replaced. once the technician got into the work he finds all four ball joints, uppers and lowers, need to be replaced. truck has 87k road miles all on paved road. never been taken off road. vehicle was partially repaired. pending my ability to pay for remaining right lower, and left upper and lower ball joint replacement.*ak | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 1 | ||
| Upper and lower ball joints wore out. makes a horrible popping sound when turning the wheel or intially going forward and backing up while cutting the wheel.*ak | |||
| 03/08/2004 | 63000 | 1 | 11/24/2000 |
| My 2000 dakota quad cab which has 63,000 miles on it. i took it into the dealer to have it checked out because it was making clunking noises and also make squeaking noises in the front end (like a worn out 70s model truck). this problem has been occurring since the truck had about 30,000 miles on it. their diagnosis is that both front upper and lower control arms need to be replaced. (right and left side). both the bushings and the ball joints are worn out. the service tech that called me back to tell me what was wrong said i would not continue to drive your vehicle in the condition it is in, it is not safe due to the worn ball joints. *ak | |||
| 03/11/2004 | 74000 | 1 | 09/13/2003 |
| Upper and lower ball joints defective. replaced @ 75,000 miles when handling degraded and clunking noise started to avoid catastrophic event.*ak | |||
| 03/18/2000 | 10000 | 1 | 11/24/1999 |
| I too am experiencing shaking, popping in the front end of my 2000 dodge dakota quad..turn the wheel too sharply and a bad shake, engine wants to die out. tires aren't wearing evenly (2nd set) and on my 3rd set of rotors (all warped, mechanic in columbia, sc said dodge put undersized rotors on...knock on wood - rotors are hanging in there so far after 1 year). tires & rotors (way too many changes have cost me over $2000 with a brake job). i now have something called a lock actuator that has gone bad, locks make horrible noise when locking/unlocking & rear right doesn't lock. humid mornings make for a rough start as the engine will race in park (high idle), then rapidly drop, dies out sometimes. dealer couldn't replicate the problem (they admitted not starting it until noon!!). *ak | |||
| 03/05/2004 | 64031 | 2 | 06/22/2004 |
| Upper ball joints failed. *ak | |||
| 09/26/2002 | 0 | 04/29/2000 | |
| My husband and i use to own a 2000 dakota quad cab.i don't recall exactly when we discovered the problem, but i do remember the cost to fix it was going to be approximately $2000.00. we originally thought it was a tire or brake or an alignment problem. ours didn't squeek or clunk, ours shimmied so bad our watches on our arms (while driving) rattled. when we took it in to the dealer they told me that it was caused due to us not putting the original tires back on the truck when we replaced the tires. putting original tires back on the truck did alleviate enough of the problem that we traded the dakota for another vechicle without taking a tremendous loss as was the situation when we tried to trade it in before returning the tires to original. for those who might believe it was due to oversize tires that was not the case. we only put cooper tires comparable to the originals on the truck, but goodyear is the only maker of the size of tire we needed and those tires were on back-order. | |||
| 03/02/2004 | 61000 | 2 | 11/28/2000 |
| Uneven wear of front tires prompted an alignment. during alignment inspection, upper ball joints were found to be severely worn. otherwise vehicle drove normal. *ak | |||
| 02/27/2004 | 32539 | 1 | 12/07/2000 |
| Right upper ball joint loose. *jb | |||
| 02/27/2004 | 37500 | 1 | 02/12/2000 |
| My 2000 dodge dakota truck had to have the upper right ball joint replaced. the truck has under 38,000 miles of light-duty use. this seems too early for this type of part failure. when will the other ball joints fail?*ak | |||
| 02/20/2004 | 63000 | 1 | 02/17/2000 |
| While driving at 30 mph and without warning the front left wheel separated from the vehicle, the suspension collapsed completely, severing the body of the vehicle which collapsed to the ground. the towing mechanic determined that the upper ball joints wore out. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 45000 | 3 | 07/30/2001 |
| Heard a lot of squeaking and clunking, took to dealer and was told upper ball joints have gone bad along with inner tie-rods. this would cost around $1200 to fix, that cost could be reduced alot if a person could find non-oem parts but instead you are forced to buy from dodge and then you cant even buy the individual tie-rods you have to buy the entire steering assembly. dodge knows this is a problem and did help with the cost of the parts but this is not something that should go out on a vehicle with only 45000 miles, especially when if either part had failed completely i could have lost total control of the vehicle.*ak | |||
| 02/12/2004 | 45000 | 11/11/2000 | |
| Both upper ball joints on this truck have excessive play in them. only 45,000 miles when problem began. | |||
| 69000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle was taken to dealership for ball joint replacement. wheel came off, and consumer had vehicle towed. dealership refused to repair ball joints. also, they would not allow consumer to speak to any diamler chrysler dodge personnel, and they were not giving any adequate information concerning repair cost or even if they would repair the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 01/20/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 02/15/2002 |
| After hearing of the problems with upper ball joints, i pulled the right side upper ball joint loose and found extreme play in the joint. the dealership could not locate a joint for me anywhere in the state and determined that the joint was backordered by 3000. to get the ball joint i had to replace the whole upper control arm at the price of 175.00.(part only) i removed the original control arm and cut away the rubber seal to find that the lower portion of the joint was fractured and the joint was worn to the point that it was about to fall apart. i believe that with some pressure i could pull the joint apart with my hands. what makes this problem so dangerous is that i had no pulling, tire wear, knocking, or creaking noises to alert me of this problem. if i had not taken a proactive look at this joint, it would definitely have come apart soon. i have saved the part and would be willing to ship it to anyone who would like to examine it. i have also ordered a left side ball joint to replace as soon as it is available. it is clear that this is a defective product and should be replaced by the manufacturer. dodge should ignore the lawyers and step up to the plate to do what is right. it might just save a customer. right now the new ford truck is looking better than the dodge for my next purchase. *la | |||
| 01/23/2004 | 1 | 03/16/2001 | |
| Both upper ball joints on my truck are bad, the mechanic working on the vehicle said they could cause a wreck if they fail while i am driving the vehicle. *la | |||
| 01/21/2004 | 1 | 01/15/2000 | |
| I live in massachusetts and i failled my yearly truck inspection because of a bad upper ball joint. i hace a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab and it is a 4 x 4. the truck has 33,900 miles on it. i have no recorce but to fix it since i need my vehicle to get back and forth to work. i also understand that chrysler is having many problems with upper ball joints in their dakota and durango line. if i pay out of pocket to have this problem fixed and then chrysler decides to have a recall, would i get reinbursed from chrysler? i was also informed that i need new front brake rotors. is there something wrong with their rotors? thanks steve muzzy. *ak | |||
| 01/14/2004 | 69000 | 1 | 03/01/2000 |
| While driving the driver's side wheel fell off. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined that the upper ball joints broke off. please provide any additional information. *nm *mr | |||
| 01/12/2004 | 45000 | 1 | 06/08/2000 |
| 2000 dodge dakota 4.7l quad cab ball joints started making squeaking noises when turning at around 40,000 miles. noise is now getting unbearable and steering somewhat lurches when turning tightly. needs major work on ball joints much earlier than would be reasonable. *la | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 05/01/2000 |
| 2000 dodge dakota quad 4x4, upper ball joint failed at 40,000 miles. contacted manufacturer, did not receive a satisfactory response. *la | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 0 | 1 | 07/15/2001 |
| I am responding to the news of the faulty ball joints in dodge dakotas. i too have a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab with just over 56,000 miles on it and it needs to have the ball joints replaced. *la | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 1 | ||
| Have replaced upper/lower ball joints once this year. they now need to be replaced again! am now also getting whirring noise when i am driving. when reversing out of parking space or turning corner, pulling into driveway, get huge clanking noise consistently. dealer refused to replace at 30,150 miles. bought truck to transport kids in safety. now i transport my 3 kids in terror. thanks dodge. not.*ak | |||
| 10/19/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 12/26/2001 |
| Upper and lower ball joints premature wear out 45,000 miles . *ak | |||
| 11/03/2003 | 47000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle experienced premature wear of the upper ball joints that caused popping and rattling in the front suspension. *nlm | |||
| 10/13/2003 | 41881 | 1 | 09/30/2003 |
| The ball joints on my 2000 dodge dakota have failed with 41,000 miles on it. *la | |||
| 08/03/2003 | 75000 | 1 | |
| The right front upper ball joint broke then the front axle broke and caused the wheel to fall off. causing my husband to lose control of the vehicle and ending up in a 10-12 ft deep ditch with water. *la | |||
| 10/05/1997 | 31000 | 1 | 10/04/2000 |
| Right upper ball joint worn at 32,000 miles. *ak | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 64825 | 4 | 12/11/2000 |
| Dodge dakota quad cab, 2000 upper and lower front ball joints failed. *ak | |||
| 07/18/2001 | 19532 | 5 | 05/30/2000 |
| Numerous front suspension problems. bad ball joint/control arm assemblies/ bad tie-rods/bad shock absorbers, and bad strut bushings. all of these issues have been replaced by the dealer. most of the problems started at about 15000 miles, and have continued. way too many problems at low miles. i still have problems at 51000 miles.*ak | |||
| 05/11/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 10/20/2000 |
| 2000 dodge dakota ball joints failed prematurely and wheel hub assembly came loose. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - MACPHERSON STRUT | |||
| 07/18/2001 | 19532 | 5 | 05/30/2000 |
| Numerous front suspension problems. bad ball joint/control arm assemblies/ bad tie-rods/bad shock absorbers, and bad strut bushings. all of these issues have been replaced by the dealer. most of the problems started at about 15000 miles, and have continued. way too many problems at low miles. i still have problems at 51000 miles.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 10/27/2004 | 60000 | 3 | 02/15/2000 |
| The front end of my 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4wd knocks during turns. front tires badly worn. brought to independent shop and was told front ball joints, shocks, and tie rod ends badly worn and not safe to drive. will cost over $900 to repair. first noticed front end noise around 60000 miles.*ak | |||
| 07/18/2001 | 19532 | 5 | 05/30/2000 |
| Numerous front suspension problems. bad ball joint/control arm assemblies/ bad tie-rods/bad shock absorbers, and bad strut bushings. all of these issues have been replaced by the dealer. most of the problems started at about 15000 miles, and have continued. way too many problems at low miles. i still have problems at 51000 miles.*ak | |||