NHTSA Complaint #10050812 — 1999 DODGE DAKOTA

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 AND I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS (UPPER AND LOWER) AND TIE RODS REPLACED AT 67,000 MILES. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE I WAS HAVING BRAND NEW TIRES INSTALLED, AND WHEN NEW TIRES ARE INSTALLED I FIGURED IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET AN ALIGNMENT AS WELL. THE MECHANICE SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE THE TRUCK AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS WERE TOO LOOSE - AND THIS IS A VERY REPUTABLE MECHANIC HERE IN TOWN, SO I KNEW I WASN'T GETTING TAKEN FOR A RIDE. SO, FOR A COST OF $1,052 I HAD TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DID SAY IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AS OF YET, BUT AFTER SEEING IN THE NEWS RECENTLY WITH ALL THE OTHER DAKOTAS/DURANGOS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, I WONDER HOW MUCH LONGER I COULD HAVE GONE BEFORE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, SO I'M GLAD I HAD THEM REPLACED, BUT AM THINKING THE TRUCK SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE JOINTS REPLACED NOT WITH THE SAME JOINTS, BUT WITH A BETTER DESIGNED ONE.*AK