NHTSA Complaint #10062138 — 2003 DODGE DAKOTA

THERE HAS BEEN A STARTLING NUMBER OF BALL JOINT FAILURES IN THE 1998-2003 DODGE DAKOTA AND DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES. I OWN A 2003 DAKOTA, AND HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECT MINE. BECAUSE MY VEHICLE ONLY HAD 8500 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME, THE BALL JOINTS CHECKED OUT OK. IT WAS HIS ESTIMATION THAT BECAUSE OF THE GREASELESS FITTING, HOWEVER, I COULD EXPECT THE SAME PROBLEM SO MANY OTHER DAKOTA OWNERS HAVE HAD IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THESE PARTS SHOULD LAST 100,000 MILES, BUT THE ONES ON THESE DODGE VEHICLES FAIL AT ABOUT 25,000 TO 30,000. I HAVE VOICED MY CONCERNS TO DODGE. THE PERSON I TALKED TO AT THEIR RECALL CENTER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEIR WAS AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING AT THIS TIME, AND TOLD ME TO LISTEN FOR "CLUNKING" NOISES IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. OF THE REPORTS I'VE SEEN OF FAILURE OF THE JOINT, FEW SAY THERE WAS ANY WARNING OF THIS TYPE, HOWEVER.*AK