NHTSA Complaint #10064580 — 2000 DODGE DAKOTA

AT APPROX. 8K MILES, PULSING AND SHIMMY STARTED IN FRONT END. HAD TO RESURFACE ROTORS. HAD TO DO AGAIN LATER AT ABOUT 35K. NOT NORMAL. AT 15K REPORTED FRONT END CREAKS/GROANS DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. AT 35K MORE OF THE SAME, DEALER REPLACED FRONT STABILIZER/SWAY BUSHING. AT 38K MILES, REPLACED LOWER STEERING COLUMN. HELPED SOME BUT STILL CREAKING WHEN STEERING AT LOW SPEED. AT 53K ASKED AGAIN ABOUT STEERING GROAN. DEALER SAYS HE COULD FIX FOR ABOUT $1000 (OF COURSE OUT OF WARRANTY NOW! AND I'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS SINCE 15K MILES). ALSO AT 53K, REPLACED LOWER BALL JOINTS LEFT SIDE AND FUEL PUMP. AT 59K BACK IN THE SHOP TODAY TO REPLACE RIGHT BALL JOINTS WHICH CAUSE VEHICLE STEERING TO "WANDER" AND HAVE BADLY WORN INSIDE RIGHT TIRE. QUALITY OF VEHICLE IS LOUSY AND THEY WON'T ADMIT IT OR STAND BEHIND IT. THE ROTOR AND FRONT END PROBLEMS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THEY IMPAIR THE DRIVERS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB