NHTSA Complaint #10102769 — 2000 DODGE DAKOTA

MY WIFE DRIVES A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB 2 WHEEL DRIVE I DRIVE A 1999 DAKOTA 2 WHEEL DRIVE. FOR MONTHS MY WIFE'S TRUCK HAD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE LEFT FRONT END IT WAS EXAMINED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WE KEPT DRIVING IT,THE POPPING GOT MUCH WORSE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JERK TO THE LEFT. ON ONE OCCASION WE HEARD A MUCH LOUDER POP WE PULLED BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY I JACKED UP THE FRONT LEFT OF THE TRUCK TO LOOK UNDER, ONCE THE WEIGHT CAME OFF THE FRONT END SIDE, THE WHOLE WHEEL FELL TO THE GROUND. AFTER EXAMINATION I FOUND THAT THE UPPER ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY HAD SEPARATED. THE SOCKET WAS RUSTED VERY WORN,AND DID NOT CONFORM TO THE BALL. THE BALL WAS VERY WORN RUSTED AND MISS SHAPED THE RUBBER BOOT WAS WORN AND PIECES MISSING. THE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED (WE KEPT THE OLD PART)MY 1999 DAKOTA EXHIBITS THE SAME PROBLEM AS MY WIFE'S AND CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. WE ARE STILL HEARING A POPPING NOISE FROM MY WIFE'S TRUCK THE SAME AS BEFORE. WE HAD HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM A YEAR AGO ON CBS NEWS AND CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER MANY TIMES AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. ON 12-9-04 THE FEDERAL GOV.ORDERED A RECALL,ON 2000-2003 DURANGOS 4X4 AND DAKOTAS WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE.OUR TRUCKS ARE 2 WHEEL DRIVE AND PROVE THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS ON OTHER NON 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCKS. *JB