NHTSA Complaint #10104067 — 1997 DODGE DAKOTA

MY TRUCK STARTED TO SQUEAK UP FRONT OVER ANY BUMPS. MY TIRES WERE ALSO STARTING TO GO BAD, EVEN AS I ROTATED THEM EVERY 3000 MILES. SOON THE SQUEAK WAS REALLY BAD SO I TOOK IT TO TUFFY AUTO. THEY GAVE ME AN ALIGNMENT FOR THE TIRE WEAR AND SAID THAT MY BALL JOINTS WERE CAUSING THE SQUEAK. I REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THEN ABOUT 1000 MILES LATER I HEARD A HORRIBLE GRINDING IN THE FRONT, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. IT WAS A BAD WHEEL BEARING, CAUSED BY BAD BALL JOINTS AS DESCRIBED BY THE DEALER. REPLACED LOWER BALL JOINTS, WHEEL BEARING, AND NOW ALL 4 TIRES AS THEY WORE BADLY DUE TO THE BALL JOINT PROBLEM. TOTAL COST OF 800 PLUS 4 TIRES AT 130 EACH. I AM IN COLLEGE WITH A BABY AS WELL. THESE COSTS KILLED MY BUDGET, AND NOW I FIND OUT THERE IS A RECALL ON 2000 AND UP MODELS. WHAT A DEAL, SEEMS TO ME THE PARTS WERE THE SAME ON THE 97, BUT NO RECALL ON THEM? WHY, AND WHAT IS THE REASON FOR NOT INCLUDING THE 97? I ALSO WORK AT A BODY SHOP AND WE HAD A 99 DAKOTA IN A FEW MONTHS AGO WHICH HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL SNAP OFF, CAUSING A TOTAL WRECKAGE TO THE DAKOTA, BUT HE ENDED UP FIXING IT AS DODGE STOOD BEHIND THE PEDAL. WHY CAN THEY NOT STAND BEHIND MY TRUCK? I AM CONCERNED WITH MY PARTS ON MY TRUCK NOW, ARE THEY THE SAME ONES BEING RECALLED ON THE 2000 AND UP, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT BEING RECALLED ON THE 97? WHAT GIVES? *JB