NHTSA Complaint #10152467 — 1998 DODGE DAKOTA

WE OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4. IT CURRENTLY HAS 144K KILOMETERS. WE JUST INSTALLED OUR 3RD SET OF UPPER BALL JOINTS, AND HAVE REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS TWICE. WE EXPECT TO REPLACE THE LOWERS AGAIN BEFORE NEXT YEAR. WE KNOW WHEN THE JOINTS NEED REPLACING, WHEN THE VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP WITHIN A LANE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING. I SEE FROM THE INTERNET THAT CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR 2000 AND LATER MODELS. THIS IS INSUFFICIENT, AS MANY PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE IN MODELS AS LATE AS 1996. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY, ONE PERSON OR FAMILY GETTING KILLED BY THIS DEFECT FOR THERE TO BE AN OFFICIAL RECALL IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. OUR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE IS PAID BY OUR COMPANY, HOWEVER A FAMILY THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT ON A REGULAR BASIS, MAY BE PUTTING THEMSELVES IN JEOPARDY. *NM