NHTSA Complaint #10182794 — 1999 DODGE DAKOTA

THE FRONT END STARTED MAKING POPPING AND OTHER METALLIC SOUNDING NOISES AT SLOW SPEEDS. WHEN I RAISED IT UP AND LOOKED, THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE BALL JOINTS WERE IN TATTERS! I WENT TO REPLACE THEM AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY ARE A "DEALER ITEM" AND THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER ONLY PROVIDES A WHOLE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH BALL JOINT FOR REPLACEMENT AS A WHOLE UNIT. WHILE I HAVE NEARLY 45 YEARS OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE BACKGROUND THIS IS A TRAVISTY OF THE N'TH DEGREE!. YOU PRODUCE A DEFECTIVE UNIT AND THEN SCREW THE POOR SLOB WHO BOUGHT ONE BY MAKING HIM PAY AN ARM AND A LEG TO REPLACE A WHOLE CONTROL ARM THAT ONLY HAS A BAD BALL JOINT ON THE END OF IT.