NHTSA Complaint #10445953 — 2004 DODGE DAKOTA

BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE HEAVY, DIFFICULT STEERING, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD, AND METALLIC CLUNKING OR GRINDING NOISES WHEN TURNING TIGHTLY AT LOW SPEEDS ACCOMPANIED BY POWER STEERING PUMP WHINE ON A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA 4.7L V8 4X4 QUAD CAB. STEERING HAS ALSO BECOME ABNORMALLY HEAVY AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS WITH DIFFICULTY CENTERING STEERING WHEEL AND REDUCED POWER STEERING ASSIST. INSPECTION OF STEERING COMPONENTS REVEALED SEVERE RUST ON STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UPPER U JOINT CAUSED BY ROAD SALT AND MOISTURE, WHICH RESULTED IN STEERING DIFFICULTY AND STRAIN ON POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THIS CONDITION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DUE TO THE EXTRA EFFORT REQUIRED TO STEER THE VEHICLE. LUBRICATING THE JOINT WITH GREASE TEMPORARILY ALLEVIATES THE ISSUE, BUT PROBLEM RETURNS AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME AND WILL REQUIRE EVENTUAL REPLACEMENT OF UPPER/LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT(S) AT A PARTS COST OF APPROXIMATELY $226, PLUS LABOR. INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALS THIS IS A WIDELY OCCURRING ISSUE ON THIS GENERATION OF DAKOTA PICKUP CAUSED BY POOR DESIGN (LACK OF LUBRICATION, NO PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS, AND INADEQUATE RUST PROOFING) OF A CRITICAL STEERING COMPONENT, WHERE FAILURE CAN RESULT IN A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD BY MAKING THE VEHICLE MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND THUS CHRYSLER GROUP LLC SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR REPAIR COSTS OF THIS COMPONENT. *TT