1998 DODGE AVENGER Suspensionfrontcontrol Armlower Ball Joint Problems

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT FELT LIKE I HAD A BLOWOUT. I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER AND FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BROKE. I SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, LOOKED AT THE WHEEL, AND IT WAS FACING TOWARD THE SKY. LUCKY FOR ME THIS HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY MORNING WITH VERY LIMITED TRAFFIC, OR IT COULD HAVE BE FATAL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SHOP, AND THEY SAID THE BALL JOINT AND AXLE BROKE, THE FRONT TIRES WERE RUINED, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS WAS ABOUT $1500. THE SHOP REPLACED THE BALL JOINT AND AXLE, AND WERE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING A WHEEL FOR ME. I AM NOT SURE IF THE OLD PART WAS AVAILABLE OR NOT....

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 00V421002 FIVE YEARS AGO. WHEN SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BALL JOINTS. THE BALL JOINTS WERE MAKING AN INTERMITTENT CLUNG AT THAT TIME. THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE CONTACT STATES IT SOUNDED LIKE THE WHEEL WAS GOING TO FALL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON OCTOBER 19, 2005. THEY STATED THERE WAS EXCESSIVE WEAR ON LOWER BALL JOINTS, AND THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED SOON. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED AT TWO OTHER PLACES ,AND THEY STATED THE SAME THING. WHEN SHE CALLED CHRYSLER, THEY INSISTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO DO THE WORK. CHRYSLER THEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED THE RECALL WAS ON THE BOOT THAT COVERED THE BALL JOINT AND IT WAS NOT SEALED PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE BOOT WAS NOT DAMAGED, IT WAS JUST THE BALL JOINT....

DT: WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE THERE WAS A SURGING EFFECT AS IF THE BRAKES WERE PULSATING. THE CONTACT DETERMINED THE ROTORS WARPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE WARPED ROTORS. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THESE WERE ACTUAL CHRYSLER PARTS OR AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENTS. AFTER THE REPAIRS THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE CONTACT'S FATHER CONSULTED A SERVICE CENTER THAT NOTED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. NO FURTHER REPAIRS. THE BRAKES DID STOP THE CAR BUT THERE WAS A ROCKING MOTION AS IF IT WAS IN A CATCHING AND RELEASING FASHION. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS. ALSO, THE CONTACT ADDED THAT THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL O0V421002 CONCERNING THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS FOR WHICH THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED. THE CONTACT DID NOT EXPERIENCE E A FAILURE, BUT SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR WORK WAS...

DT: 1998 DODGE ADVENTURE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE FOR A STATE INSPECTION WHICH APPROVED THE VEHICLE. TWENTY DAYS LATER ON 7-26-05 THE BALL JOINT FALL OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND THEN CONSUMER5 LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT HIT A ROAD SIGN AND RAN THROUGH ANOTHER . THERE HAD BEEN NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HOME. CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER STATE CERTIFIED INSPECTION MECHANIC LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, AND THEY TOLD HIM THERE WAS NO WAY IT SHOULD HAVE PASSED INSPECTION. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE DIAMLER/CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER, THEY SAID WOULD SEND SOMEONE OUT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, THIS WAS ON 8-1-05. A POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED. *AK

RECALL TO INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS AND REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY.*MR THE CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE LATERAL LINK TWICE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. *NM

I EXPERIENCED 2 FAILURES OF THE CONTROL ARM LOWER BALL JOINT ON MY 1998 DODGE AVENGER. THE RIGHT SIDE FAILED ON 4/18/04 - I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, DEALER DENIED FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY RECALLED BALL JOINT ISSUE AND DEALER PERFORMED RECALL INSPECTION ON THE LEFT SIDE AT THAT TIME ALSO. THE LEFT SIDE THEN FAILED ON 4/25, ONLY 5 DAYS AFTER THE DEALER "INSPECTED" THE BALL JOINT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECALL - UNBELIEVABLE! THIS TIME THE LEFT WHEEL CAME OFF WHICH HAD THE POTENTIAL FOR A SEVERE IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT! MY DAUGHTER HAD JUST EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND WENT AROUND A VERY SHARP EXIT RAMP BEND. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DODGE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND AGAIN THE DEALER IS DENYING THE RECALL FAILURE. I SECURED THE OLD PARTS FROM THE LEFT SIDE - AND CLEARLY THERE IS CORROSION IN THE BALL...

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FRONT LOWER ARM BALL JOINT WORE OUT. BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT YET RESOLVED. *AK

IF MY VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A RECALL, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE MY VEHICLE "DIAGNOSED" TO SEE IF IT IS DEFECTIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE INSPECTED IT AND KNOW THAT THE "BALL JOINT" RECALL FOR MY 1998 DODGE AVENGER IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM.

THE RECALL REPAIRS REGARDING THE BALL JOINTS FAILED WITHIN 1 YEAR, CONSUMER HAD TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. RECALL # 00V421002. *AK *JB

I RECENTLY HAD MY FRONT-END BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON MY 1998 DODGE AVENGER AT KEN NELSON AUTO PLAZA IN DIXON, IL. THIS PROBLEM WAS A RECALL I HAD DONE ALREADY IN MAY OF 2001. RECALL #967 FROM NHTSA. THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO PUT NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THE "NEW" BALL JOINTS DIDN'T LAST ONE YEAR AND 8 MONTHS. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THIS TIME, FOR WHICH I DID. THE COST WAS $312.60. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THE MATERIAL DEFECTS THAT WERE UNDER THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK WHICH FAILED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V421002/ LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE IN MAIL AND CONTACTED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS DEFECT REPAIRED. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO HEAR FROM MANUFACTURER, AND SERVICE WAS REFUSED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK