2000 DODGE DAKOTA Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 DODGE DAKOTA EQUIPPED WITH COOPER TIRES, TIRE LINE: FUTURA, TIRE SIZE: 275/75/R15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE VERY LOUD WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED HE TOOK THE TIRES TO PEPBOYS (7725 W NEWBERRY RD, GAINESVILLE, FL 32606, (352)332-6003) TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 235,100.

BAD RUST ISSUE TO AREAS INCLUDING FRONT AND REAR BUMBER, THE ENTIRE BED INCLUDING MOUNTING POINTS, FENDERS, CAB CORNERS AND FRAME. LOST FENDER FLARE TWICE DUE TO RUST AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT THE ENTIRE BED SLID BACK AND ALMOST FELL OFF AND FENDERS AND BUMBERS ARE BASICALLY RUST AND NEED REPLACED, WHEEL WELLS ON BED ARE FALLING APART CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE IF I HAUL ANYTHING

I BOUGHT A 00 DAKOTA R/T USED NOT FROM A DEALER IN 2004. I HAD SOME ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TRUCK WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED FROM. THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE SOME PARTS TO ALIGN IT WHICH COST OVER $1000. ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS LATER IT NEEDED ALIGNMENT AGAIN AND NOW THE ALIGNMENT IS STILL OFF. THE WHEELS ARE FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND THERE IS A CREAKING SOUND WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND IT ALSO FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO SUSPENSION AT ALL. I HAVE CHANGED THE SHOCKS RECENTLY AND IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER. *JB

A LOUD CLANKING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE SUSPENSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A WHINING NOISE WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR MORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WOULD BE THE FORTH REPLACEMENT WITHIN A YEAR. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *JB DEALER HOWEVER. THERE IS VIBRATION AT 40 MPH. TIRES AND SUSPENSION INSPECTED, NO PROBLEM FOUND. ENGINE HARD TO START FOLLOWING OVERHEATING. DEALER FOUND NO CONDITION THAT MERITS A REPAIR. *TT

WHILE PULLING INSIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. THE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WHEEL FAILED TO MOVE ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT END. VEHICLE ALSO SHAKES WHEN APPLY BRAKES. *BF WHILE DRIVING OVER 65 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK AS THOUGH IT WAS MISALIGNED OR UNBALANCED. IT ALSO SHOOK WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER. THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS HAVE BEEN BALANCED, THE STEERING ALIGNED, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED YET THE PROBLEM RECURS. *NM

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD A RUBBING NOISE FROM FRONT WHEEL AREA. BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ON FRONT DRIVER SIDE HAD WENT BAD. DID NOT HEAR ANY PRE-WARNING SIGNS. ONLY NOTICED WHEN THE NOISE OF RUBBING STARTED. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD. *JB

VEHICLE WAS THREE YEARS OLD WHEN THE RIGHT BALL JOINT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *PH THE CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH ALERTED HIM OF A PROBLEM. *JB

BALL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE DRY, LOOSE, AND WORN OUT ACCORDING TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WHEEL WOULD HAVE COME OFF THE TRUCK WHILE DRIVING IF NOT REPLACED IN TIME. *JB

THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BROKE AT 5 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TO CAVE IN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE UPPER CONTROL ARE ON BOTH SIDES. *AK ON RIGHT HAND TURNS, THERE WAS A CLUNK NOISE AND THE STEERING HAD BECOME DIFFICULT. THE TIRE COLLAPSED IN THE WHEEL WELL. THE CONTROL ARM BROKE. *SC

WHEN DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE VEHICLE HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. DRIVER WILL ATTEMPT TO DRIVE STRAIGHT, YET IT FEELS LIKE VEHICLE IS ALTERNATELY PULLING TOWARDS LEFT AND RIGHT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS THREE TIMES. THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAD BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER FIVE TIMES, AND STATED NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND WITH THE WAY VEHICLE PERFORMED.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES VEHICLE VIBRATED UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP. *AK ABOUT EVERY 20K MILES THE ROTORS WOULD WARP AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIMMY IN THE FRONT END, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ALSO SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AS WELL. *SC *JB

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SLACK IN THE STEERING COLUMN. ALSO, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR UNEVENLY. THERE IS A RATTLING AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. *AK *JB

POWER STEERING FAILS. LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER ABOUT 1.25 HOURS. FIRST OCCURANCE IN AUGUST 2002, THEN OCTOBER, 2002. DID NOT DRIVE ON HIGHWAY FOR EXTENDED PERIOD UNTIL AUGUST 2003 - FAILED AGAIN AND AGAIN ON MOUNTAIN ROADS, EXITS, STRAIGHTAWAYS WHILE PASSING, GENTLE CURVES. NOVEMBER 2002 DEALER REPLACES RACK AND PINION AND BUSHINGS AT 23,997 MILES. AUGUST 18, 2003, 31424 MILES, DEALER REPLACES COLUMN, INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND BOLT PER STARLINE. SEP 3, 2003, 31904 MILES, DEALER REPLACES ALL FOUR CONTROL ARMS - CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM AS THEY WILL NOT DRIVE THE REQUIRED MILES, I'M THEIR TEST DUMMY. THE KNOBS FOR AIR CONDITIONING ALSO BROKE AT THIS TIME - CHARGED TO FIX THIS. MANUFACTURER SAYS TO CONTACT DEALER, DEALER WON'T DRIVE NECESSARY MILES - I STILL HAVE TO CHECK THE SEP 3 REPAIR TO SEE IF IT REALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. EACH TIME THE ALIGNMENT IS OUT AND...

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED. 40,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. BALL JOINTS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THIS. DEALER WANTS $1,200.00 TO CHANGE THEM. TRUCK HAS ALREADY HAD NEW FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, NEW SWAY BAR BUSHINGS, NEW DRIVER SEAT CUSHION, NEW FUEL INJECTORS, NEW ELECTRIC MOTOR IN RIGHT REAR WINDOW. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO "RAM TOUGH". MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO "LIKE A ROCK". OLD PICKUP 1979 CHEVROLET NEVER HAD BALL JOINT PROBLEMS, MUCH LESS ANY THING ELSE MAJOR. THANKS RICK WORSFOLD. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE MAKES A THUMPING NOISE AND SHIMMIES WHEN GET UP TO SPEED. TOOK TO DEALER ,AND HAD REPAIRED VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *ASKI

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE SWAYS BACK AND FORTH, THE FRONT END IS WEARING TIRES AND IS TOO STIFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, REPLACED TIRES AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *TT

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT OPERATE SMOOTHLY. ON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION MOVEMENT IS ERRATIC (JERKY); IT MOVES AS IF IT IS GETTING STUCK. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER 3 TIMES WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THEY NOW SAY THIS OPERATION IS 'NORMAL' BEACUSE IT IS ELECTRONIC AND COMPUTER CONTROLLED. THEY NOW APPEAR TO BE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ELSE TO THE TRUCK. THE SUSPENSION POPS/CLUNKS WHEN MAKING SHARP RIGHT TURNS. IT OCCASIONALLY WILL ALSO POP WHEN STOPPING AND IMMEDIATELY AGAIN UPON STARTUP (GOING STRAIGHT). THE INTENSITY OF THE NOISE VARIES. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT GETS WORSE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE RATTLES AND MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISES. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 8 TIMES, AND CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

WHEN THE REAR WINDOW IS OPENED AND WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED, VEHICLE VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND CANNOT FIX IT. *AK