2001 DODGE DAKOTA Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a wobble coming from the front passenger’s side tire. The contact was able to pull over and had the vehicle towed to a local mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ball joints needed to be replaced however, the vehicle was not repaired. There was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINT WAS WORN. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,647.

I STARTED NOTICING A "LURCH OR LATERAL SHIFT" OF THE FRONT END DURING TIGHT LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEED (35 MPH OR LESS). DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON STRAIGHT ROADS DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS. RECENTLY, DURING A BRAKE SYSTEM INSPECTION, SIGNIFICANT "SLOP / FREE MOVEMENT" AT THE UPPER BALL JOINT & WHEEL KNUCKLE ASSEMBLY CONNECTION WAS NOTED (> 0.5"). I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THE NHTSA ISSUED RECALL FOR "UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURES ON 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTAS" AS WELL AS THE DODGE ISSUED TSB FOR THE SAME DEFECT. I TOOK MY 2001 DAKOTA IN TO A DODGE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DODGE DEALER AND CHRYSLER BOTH CONVENIENTLY TOOK THE POSITION THAT MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL, THEREFORE THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE REPAIR. MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME FAILURE MODE DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA RECALL AND THE DODGE ISSUED...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINTS ARM SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

I HAVE A 2001 DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4 PURCHASED NEW AND THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT ROTORS WEAR OUT EXTREMELY FAST. THEY BECOME DAMAGED ON THE INSIDE OF THE ROTOR APPEARING EXTREMELY RUSTED AND AS IF MAYBE THEY OVERHEATED ON THE INSIDE. 64,000 AND THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES. DEALERS DENY THIS IS COMMON , MY BROTHER HAS A 2002 (PURCHASED NEW) AND HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. BALL JOINTS FAILED ON BOTH TRUCKS , STEERING RACK AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL LEAKS ON BOTH . *TR

DODGE DAKOTA 2001, CONSUMER REPLACED BALL JOINTS. *BF THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR A 2 WHEEL ALIGNMENT AFTER THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE ALIGNMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE REPLACEMENT. *NM

'RECALL CAMPAIGN' CONCERNING UPPER BALL JOINT WEAR. DRIVING ON TIRES THAT ARE WORN OUT UNEVENLY. *BF THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET THE TIRE ALIGNED AND HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE TIRES THAT ARE WORN OUT UNEVENLY. THE ALIGNMENT READING WAS TOTALLY OFF DUE TO THE FAILING BALL JOINTS AND THE SHOP WOULD NOT ROTATE THE TIRES. *SC

2001 DODGE DAKOTA HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN AND BRAKES.*MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, REVERSE, ETC. THE REAR TIRE ON THE RIGHT SIDE STUCK OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVESHAFT SEEMED TO HAVE ALOT O SLACK IN IT. THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN MAKING SHARP SLOW TURNS. THERE WAS A WHINING NOISE IN THE STEERING AND REAR END WHEN TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. THE BRAKE, ROTORS, CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED BETWEEN 55-8000 MILES. *NM

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON IS 2001 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 QUAD CAB. *PH THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FRONT END NOISE RETURNED AFTER A FEW WEEKS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION IS NOT DESIGNED OR THE EXTRA WEIGHT THAT IT CARRIES OVER THE STANDARD OR EXTRA CAB MODELS. *NM

2001 DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BAD BALL JOINTS. *MR *NM

2001 DODGE DAKOTA HAD A CLUNK IN THE FRONT END WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINTS HAD FAILED AT LOW MILEAGE. *BF *NM

2001 DODGE DAKOTA HAD SEVERAL BALL JOINT REPLACEMENTS AT LOW MILES. *BF ALL THE BALL JOINTS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *NM

RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF EXCESS WEAR ON TIRES AND LOOSE DRIVING. I NOW HAVE JUST OVER 50K MILES AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT BALL JOINT NEED TO BE REPLACED. TRUCK HAS A TERRIBLE RIDE AND A DODGE DEALER STATED THAT MY PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY BULLITIN OR WARRANTY. COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $1200.00

A CONTINUOUS "CLUNK" IN THE FRONT LEFT SUSPENSION WHICH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD WAS THE BALL JOINTS. *PH THE LEFT SIDE WAS AT "380 DEGREE" AND THE OE SPECIFIC WAS "0," AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A NON DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS POOR. *SC

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE ALONG WITH A NOISE. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE FRONT AND NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD COME OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE ENTIRE TIRE OFF WITH HIS HANDS BECAUSE THE BALL JOINT HAD FAILED. *JB.

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THIS TRUCK SINCE SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT NEW IN MARCH 2001. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY PARTS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THE FRONT END MAKES A LOUD BANGING/POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING OR GOING OVER BUMPS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TIRE IS GOING TO FALL OFF THE TRUCK! MANY OTHERS I KNOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY NEED TO ISUE A RECALL ON THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE SOMEBODY IS EITHER SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!

THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING FRONT END PROBLEMS WHICH INCLUDED THE BALL JOINTS, FRONT END SUSPENSION AND POOR WHEEL BALANCING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM

I HAVE A 2001 DAKOTA THAT STARTED KNOCKING ON BUMPS AT APPROX. 25000 MILES. I DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND TOOK IT TO A 5 STAR DEALER AT APPROX. 34000 AND 37000 MILES AT WHICH BOTH TIMES THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SUSPENSION. MY FATHER OWNS A 1995 DAKOTA THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ONCE THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED, NOT BY A DODGE DEALERSHIP, THE NOISE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. THERE ARE MANY REVIEWS STATING THIS ISSUE BUT CHRYLER DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS IT. THE ONLY THING I AM LEFT TO DO IS PAY $800-$1000 TO REPAIR IT. I UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT AFFORD THIS AND RISK HAVING IT BREAK AT ANYTIME. *AK

VEHICLE WILL START TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIES THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. PROBLEM GETS WORSE WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, BUT THE REPAIRS DO NOT WORK . CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE CAIPLERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, ALSO THE VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED, ALSO THERE WAS AN OIL AND TRANSMISSIN LEAK.*JB

JUMP A LITTLE WHEN HITTING ROUGH SPOTS IN THE ROAD. PROBLEM BECAME EVIDENT WHEN TRAVELING ON A LONG GRAVEL ROAD

WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKES STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO RIGHT. WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL ON ITS OWN IT MAKES A LOUD POP. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE HANDLES POORLY,WANDERS,NO FEEL TO STEERING.HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER HAS STATED THAT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT HASEN'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE,VERY HARD TO KEEP GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE,AND TO STAY IN THE RIGHT LANE. I DON'T FEEL THAT DODGE IS DOING ALL THAT IT CAN TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION.I AM PLANNING A TRIP TO ALASKA PULLING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER NEXT SUMMER AND DO NOT FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DO SO WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK