2004 DODGE DAKOTA Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE ACCELERATING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, WHILE A STOP, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, STRUTS, CONTROL ARMS, IDLE ARMS, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OVER A RAILROAD TRACK, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DROPPED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,480.

A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE HAS THE EXACT SAME TRUCK AND HIS WHOLE TIRE FELL OFF GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. HE THANK GOD DID NOT GET HURT OR HURT ANYONE ELSE IN THE PROSESS. HE TOLD ME THAT IN 2004 THEIR WAS A RECALL ON THE BALL JOINTS OF THIS VEHICLE. I BOUGHT MY TRUCK FROM A PRIVATE OWNER AND DO NOT HAVE A RECALL NOTICE OF MY OWN, IS THERE A WAY NOW THAT I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE THAT I CAN STILL HAVE THIS RECALL BE TAKEN CARE OF AT A DEALERSHIP BEING THAT IT IS UNDER 10 YEARS WITHIN THE RECALL TIME LIMIT. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND HAPPEN TO ME. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN THEN UNEXPECTEDLY THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED DUE TO A FRACTURED BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CEMENT POST IN A PARKING LOT. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT); HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD CLUNKING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE APPEARED NORMAL, INCLUDING THE WHEELS. I CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND UNDER FRONT END AND FOUND NOTHING BROKEN, MISSING OR LEAKING AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LATER FELL OFF WITH ALL STUDS SHEARED OFF. ALSO, ONE LUG NUT ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS MISSING AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE FOUND TO BE LOOSE, WITH SEVERAL STUDS CRACKED. BOTH WHEELS HAD BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED AND TIGHTEN SOME MONTHS EARLIER. TO CORRECT, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS REPLACED. ALL STUDS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND ALL LUG NUTS WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE FELL ONTO THE LEFT FRONT ROTOR.*TR

GROANING OCCURS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE MOVES IN REVERSE AND THE WHEEL IS TURNED ONE ROTATION LEFT. ALSO RECENTLY, A LOUD SQUEAL HAS OCCURRED ON FORWARD VEHICLE MOVEMENT. I AM CONCERNED WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF BALL JOINT FAILURE AND VEHICLE SAFETY. *TR

CAN HEAR A POPPING NOISE FROM RIGHT FRONT END WHEN GOING INTO DRIVEWAYS OR MAKING RIGHT TURNS. ON 6/4/08 TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER AND THEY STATED THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN OUT AS WELL AS THE SHOCKS. 1500$ LATER THEY REPLACED THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS, SHOCKS, AND A FULL ALIGNMENT. ALL OF THIS AT ONLY 37K MILES! AS SOON AS I GOT THE VEHICLE HOME THE NOISE IS STILL THERE ALBEIT LESS NOTICEABLE. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO SAME DEALER ON 6/6/08 AND NOISE COULD NOT BE HEARD AND DEALERS MECHANIC STATED IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND TO BRING IT BACK IF THE NOISE IS REPRODUCIBLE. BE READING OTHER COMPLAINTS AND SUSPECT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE BAD OR GOING BUT DEALER SAID THEY WERE OK. SOMETHING IS WRONG WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THEIR FRONT ENDS GO OUT AT SUCH LOW MILES. PLEASE CONTACT ME SO...

WHEN BRAKING FOR A STOP, WITH THE GAS TANK BETWEEN HALF AND FULL, THERE IS A LOUD "THUMPING" NOISE A FEW SECONDS AFTER BEGIN STOPPED. THE ORIGINAL GAS TANK HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT THE NOISE STILL EXISTS. PER THE DEALER, 2005 AND LATER MODELS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. WHY CAN THIS NOT BE CORRECTED ON THE 2004 MODELS? *TR THE CONSUMER STATED IT IS TO HIS UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE GAS TANK ON 2004 DODGE DAKOTA'S. THE CONSUMER IS QUESTIONING WHY THE LATER MODELS WERE CORRECTED AND NOT THE MODEL HE POSSESS WHICH HAS THE SAME DEFECT? THE DEALER STATED KNOCKING NOISE ON FLOOR THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON A LIFT AND THE AXLE NUTS WERE RE-TORQUED. WATER LEAKED OVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE HOLE WAS SEALED. THE DEALER STATED CLICKING NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. UPDATED 09/05/07...

VIBRATING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. SPOKE TO DODGE REFERENCE #15238936 THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO VIBRATE AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR TRUCK AT DEALERS. TIRES BALANCED AND ROTATED, THEN TIRES REPLACED, BRAKES REPLACED, SHOCKS REPLACED. SWAPPED RIMS. SERVICED TRANSMISSION, REPLACED DRIVESHAFT AND U JOINTS. PRESSURE BALANCE THE TIRES. REPLACED AXEL BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY THE AXEL. REPLACED RING GEAR AND PINION AND ALL BEARINGS. MULTIPLE ALIGNMENTS.*JB

VEHICLE WAS LEANING TO THE RIGHT, AND WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK

2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4, PURCHASED 8/16/04. CURRENTLY 2,200 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP, THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED RATTLING OR CLUNKING NOISES IN THE FRONT END WHEN TRAVELING OVER BUMPS. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, AND PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKING. TIRE WEAR (ALTHOUGH VERY SLIGHT @ 2,200 MILES IN NOT SYMMETRICAL BETWEEN LH FRONT TO RH FRONT TIRE). I WILL BE TAKING THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALERSHIP @ 3,000 MILES TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE FRONT END, AS WELL AS THE ALIGNMENT.

PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WOBBLED WHILE DRIVING. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. *AK