Problems with 1999 Dodge Dakota SUSPENSION

Brakes came apart when applied, no brake. rattle on rotors, pad damage. bolts that go through caliper stripped threads from spindle freeing caliper to bounce on rotor i have replaced with used part once hoping for recall, bad news dude!!!

Nouse coming from the front of the truck every time you hit a bump. mechanic said all the ball joints were bad.he said they should be recalled ,there was no place to grease them causing them to rust and wear out .bad cheap way dodge makes there vehicles. what happen to the days when dodge made good safe cars and trucks.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the lower ball joints for the front suspension fractured without warning. the vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. the contact stated that the parts to repair the vehicle were no longer available. the vehicle was not able to be repaired. the contact purchased a lower control arm to repair the vehicle; however, it did not correct the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

Pulled out of driveway and started down street could not control vehicle. the 1999 dodge dakota r/t started screeching. i immediately applied the brake to see what was problem and the vehicle veered to the right. i was able to stop the vehicle in the middle of the street but could not turn the vehicle's wheel except on one side. i got out of vehicle and noticed that the front passenger wheel was turned towards the right while the left wheel was straight. i looked underneath vehicle and observed the lower control arm on right side of vehicle was broke from the frame or weld. the control arm was hanging from the frame of the vehicle broken away from the weld. i also have pics of the lower control arm break. *tr

I got the '99 dakota about 7 months ago and liked it drove pretty good even through the week when it was all single digits no problem. then once it started to warm up into the mid to high teens and up to then 60s and 70 it would shake at least twice a week. it always seemed to start at about 45 then once the engine warmed up it would stop. that stopped now that its in the 80s and 90s. now i barely have power steering and looking at it, it seems to be the intermediate steering column shaft which looking at all the complaints i'm surprised you haven't looked into it for it to be recalled by now along with the tie rods, ball joints, etc. these things seem to be falling apart at the front. i just hope nobody dies before this is fixed. *js

Faulty weld at front lower control arm[rt side] control arm weld failed from inadequate penetration nearly resulting in loss of wheel and crash. no evidence of any damage to any other part of vehicle to cause weld failure. *tr

Ball joint failure. *tr

I own a 1999 dodge dakota v-8 magnum 5.2l, it only has 138,000 miles on it. when i bought it it only had 76,600 miles. in that little time i have had to replace the upper and lower ball joints twice, and the rack and pinion, and the water pump, the thermostat, the power steering pump, the tie rods, and there is so much more wrong. why am having to replace these things twice in such little mileage? after reading up on it through the internet i am not the only one with these problems, there are hundreds of people with the same complaints, why is there a recall on the 2000, & 1998 but not 1999? i am out so much money and have almost wrecked my truck twice because of these problems, once with 6 kids in the car with me and again with my 3 kids. this needs immediate attention before several people get hurt or worse, die!!! *tr

Dodge dakota 4x4 required replacement of front suspension upper and lower ball joints. wear of ball joints resulted in premature, rapid destruction of a set of tires due to inner shoulder wear. set of 4 tires had to be replaced at approximately 1/2 of expected tread life. total repair cost due to premature failure of ball joints, including new tires, was $1384.93 condition of ball joints was hazardous and could have resulted in an accident through suspension or tire failure. condition was also difficult to notice, as the wear was on inner shoulder of front tires. the ball joint and tire wear was not identified during a thorough inspection by an independent mechanic at 60586 miles or by a dodge dealership during 60,000 mile service performed at 60789 miles. dodge is aware of the safety hazard of the front ball joints on these vehicles, however did not notify me of the condition. i am the original vehicle owner, and these are original miles. dodge has declined to assist in the cost of repair. *tr

1999 dodge dakota had ball joints and tie rod ends replaced. now the consumer has a problem with the brake line and wants to know about any recall information for this vehicle. *nj the consumer was informed the brake line looked a little worn. within a week after the ball joints and tie rods were replaced the brakes went out. the consumer returned to his mechanic and had the brake line replaced. *jb

Shaky steering wheel, shaky vehicle,left front tire cupping, wearing unevenly. alignment shop cannot align, said ball joints are defective. vehicle unsafe, now parked awaiting disposition from mfger. dealer notified. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge dakota sport. in june of 2008, the wheel bearings were replaced on the vehicle. in september and december of 2008 and again in january of 2009, the front wheel bearings were replaced. the contact stated the vehicle has never been taken to get serviced professionally. while driving at any speed, a clicking sound is heard coming from the wheels. the front wheel bearings have failed five times before while driving. this is currently the sixth occurrence and the contact would like some assistance. the failure mileage was 180,000.

Premature ball joint failure resulting in extensive repair costs, premature transmission failure resulting in replacement of transmission, excessive oil sludge build up causing loss of oil pressure, possible damage to engine. *tr

I have had to replace both front wheel bearings, they failed. now i have to replace front ball joints. why is this not being recalled? is my safety not a concern to dodge or nhtsa? i have already been stranded on the highway at midnight, thanks. *tr

Caliper bolts separating from spindle causing caliper to fall on to brake rotor. loss of braking to wheel, difficulty steering vehicle. spindle (steering knuckle) had to be drilled out and re tapped and threaded. heli coils (9m) installed to hold caliper bolts. new calipers and rotors installed. further inspection determined that upper ball joint failed. all ball joints will be replaced since the upper ones are not serviceable and i do not trust the lower ones. there has been no recalls for model year 1999 dakota however there are several tsb's #050399, 0200600 and several thousand complaints on the internet. why hasn't this safety issue been addressed by the nhtsa? *tr

Ball joints failed on all four wheels. left front ball joint broke and burned out the brakes. brakes failed. *tr

Ball joints failed on vehicle. one ball joint broke and took out the brakes. was on freeway when heard clunking noise. got off freeway and had the vehicle towed. dealer said that i could have been killed if i would have continued driving. *tr

The dodge dakota, 1999 model, has a recall given to the ball joints that were installed during the manufacturing process. i own the dodge dakota, 1999 model. also my ball joints have gone bad leading to uneven tire wear. these original ball joints also have no grease fittings for regular greasing. i have already spent countless hours replacing faulty parts going bad on my dodge dakota. i will not continue. i expect to get some kind of reply back on how we can work something out to replace the faulty ball joints on my dodge dakota. especially when there is a recall on them. thank you christopher perrone *tr

My upper ball joints have failed on my 1999 dodge dakota ex cab. i have been informed of many similar failures from this year/make/model. i have read the recall on certain models of dakotas with this failure. will my vehicle be covered by this recall? i can supply any further vehicle information that is needed if necessary. please advise, my vehicle is currently disabled due to this. thankfully there was no crash, bodily harm, or other injuries. thanks. *jb

Front and rear suspension- all 4 ball joints worn and causing the suspension to shift when driving. when the suspension shifted, it was pulling/pinching the brakeline causing erractic brake function. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle was not included in safety recall # 04v59600 due to the vin ,specifically for the dodge durango. on march 16, 2007, while driving at 0-5 mph, the contact heard a clunking sound near the front of the vehicle. the following day, the clunking sound increased, and the contact noticed the front control arm upper ball joints were becoming detached from the vehicle. the contact would like the vehicle repaired under the safety recall. the current and failure mileage were 87,000.*ak

the front end started making popping and other metallic sounding noises at slow speeds. when i raised it up and looked, the rubber boots on the ball joints were in tatters! i went to replace them and have been told that they are a "dealer item" and that daimler-chrysler only provides a whole upper and lower control arms with ball joint for replacement as a whole unit. while i have nearly 45 years of automotive service background this is a travisty of the n'th degree!. you produce a defective unit and then screw the poor slob who bought one by making him pay an arm and a leg to replace a whole control arm that only has a bad ball joint on the end of it.

Tl* - the contact states that on 12/14/06, he took his 1999 jeep dakota sport in for a tire alignment because his tires were wearing unevenly. the mechanic told him that he couldn't do the alignment because all four ball joints upper and lower had gone bad. the contact did state that he had heard about the recall on the jeep liberty's and was concerned about his vehicle because he has the same problem. the contact states that he did contact chrysler corporation on 12/21/06 and was told his vehicle warranty had expired and it was his responsibility to repair the vehicle. the contact informed the chrysler representative that he has only had the vehicle for 1 1/2 years. the representative took his complaint and gave him a reference # 15798865.

The 1999 dodge dakota 4 x 4 i bought new has 48500 miles on it now. it's front end ball joints are failing and will need replacement to avoid an accident. this truck has has only been city and highway driven. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 mph on normal road conditions, a squeaking sound was heard coming from the front driver's side. the vehicle was taken into an independent mechanic who replaced the front lower ball joints, but the problem persisted.

1999 dodge dakota ball joint failure. *nm

Premature ball joint failure on 1999 dodge dakota. these vehicles should be added to the recall list of 2000-2003 dodge dakotas and durangos. *jb

Dealer notified me that both ball joints and control arms are dangerously loose and need replaced. nhtsa campaign # 04v596000 specifies manufacture date from 01/07/1999 - 12/31/2002. my truck was build in march of 1999. they are claiming that i got lucky and my truck does not fall under the recall, yet i still have the problem. 1999 dodge dakota sport 4x4 vin #[xxx]. *nm updated 07/12/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Truck died in downtown denver. no bus"on digital odometer. took to dealership for wire harness connector replacement, but it was still failing. *ak

Clunking in front end. *nm

Vehicle was brought to a mechanic for intermittent brake noise. while checking vehicle brakes, mechanic noticed both lower ball joints nearly pulled through spindle. upper joints were visibly loose with excessive movement (factory spec is .060"; mechanic found .125"). vehicle had steered and driven normally but could have had major suspension failure without giving any sign to operator that there is a potentially dangerous issue. vehicle has 'low' (65k) miles for seven year old vehicle and is well maintained. failed joints are not serviceable-sealed for life- a very short life, and cannot be lubricated. design of suspension components' is poor resulting in wear that is excessive. no warning that failure is imminent causing potentially catastrophic results. all four ball joints were replaced. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while having routine maintenance, the dealership determined the upper and lower ball joints were loose and needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, # 04v596000, regarding the upper ball joint; however, it was not included in the recall due to the vin.

This web site under vehicle doesn't have the correct choices for a 98 dodge dakota 2 door club cab truck - manufacturer chrysler 2 issue 1 - design flaw in the ball joints of the dadge dakota trucks a) we replaced them april 2003 cost to us $1107.89 b) tv special aired about defects dec 2003 and dec 2004 c) looking for reimbersment - old part not available 2 - catalytic converter a) having our third catalytic converter replaced - known defect but chrysler will not cover the cost. replacement scheduled for 3/28/06. *jb

I have recently have had suspension issues with my 1999 dodge dakota ext. cab pickup with 69,600 miles. . i have been the original owner since new. i experienced shaking, noises during corning, etc. coming from the front end of vehicle. i then took it to an alignment shop and they informed me that my lower ball joints were bad and could separate and cause an accident. i did some internet research and found numerous websites that included notables of other individuals with the same issues. i also found that other dodge dakota models have had ball joint recalls. this didn't include my year of truck. i wanted to file a complaint so that i can be included in this ongoing investigation regarding ball joint issues with the 1999 dodge dakota 2 wheel drive ext. cab vehicles. i have not replaced the faulty ball joints as of yet. the vehicle is not currently in use. thank you, brent owens. *nm

Vin number: 1b7gg22yx xs206501; vehicle description: dodge dakota 4x4 p/u club cab model year: 1999 a knocking began in the front end and i took it to a mechanic who found both lower ball joints nearly ready to fall apart and both upper ball joints well worn. he said dodge had recalled newer model years but was refusing to fix the same problem in the 1999 models. the mechanic said the problem in my pickup was exactly the same problem in several 2000 - 2003 models he'd fixed. i called dodge but they just said it wasn't their problem. i entered an incident date below but there really wasn't a specific incident that happened. the ball joints just deteriorated much too quickly. i'm now paying over $700 to have the problem corrected. *nm

Dt: the contact recently purchased a used vehicle that exhibited a front suspension problem. after the initial vehicle purchase he noticed a pulling sensation on the front suspension. he took the vehicle to an independent repair shop for inspection. the mechanic determined both front suspension lower ball joints needed to be replaced. however, no repairs have been made due to excessive expense. *ak

Dt: the contact stated vehicle would not stay in alignment. it made loud popping and snapping sounds when making turns. upon inspection the upper ball joint grease seal completely disintegrated. the lower ball joints had up and down play, which caused excessive wear on the tires. both upper and lower ball joints were replaced at the contact's expense. the manufacturer offered an extended warranty for model years 2000-2002 two wheel drive only. however, this did not cover this model year. additionally, there was nhtsa recall 04v596000 concerning upper ball joints. this recall was for model years 2000-2002 four wheel drive models only. the contact felt the extended warranty or recall should apply to this vehicle because it experienced the same problems. *ak updated 11/29/2005 - the outer tie roads and upper/lower bushings were also replaced. *nm

1999 dodge dakota ball joint and tie rods. ball joints are separating and tie rods are bad just like the recall for the 2000-2004 models why wasn't this extended to the 1999 model. i have 78000 miles on this truck that i bought in aug 05. *jb

1999 dodge dakota, 87,000 miles dodge dealership states upper and lower ball joints (front left and right) need replacement before front end alignment can be done. also right hub bearing recently replaced. normal highway driving, no accidents. *jb

Dt: when the contact took vehicle to dealer for inspection. the dealer determined that the upper ball joints wore out. this problem constantly recurred with this type of vehicle. repairs have been made t at the contact's expense.*ak

On my 3 ball joint replacement in 4 years. uppers and lowers. recall should be expanded. there is clearly a problem here and i'm obviously not alone. *nm

Dt: ball joints were defective. . when the caller got new tires he was told the ball joints were bad. the caller said there was a recall on other years models but not on his year model. dealer has not been contacted yet. manufacturer said the call would have to pay for repairs himself. *ak

1. tires wearing on the inside. 2. ruined tires. 3. replaced ball joints. *nm

dt: contact states the upper and lower ball joints on the right side and left side had to be replaced due to a rejection notice from a safety inspection. this year when the vehicle was taken to be inspected they rejected the safety part of the vehicle. the vehicle will not stay in alignment. when the vehicle was being driven it made a thumping noise and pulled to the right side. the steering wheel constantly had to be turned to the left. there was abnormal wear on the tires, and the tires had to be replaced. there was a recall on model year 2003-2004 for this component, but this model year was not included in the recall. the vehicle has not been to a service dealer yet. the consumer was going to call the manufacturer. *ak

1999 dodge dakota pickup, v-6. the vehicle front ball joints are defective and will have to be replaced immediately by my mechanic. the mechanic mention a recall on on the ball joints so i contacted the dealer. they informed me that the recall is only for 2000-2003 vehicles. since the ball joints are faulty, i beleive the recall needs expanding to other years and if service has been completed, reimbursement is warranted to the owner

1999 dodge dakota ball joint failure. *nm

Upper ball joints replaced at approximately 65000. abs fault lights on-not yet resolved.

Dt: consumer stated that ball joints prematurely wore out. a recall was issued for this make/ model and year, but this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. consumer noticed the tires were wearing out unevenly, and he took the vehicle to dealer for an alignment. was told by dealer tires could not be aligned because the whole front end needed to be replaced. consumer called dodge, and was told they wouldn't cover the repair charges.*ak *jb

1999 dodge dakota ball joints were loose.*mr the rack and pinion was also loose. *bf *nm

99 dodge dakota steering felt loose and wandered at highway speeds, i took it in for a alignment, technician informed me upper and lower ball joints and 1 tie rod were worn past spec, had to be replaced. the truck only has 34000 miles on it!, is in mint shape, and never driven offroad. i understand chrysler recalled 2000+ up dakota/durango for ball joint problems, what about 97-99 models? same vehicle/ same problem. can you say rip-off. *nm