Problems with 2000 Dodge Dakota SUSPENSION

On 11/12/04 i brought my 2000 dodge dakota, extended cab, 4x4 , with 36,703 miles, in for a routine front end allignment. the mechanic showed me that the right upper ball joint was bad. i had it replaced. the cost was parts: 92.39, labor: 96.00. today, i heard on the news that you are currently conducting an investigation into this problem.*ak

While driving steering wheel jumped on its on. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and took it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the rack and pinion steering and upper ball joint needed to be replaced. *ak

I noticed that my dodge dakota 2000 4 x4 with 39,000 miles was pulling to the right. i took it in to have the alignment adjusted and was told that it could not be performed because the lower ball joint on the front driver side was failing. seems to me that no part of the ball joint should be failing at 39,000 miles. from what little research i've done, there seems to be a widespread problem with dodge dakota/durango ball joint failures. *jb

On the evening of november 4, 2004, the right front tire assembly of my 2000 dodge dakota pickup truck fell off. my 17 year old son was making a right turn into the driveway of a friend's home when he heard a loud bang. when he got out of the truck he found the right front-end of the truck resting on the wheel assembly. the following morning, the truck was towed to a local repair shop that i use for car maintenance and repair. upon arrival at the repair shop, the shop owner told me that the upper ball joint had failed. as a result of the failure, the lower ball joint and outer tie rod were also damaged and had to be replaced. based upon the mileage on the truck, the shop owner told me that the ball joint should not have failed. total cost to repair the upper and lower ball joint and the outer tie rod was $595.67. *nm

I have a 2000 dodge dakota. on november 2,2004 while driving on city side streets the front passenger wheel fell off the vehicle. while waiting for a tow truck to arrive, i called the dodge dealership where i purchased my vehicle and was told this would not be covered under warranty. i had my vechile towed to my mechanic who did most of the repairs (totaling about $1,300). he handed me a box with the ball joints from my vehicle and told me to hang onto them. the upper and lower ball joint on both sides needed to be replaced. the cause of the accident was the upper ball joint losing all it's grease (this is supposed to be a sealed unit!), causing undo stress on the joint until it eventually sheared away from the vehicle. i still have to take my vehicle in for some repairs that need to be completed (cv boot replacement and a tie rod that is twisted) - which is estimated to be an additional $400. i do have the ball joints - all in varying degrees of defective damage along with photos of the vehicle at the place of the accident. photos include close up shots of the wheel and ball joint. i have written a letter to dodge corporation as i feel they should pay for the repairs since the parts were obviously defective. this is also a serious safety concern as if this wheel had fallen off my vehicle just 2 miles sooner, i would have been traveling at 65 mph coming down the highway from the rocky mountains! the wreck would have almost certainly killed me!! the wreck would have also taken out any vehicles traveling near me! this is a very serious safety risk.

Consumer was a part of a recall for the ball joint. he contacted the dealer, and was told there were no parts. was told he would be placed on a list. please provide any further information. *ak

Failure of upper ball joint. 2000 dodge dakota. discovered during a tire purchase. having fixed at dealership. wear is premature.*ak

Dodge dakota tie rods. tie rod actually broke. *bf the consumer sent in a complaint to the nhtsa on line but had trouble. *tc

Noticed very loud squeaking in front end of 2000 dodge dakota. took in for dealer to service(46,000 miles). mentioned ball joints. they replaced sway bar bushings. four months later squeaking was back(51,000 miles). returned to dealer questioning ball joints again. they lubricated the sway bar bushings. five months later vehicle in for state inspection and drivers side upper ball joint failed, passenger side upper ball joint almost out of tolerance (55,000 miles). had both replaced with oem from dodge. sent email to service manager questioning coverage by dodge and received no response. *jb

Upper and lower ball joints are worn to the point of making alignment impossible. alignment shop says condition is dangerous and could result in wheel separation. condition has existed and has worsened since about 30,000 miles. this condition was repeatedly mis-diagnosed by several dodge dealerships until warranty expired. *jb

The front end of my 2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4wd knocks during turns. front tires badly worn. brought to independent shop and was told front ball joints, shocks, and tie rod ends badly worn and not safe to drive. will cost over $900 to repair. first noticed front end noise around 60000 miles.*ak

Begining symptoms of ball joint wear and possible failure on my 2000 dodge dakota. have also replaced my front rotors four times with only 61,000 miles on vehicle.

I own a 2000 dodge dakota that i bought new. it is a club cab 4x4 with the 4.7l v8 an automatic. the vehicle has never been off road and has just turned 51,000 miles. without warning the pass. side upper and lower ball joints both wore out and needed to be replaced. this of course was not covered under the warranty . luckily i caught the problem before the wheel fell off. i drive approx. 90 miles a day on a major highway and if the wheel would have come off it could have caused a major accident. *jb

I own a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab vin [xxx]. this vehicle currently has 58000 miles. during an inspection of my brakes, i discovered several front end parts with unacceptable wear. at my own expense, i am replacing upper and lower ball joints on both sides as well as both outer tie-rod ends. i was lucky enough to have discovered these problems before any actual failure occurred. the truck is not new but these parts should have no where near this amount of wear at only 58000 miles. i have since discovered that i am only one of many that has experienced these problems with this type of vehicle. i plan to save all the old parts as well as my receipts in hopes that eventually i might be reimbursed. *nm updated 07/24/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

There were no warning signs leading up to the upper ball joint failing, and the front left tire folding over, causing the truck slow quickly and pull to the right. so far the dealership has not called with any repair prices. *ak

Consumer complaint regarding upper ball joint recall (04v-596000)that caused possible collision and death of passenger. *ts *nm

2000 dodge dakota quad cab 52000 miles dealer maintained regularly turned into parking lot where entrance crossed over city sidewalk, mild to moderate bump, heard a loud thump, then grinding, and lost steering control. stopped car and found right front upper ball joint separated with wheel almost complete flat on ground. allied dealer refused to cover repair. vehicle towed, replaced ball joint. ~$160 concerned about the rest of ball joints on vehicle!!!!!!!*ak

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

The state vehicle inspection station was inspecting the vehicle. the inspector informed the consumer that the vehicle failed the inspection because both upper ball joints needed to be replaced. the dealer was notified, and informed the consumer that this vehicle was not covered under that recall.*ak

While driving 20 mph the passenger side wheel snapped off. *nm the consumer stated that steering did not feel right in the front end. *tc

While driving 30 mph, the vehicle jerked and vibrated uncontrollably. the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pulled over. the vehicle was towed to a body shop. the mechanic informed the driver that the upper and lower ball joint were broken and needed to be replaced. please provide further details. *jb the consumer swerved to avoid hitting a deer. after swerving the left front of the vehicle fell to the ground and caused the vehicle to slid into a guard rail. *jb

At 72,000 miles had the upper ball joints replaced three times. *ak *tc

Front ball joints fail on a regular and far too often basis. *jb

8/18/04: my son was driving west bound on 2nd ave (tx hwy 22). just prior to turning left from 15th st (also hwy 22), he heard a popping noise in the front end of the truck. after traveling approximately 2 blocks, his front driver side wheel fell off, causing him to lose control and pull to the left across three lanes of traffic. fortunately, he did not hit a car and came to rest in a parking lot for an a/c company. although the damage is being fixed under an extended warranty, chrysler and the dealership (berry chrysler/jeep/dodge, corsicana, tx) are refusing to replace the tire that was dragged on its sidewall approximately 200ft; the tire was pinned under the truck. the cause of the accident was two broken ball joints on that wheel. i orignally believed this problem to be faulty craftsmanship on the dealership which had repaired another problem on that wheel a year ago; the brake caliper fell off. i now believe this to be the manufacturer as many dakotas and durangos have been reported with the same problem and often similar consequences.l. *ak

While making a left turn, the right front passenger tire fell off. after towing the vehicle it was discovered that ball joints were defective. *ak the mechanic stated that the problem was the upper ball joint. *sc

Recall campaign 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear. unable to get the dealer to honor the recall. consumer stated, it has been over three months. *ak

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

I own a 2000 dodge dakota with just over 75,000 miles on it. on a recent service visit i was informed that my upper and lower ball joints, on both the driver and passenger side need to be replaced. while looking online i saw that this is a recurring problem with the dakota and durango so i wanted to report it.*ak

Front driver's side upper and lower ball joints failed. *ak

Driver's side front wheel separated and fell off while driving at 10 mph. no injuries or damage were sustained because of the low speed being driven at the time of the incident. this occurred because front upper ball joint and tie rod separated and fell off. *ak

My wife drives a 2000 dodge dakota club cab 2 wheel drive i drive a 1999 dakota 2 wheel drive. for months my wife's truck had a popping noise from the left front end it was examined and nothing was found wrong we kept driving it,the popping got much worse and the steering wheel would jerk to the left. on one occasion we heard a much louder pop we pulled back in the driveway i jacked up the front left of the truck to look under, once the weight came off the front end side, the whole wheel fell to the ground. after examination i found that the upper arm ball joint assembly had separated. the socket was rusted very worn,and did not conform to the ball. the ball was very worn rusted and miss shaped the rubber boot was worn and pieces missing. the ball joint assembly was replaced (we kept the old part)my 1999 dakota exhibits the same problem as my wife's and continues to get worse. we are still hearing a popping noise from my wife's truck the same as before. we had heard of this problem a year ago on cbs news and contacted daimler chrysler many times and have not heard back. on 12-9-04 the federal gov.ordered a recall,on 2000-2003 durangos 4x4 and dakotas with 4 wheel drive.our trucks are 2 wheel drive and prove that the problem exists on other non 4 wheel drive trucks. *jb

Upper ball joints prematurely wore out. fell apart during changing of ball joints. *ak

While driving at 45 mph ball joints on driver's side exploded underneath the pickup, breaking into bits and pieces. the tire completely disengaged. the axle was bent, and the inner tie rod had to be replaced. *ak *ts *tc

While driving at 45 mph the consumer heard a loud bang come from under the vehicle. the consumer saw the wheel from the vehicle roll across the road. the vehicle skidded across the road and ended up in a ditch. the consumer nor the passenger was injured in the accident. a tow truck mechanic informed the consumer that the ball joints collapse on the vehicle. *nm *nm

Email consumer letter add to odi number 10051116 regarding upper ball joints on 2000 dodge dakota.*mr the consumer stated his vehicle exhibited a popping noise. *jb *sc

Only 70000 on the 2000 dodge dakota. tie rods broke without warning. had to replace 2 outer and 1 inner tie rod. at the same time the ball bearings were found to be in horrible shape. those had to be replaced too. *ak

Consumer complained about a ball joint problem. vehicle was noisy around 35,000 miles . currently, at 50,000 miles the ball joints corroded. consumer took the vehicle to dealer for general maintenance when it was determined that the ball joints were defective. *ak

I have a 2000 ddge dakota & went to get a tire fixed & learned that my front tires are about to fall off!!! i had no idea that the upper ball joints were bad! then i found out that a recall may be issued for these concidering how many have went bad!!! i am just very lucky that my 2 infant children were not injured in an accident do to a falty part that has not been recalled yet! is there going to be a recall???*ak

While driving at 20 mph out of a driveway right front wheel detached from the vehicle and rolled down the road. vehicle was damaged on the bumper and the under carriage. *ak *tc

The consumer had the ball joints checked and it was confirmed by the dodge dealer that they needed to be replaced. *ak there were problems when making sharp turns. *sc *jb ball joints failed tires fell off. while the consumer was driving the vehicle the ball joints came apart and the many parts were damaged as a result of it. the consumer was told to buy a left inter tie rod end. she has to buy the whole rack pinon . the vehicle dropped to the ground and skidded 215 feet. the steering box broke off the frame. *tc

Both upper ball joints are loose requiring replacement. *jb

2000 dodge dakota 78200 miles front right tire shimmied/shook at speeds from 40 mph on up. no noise or popping sounds heard. front end would jump around if a pot hole was hit going around a turn. took truck in for alignment & tire balancing. service tech found upper right ball joint was worn out. had ball joints replaced. tech removed boot from ball joint and found that no lubricant was present in the sealed boot, and that joint was loose. *la

While driving consumer heard a loud noise coming from the front of the vehicle. consumer took the vehicle to the dealership, and mechanic determined that the upper ball joints failed. *ak

Ball joints on 2000 dodge dakota 4x4, i have just replaced all ball joint,s on my vehicle, an was just told by a colision busines that i should not have had to pay for it, due to the fact that dodge is hiding the fact of bad ball joints on their vehicles, he also said that at 59000 miles i should not have needed them replaced. *ak

normal, regular duty use of a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab v8 requiring regular maintenance, needed a front end alignment at 57,000 miles. the local dodge dealer (mike brown @ granbury) performed the alignment, conducted two (2) test drives while i was there and returned the vehicle to me with a comment that it was pulling to the right. i took the vehicle back with the 'pulling to the right' problem and the dervice manager said to bring it back the next am and they would make it right. they called to notify me that the right lower control arm bushing was deteriorated and that they couldn't align it to specifications. they had a replacement lower control arm and bushing (comes as one part) for $280.00 and 4 hours labor ($65/hr) would fix it. my response was 'pull it out front and park it'. my discussion with the service technician when i arrived at the dealer was about how in 31 years of new and used vehicle ownership i have never had a front end go bad in 57,000 miles.he brought out that the v8 left exhaust manifiold heats up the bushing and deteriorated it faster that one would expect. we agreed that it was a design problem and therefore a manufacturer engineering issue. i will go back to collect my initial alignment fee charged on a job that could not be performed to factoory specs due to failing front end parts.*ak

2000 dodge dakota 4x4. while cresting a hill on a maintained gravel road traveling approximately 30 mph brakes were applied. control of vehicle was lost. vehicle struck berm on right side of road and returned to center of road. vehicle stopped after sliding about 50 yards to the bottom of a downgrade. upon exiting vehicle it was found that both front/ left ball joints had failed, causing tire/wheel assy. to buckle underneath vehicle. damage to stearing components and axle also occured. chrysler has been contacted and a rep is being sent to inspect the vehicle. *ak

I was going down the highway, doing about 60 mph when the right upper ball joint on my 2000 dodge dakota failed causing the whole tire assembly to fall off. the truck started to spin across three lanes off traffic, the truck started to turn on its side until it hit the guard rail causing it to land on the three tires that were left on the truck. after taking the truck to the body shop there was a total of $11,000.00 damage done to the truck, as of right now it is still in the shop getting fixed. *nm

2000 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 slt. heavy duty suspension. top of the line model. took truck in for service on a squeeking front end suspension. service finds right upper ball joint needs replaced. once the technician got into the work he finds all four ball joints, uppers and lowers, need to be replaced. truck has 87k road miles all on paved road. never been taken off road. vehicle was partially repaired. pending my ability to pay for remaining right lower, and left upper and lower ball joint replacement.*ak

While driving 55 mph a loud noise was heard coming from the rear. consumer drove the vehicle to the to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the both frontal upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced due to worn out parts. *ak

While an inspection was performed being performed on the vehicle, it was discovered the ball joints were defective. after searching the web a recall was found. *jb