Problems with 2001 Dodge Dakota SUSPENSION

I have seen several reports of the us government asking daimlerchrysler to recall 2000-2004 dodge durangos and dakotas, 4 wheel drive. the 2 wheel drive dakotas have the exact same ball joint and failure! will these also be included in the recall? mine have yet to fail but make a horrible popping/rubbing noise when i make turns at a slow speed. this is a 2001 dodge dakota 2 wheel drive with 50,000 miles.*ak

I purchased the vehicle used but it had new brakes. i had it for a month and drove approx. 1000 miles and the brake rotors became warped. i had them turned and they were fine. i drove the vehicle for approx. 5 more months and 6000 miles and the rotors became warped again. the vibrations occur very badly when braking from 50 mph-40 mph. when braking from a higher or lower speed than 40-50 there are only minor vibrations. i also have noise coming from the front drivers side suspension when turning at slow speeds and going over a bump/curb(such as to enter/leave a driveway). *jb

Consumer's vehicle was included in recall campaign 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear. however, consumer was waiting for awhile and was told there were no parts available. *ak

2001 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4, vin no. [xxx] - failure of the front ball joint and the tie rod end that had to be replaced at my cost and will have to replace the the other side next year accourding to the dealer that replaced the the ball joint.. the front end of my truck has been making noise from the time i bought the truck with 59 miles for the dealer and i was told it was becuase of the greaseless ball joint and the only way to have it . *ak updated 07/24/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

While driving 10 mph upper ball joint failed. as a result, the front passenger side tire separated from the vehicle. *ak

Upper ball joint failed on the wheel assembly on the passenger side; entire wheel assembly fell off the dodge dakota truck. fortunately my wife was only driving at about 5 to 10 mph when it happened. no one was injured. my wife had just been on the pa turnpike 30 minutes earlier _x0013_ she would have been killed if the upper ball joint had failed when she was on the turnpike. 2 001 dodge dakota 4-wheel drive truck, v8 engine. dealer can fix the wheel assembly, we have yet to get the bill, the truck is still in the shop.*ak

Upper and lower ball went bad after only 40,000 miles.

Consumer was informed that upper ball joint/tie rods werer worn out. this caused the vehicle to pull to the right. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

I have a 2001 dodge dakota quad cab 4 x 4. the front suspension has been making a loud popping noise when i go over bumps or make turns at low speeds. i have taken it to a dodge dealer numerous times and they continue to say there is nothing wrong. well now my truck is out of warranty and the problem still exist at 50000 miles. i have replaced all four shocks and there still is a problem with popping and clunking. now i have resorted to taking it to firestone/master care and within minutes of being on the hoist the technician was able to identify the ball joints were shot. he said this is the first thing he looked at because he has had more than his fair share of dakota_x0019_s with the same problem. dodge has a serious problem on there hands and needs to address it before someone gets hurt. please help! thank you, ryan archey

My front passenger side tire fell off my 2001 dodge dakota. this was due to a faulty ball joint. as a result, the brake line and axle also needed replacing. i notified the dealership and dodge. i was told there is nothing they could do, because the vehicle was no longer under warranty, nor was it recalled. *jb

Without warning vehicle lost control while driving 40 mph. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the front hub assembly needed to be replaced.*ak.....*ak

2001 dodge dakota had several ball joint replacements at low miles. *bf all the ball joints were covered under warranty. *nm

Driver side front of p/u started 'knocking' when traversing bumps or making right hand turns at 12000. passenger side front tire began to feather at 30000. at 37775 with new shocks and tires, allignment was needed to correct pulling to the right. was discovered that lower passenger and upper driver side ball joints were "horribly shot. *ak

The vehicle vibrated when the brakes were applied. the consumer thought that the brakes were bad when it was discovered that it was not the brakes but the ball joints had failed. the consumer had to have the ball joints replaced and had to come out of pocket to do so. *jb

Passenger side front end ball joint failure. ball joint replaced by local dodge dealer.*ak

I have been told that i need to have the ball joints replaced on my 01 dakota. the dealer states that failure to do so will result in the wheels falling off at any time. *ak

Left wheel started to make noise when turning to the left or right. took it to the dodge dealer and was charged $747.00 to replace "failed ball joints" my vin number is included in the range covered aby the recent dodge recall - but they say it only applies to 4 wheel drive,,,,regardless these ball joints were replaced as failures. *jb

The upper and lower ball joints on my 2001 dodge dakota extended cab 4x4 pickup have had massive deterioration with only 17,500 miles on them. they cause tremendous steering and tracking problems, and have caused me to not be able to drive the vehicle because of safety concerns. because these cannot be lubricated or adjusted, they must be replaced. i will either do these repairs myself in the near future or have then done at a qualified garage, but i will save the defective parts. i have not done anything excessive with the vehicle such as off-roading, trailering, heavy loads, or any "non-standard" use. all equipment (tires included) on the truck is factory, i.e. no aftermarket modifications that would cause non-standard loads or stresses. this type of premature failing at only 17,500 miles is not acceptable, and from my research i understand it is a common problem with the year and model of vehicle.*jb

Failure of upper ball joint/socket assembly. *ak

I have a 2001 dodge dakota and my ball joints are abnormally worn and i'm going to have to replace them here soon. i know about the problem with the ball joints not being lubed and i'm asking that you guys push daimler/chrysler into recalling the dodge dakota 2001 with the defective ball joints. i know i'm not the only one, this problem has been noted with dodge durangos but the dakotas use the same ball joints. recall please. i don't want my wheels to fall off because of the ball joints. recall. urge daimler/chrysler please, protect us the consumer. 2001 dodge dakota cabplus 35000 miles4x4 thank you. *jb

While driving consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the upper ball joints. dealership repaired the problem four times, but problem recurred. *ak

While driving at a low speed, the inner tie rod end came out of the socket and the front driver side tire turned to the left. this resulted in vehicle crashing into a concrete phylum. the inner tie rod , front lower ball joint, fender, bumper, blinker and rim needed to be replaced. also when making a sharp right turn driver's side inside rim was rubbing against something underneath the vehicle. dealership was not willing to replace any component until they were able to duplicate the failure.*ak

The upper ball joint is making a clicking noise and causing the front left wheel to wobble, especially down hill at lower speeds. consumer will inform the dealer. *ak *nm

Wheel and assembly came off while traveling on the highway. cv joint, ball joints, brake removed.*ak

Pe 03-032 , front susp. upper ball joint:the vehicle was taken in for an oil change and the consumer found that the upper ball joints were worn. *jb the vehicle's rotors were also warped. *nm

Dt: the contact received nhtsa recall campaign 04v596000 concerning the upper ball joints. they had previously been repaired, as well as the lower ball joints. when contacted the manufacturer to be reimbursed, they would not reimburse him for the lower ball joints. the contact stated when the upper ball joints wore out the lower ball joints wore out as well. *ak

While driving at about 50 mph right upper ball joint broke apart, causing the rim to pivot into what was remaining. it destroyed the rim and broke the brake line. luckily, no other traffic was close so no accident with another vehicle occured. the truck was hauled (wrecker) to the dealer and a new ball joint, rim, and brake line were installed.*ak

I own a 2001 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 sle that we purchased new. in the last 6 months, and with only 49000 miles on the truck currently, the following failures have occurred: (1) (from february 2004 to present) the factory-installed external wiring harness (for towing a trailer) melted from the inside out, shorting out the electrical system. (2) brakes would pulsate anytime brakes were applied. dealer attributed this to warping of rotors and replaced pads and turned the rotors. dealer noted a spring on driver-side caliper was missing and replaced it as well. (3) the heater/ac controls failed. (4) went for state inspection and inspector failed truck due to failure of upper ball joints and brakes. the same brakes i just had fixed in february. premature failure of ball joints attributed to "typical problem for dakotas/durangos". well if it's typical, why isn't there a recall?? the dealer had no answers. failure was a result of calipers not releasing properly causing the rotors and brake pads to "glaze". dealer opted to pick up the tab for the new rotors and the new pads, only at my request. the new calipers and brake lines still cost me $800. again i'm wondering why i'm paying for so much on a truck that is only 3 years old with only 49000 miles. (5) unknown problem at startup when engine is cold. pressing the accelerator causes the engine to sputter. problem exists until engine is warm then goes away. two dodge dealerships and neither can figure out the problem as there is no computer error code coming up. all items mentioned were paid for by me unless otherwise specified. had any of these issues been a result of negligence, or lots of mileage, or had the dodge dealership(s) opted to pay for items that were the obvious result of poor craftsmanship, i wouldn't complain. but, the failures relating to the brakes could quite possibly have resulted in an accident which risks my life and that of my wife, and dodge doesn't seem to care. *ak

While pulling out of a driveway the front driver side tire separated from the vehicle. as a result the front end collapsed. the dealer stated that upper ball joint failed. *ak *nm

While driving through a parking lot and making a left hand turn the right upper ball joint disengaged. vehicle was moving about 5 mph at time of incident.*ak

While driving at any speed driver heard a loud knocking noise coming from the front. vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection,but cause had not been determined at this time. *ak

My pick-up passed virginia state vehicle safety inspection on 28 of may 2004. on june 9, i was driving home on a bumpy road and the upper right ball joint separated. *la

At 42,000 miles the front wheel hub assembly failed. as a result, while driving driver's side tire bounced up and down. also, a grinding noise was produced at slow speeds. the dealer stated tire loosened on the axle. *ak

Consumer heard a loud bang from under the vehicle, after loading the back of the vehicle consumer examined the under side of the vehicle ,and noticed nothing was wrong. after a second examination of the vehicle consumer found that the rear spring broke in half. dealer examined the problem, but will not repair it for free. *ak *nm

Upper and lower ball joints need to be replaced at 20,000 miles. known issue on dodge durangos that share the same suspension components. not covered under warranty and a definite safety hazard. ball joints are the only thing holding the wheels in line and failure could result in a severe accident. *nm

While driving and upon hitting anything in the road vehicle will make a clanking noise. took vehicle to dealer to be looked at. consumer had the shocks changed. however, it did not solve the problem. contacted the dodge dealer, and was told they needed the upper control arm. *ak

Premature ball joint failure. *ak

2001 dakota club cab ball joints worn completely out at 59k miles. 1 joint had 7/8 of up and down movement, almost completely out of socket. all miles hwy miles.several other problems since new also. very poorly built. will never purchase another chrysler product, never. *jb

On april 16, 2004 i was driving my 2001 dodge dakota "sport" 4x4, at approximately 15-20 mph when it appeared my had "fallen off", but was still somehow attached to the vehicle. the wheel collapsed inside the wheel well with the top of the wheel towards the engine. the brake line was ripped out and i lost control of the vehicle and had no brake power. the vehicle slid to the side of the road and eventually stopped. the result was the upper ball joint separated in the front right tire causing the suspension to collapse, the right front wheel falling off, the brake line being ripped out and losing braking ability, and lost control of the vehicle. to correct the failure, the truck had to be towed to a repair shop, replaced the upper front right ball joint, brake line work, and the cost of labor. the towing cost $45, the ball joint cost $56.80, and the labor cost $75 for a total of $187.41. *jb

upper ball joints wore out. dealer stated the parts were on back order and not available. *ak

Ball joints have failed after 29,000 miles. i brought it to the dealership twice complaining of the problem. they told me that there was not a problem and did not fix it. i took the truck to another mechanic he determined that it was a ball joint issue. the vehical is now out of warrantee, and i am affaid that the dealership is going to ask me to pay for the fix. i am waiting for the dealership to contact me. *ak

I took my 2001 dodge dakota quad cab to a dealer to check a noise coming from the front end of my vehicle. they informed me that my upper and lower ball joints were wearing down and that i could loose the tires on my vehicle while driving. my complaint is based on the fact that all four ball joints should not need to be replaced on a vehicle until at least 100,000 miles. from my research this is an obvious problem that needs correction in these models. *jb

I have a 2001 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 and had the passenger side upper ball joint fail (luckly i was having my mechanic change the oil) when he said that the upper ball joint simply fell out. i think that dodge should have made owners aware of this problem rather than cause injuries to consumers. also why is it that you cannot purchase a replacement ball joint from dodge (you must purchase the whole upper control arm assembly?)*ak

While driving 55 mph, a clanking noise was heard coming front both sides of the vehicle. the driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic determined the passenger side upper ball joint needed replacing due to worn out parts. *ak the sway bar squeaked. the broken seal caused the ball joints to dry. *sc *jb

Premature ball joint damage @ 32,000 miles had the ball joint replaced before any damage could be done.... thats to the news report on other dodge dakota ball joint failuers. *ak

I have a 2001 dodge dakota 2wd. i have a popping noise coming from the front end of my vehicle when making turns. i had the local dodge dealership look into this for me and they say the source of my problems is the upper control a-arms. since my warranty has expired, they can not service my truck. *ak

While driving between 25 and 30 mph, consumer heard noise coming through the front end. dealership replaced driver side upper and lower ball joints. at consumer's expense. *ak

I own a 2001 dodge 4x4 4.7l qc dakota. my mechanic has told me the popping sound in the front end is due to wear on the ball joints and bushings being loose. the truck only has 41000miles on it and has been taken care of.*ak add my complaint to your growing list of unsatisfied owners.

2001 dodge dakota has never held it's alighnment since it was bought brand new. when we heard the report on cbs news about ball joint problems on this type of vehicle, and checked in internet about same problem we became very alarmed. i took the truck in again to see what was wrong with it and had them check the ball joints just in case. they said it has problem, and we are not the only customers with this problem on this year or type of truck. the dealer can not get the ball joints in because they are on back order, too much demand. there is not a recall as of yet. this truck has had a problem since we bought it that keeps it from holding an alighnment. there are other cases of problems with this type of truck, and durangos (use the same ball joint). the company does not want to face the problem. i believe that an investagation should be done on these trucks before someone is hurt or killed. i also believe that many cases of the problem were not reported, they were probley just fixed or traded off. i am useing the most recent date only to be able to preceed.*ak

Found out that my front wheel bearings are both going out. this vehicle only has 42,000 miles.*ak