2004 Dodge Dakota

THE TIE ROD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION IS SEPARATING FROM THE STEERING RACK. TIE ROD BOOT IS TWISTED AND VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING AND CLICKING NOISE WHILE TURNING. DEALER SERVICE MECHANIC STATED THE STEERING RACK WAS SEPARATING AND A GEAR BOX NEEDED REPLACEMENT AS WELL. FAILURE OF TIE ROD COULD RESULT IN STEERING FAILURE AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. NEEDS REPLACEMENT, BUT WAS INFORMED AN ENTIRE STEERING RACK AND GEAR BOX MUST BE REPLACED. *NM

EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN FRONT SUSPENSION OF 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4, SIDE TO SIDE LATERAL MOVEMENT AND STEERING DIFFICULTY. DODGE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND EXCESSIVE PLAY IN LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT WHEELS AND STEERING RACK COMING APART AT TIE ROD. FAILURE OF BALL JOINTS CAN CAUSE WHEEL TO DETACH FROM VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR UPPER BALL JOINTS WITH SAME ISSUE. PARTS MUST BE REPLACED. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED IN NOVEMBER 2005 WHILE TOWING A BOAT ON A BRIDGE THE BRAKES FAILED. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DODGE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE AND CALIPER. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE FINE UNTIL DECEMBER 2006 WHEN HE HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT HAD TWO DIFFERENT CALIPERS ON IT, ONE WHICH BELONGED TO A DODGE RAM 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DODGE DEALER. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE DODGE DEALER REPLACED THE CALIPER WITH AN INCORRECT CALIPER DURING THE BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THE DODGE DEALER WOULD NOT VERIFY THIS. THE CONTACT HAD NEW CALIPERS AND A ROTOR PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD UNDER 36,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE CONTACT HAS THE OLD PARTS, PICTURES AND REPAIR INVOICES. *AK UPDATED 02/06/07. *JB

MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB HAS POPPING NOISES EMITTING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN MANEUVERING AT LOW SPEEDS. I'VE HAD THIS CHECKED AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS. THE FIRST VISIT RESULTED IN A "COULD NOT DUPLICATE" ANSWER. THE SECOND VISIT I WAS TOLD THE NOISES WERE PERFECTLY NORMAL NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING RACK AS THE FLUID MOVES THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THE NOISES HAPPEN WHEN I STEER AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE WEIGHT OF THE TRUCK SHIFTS FORM SIDE TO SIDE. THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT HAS ALTERED AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING UNEVENLY. *NM

MY TRUCK HAD BEEN MAKING THE NOTORIOUS SQUEAKING SOUNDS FROM THE FONT END THAT THE DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. I KNEW NOTHING OF THE BALL JOINT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL MY FIANCE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE TRUCK. THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WAS FAULTED TO MY FIANCE'S FAULT. WHEN SPEAKING WITH HER, SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE TRUCK AND THEREFORE STRUCK THE OTHER CAR 'WHILE GOING AROUND THE CORNER'. WHEN SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SHE FOUND THE TRUCK LOWERED TO THE GROUND ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DUE TO THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY POPPING OFF THE TRUCK. BY 'POPPING OFF' I MEAN THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT POPPED OUT OF ITS LOCATION AND THE RIVETS HOLDING THE TOP OF THE SPINDLE POPPED OUT OF THERE POSITION. YES I SAID POPPED. THERE WERE NO RIPPING OF PARTS ETC, THE ASSEMBLY JUST POPPED OFF THE TRUCK. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT A LOW SPEED GOING THROUGH A TURN. THIS IS THE EXACT ENACTMENT THAT CHRYSLER HAS STATED THAT THE WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF IF THE PART FULL MALFUNCTIONED. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN USING THE SAME PARTS IN THE 04 DAKOTA TRUCK AS THAT USED IN THE 00-03. WHY IS THE PART NOT BEING CORRECTED? WHY IS CHRYSLER NOT TAKING CONTROL OF THIS ISSUE AND RESOLVING THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL? CHRYSLER IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK EVERYDAY THAT THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THIS PART AND CORRECTING THE ISSUE. IS IT GOING TO TAKE THE DEATH OF AN INDIVIDUAL CAUSED BY THIS FAILING PART FOR THEM TO STEP UP AND ADMIT THEY HAVE MESSED UP? WE CANT WAIT FOR THIS. START SAVING THE LIVES AT RISK NOW BY GETTING THIS RECALL STARTED AND GETTING ALL OF THE DAKOTA FIXED. IF IT IS NOT DONE NOW, EACH INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS THE POWER TO GET IT DONE, IS PUTTING MANY LIVES AT RISK. WHAT SHOULD WE AS DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS DO TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED AND PROTECT OUR FAMILIES? *NM

ROTORS WARPED / DAMAGED. BRAKE ROTORS ARE SEVERELY WARPED. BRAKE PADS HAVE MORE THAN 35% LIFE AND THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT GIVE ANY EXPLANATION WHY THE ROTORS ARE DAMAGED. I CALLED DODGE CORPORATION CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WILL NOT HELP. VEHICLE MAINTAINED ONLY AT DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND ALL SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED ACCORDING TO DODGE RECOMMENDATION SINCE PURCHASED NEW. *NM