Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE SHOP TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED AND TO GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE WEARING PREMATURELY. *AK *NM
THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. MECHANIC RFEPLACED SHOCK ABSORBERS. *AK
1996 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP FRONT BALL JOINT FAILURES. BOTH BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED DURING INSPECTIONS. *AK
THE BUSHINGS ON THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSE.*JB
WELD SPLITTING AT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM. DEALER SAID NOT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE WELD SHOULD BE THE STRONGEST PART.I WAS ASLO TOLD THEY HAD SEEN ONE OR TWO OTHER TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM.THIS ALSO CAUSED RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PAD/ROTOR TO FREEZE UP AS IN METAL TO METAL WITH NO WARNING REQUIRING ME TO REPLACE ROTOR AND PADS. *AK
BUSHINGS ON FRONT RIGHT OF VEHICLE WERE BECOMING WORN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP, WHO EXAMINED IT AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK LOCATED ON LOWER RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL AREA OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN REAR END OF TRUCK STARTED TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN AND SHAKING FOR A BLOCK. THE UNIVERSAL JOINT BROKE, AND SOUNDED LIKE GOING UP AND DOWN. CONSUMER HAD TO COAST THROUGH TRAFFIC, NEARLY CAUSING NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS. CONSUMER WASTOLD BY DEALER THAT DRIVESHAFT FAILED, AND DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE WHOLE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE AFTER REPLACEMENT OF DRIVESHAFT, AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO VIBRATE. AFTER CHRYSLER IN GA. STATED THAT ONE OF THE HUBS ON THE LEFT REAR AXLE WAS NOT STRAIGHT, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A BADLY BENT RIM. PUT VEHICLE ON THE BALANCE MACHINE AND THERE WAS A WALP. WENT BACK TO DEALER WHERE EVEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE 36,000 MILE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED. ALSO, THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECTS. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM
FUEL PUMP FAILED.
FRONT END ALIGNMENT FAILED.
THE BRAKES GRAB WHEN IN USE.
ONE SIDE OF VEHICLE WAS 13 INCHES LONGER THAN OTHER SIDE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF BALANCE. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .