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 1999 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 342 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.
The 25 most recent of 342, in the owner's own words
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
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
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
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. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OR LESS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE INTENSIFIED WHENEVER A TURN WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED YEARS LATER AND THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AT 59,244 MILES. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE CHRYSLER BALL JOINTS DO NOT HAVE GREASERS, WHICH THE NEW REPLACEMENT BALL JOINTS HAVE ALONG WITH A LIFETIME WARRANTY. HE BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. THE FIRST TIME THE BALL JOINTS FAILED, THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THEM WITH CHRYSLER PARTS. HE BELIEVES THAT THIS IS WHY THEY FAILED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,904 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 59,244. UPDATED 05/26/09 *BF THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS AT HIS EXPENSE. UPDATED 05/28/09.*JP
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
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
I CURRENTLY OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 5.2L 4WD EXT. CAB. I HAVE HAD UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT ABOUT 65,000 MILE RANGE BY THE DEALER AND PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. NOW I AM AT 94,000 AND NOW THE LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE BAD. ALSO MY INNER TIE ROD. I AM SEEING ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BALLS JOINTS ON THIS YEAR CAUSING MAJOR ISSUES. I HAVE SEEN THERE WAS A RECALL OF 2000-2003 BUT WHAT ABOUT 1999 YEAR? ISN'T IT THE SAME FRONT END AS THE OTHER YEARS? ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ABS SPEED SENSOR. NOW I HAVE READ MANY PLACES REGARDING THE FRONT SUSPENSION ISSUE ALONG WITH THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT SHOWING ON DASHBOARD AND IS BECAUSE OF A BAD SENSOR IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL. WHAT IS THE POSSIBILITY OF DODGE REIMBURSING ME MONEY TOWARDS UPPER BALL JOINTS AND FIXING MY LOWER BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD FOR FREE? *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
BALL JOINTS FAILED ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE AND BURNED OUT THE BRAKES. BRAKES FAILED. *TR
I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW, WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A CLUNKING NOISE WHICH GOT LOUDER AND FASTER AS I ACCELERATED THE DEALER COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER PICKING IT UP THE UMTEENTH TIME, THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP DEMANDING THEY FIGURE IT OUT. THEY PUT THERE QA TECH ON IT AND DISCOVERED IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. THAT WAS REPLACED AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, THE TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING, BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THEY WERE REPLACED IN DECEMBER 07 THE LAST TIME, LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE THE LAST TIME, ALONG WITH NEW TIRES. IT IS NOW APRIL 11, 2008 AND I WAS JUST TOLD AFTER SERVICING THE VEHICLE THEY NEED REPLACED AGAIN AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING. THE AIR CONDITIONING FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WEAR BI-ANNUALLY AND DON'T STOP PROPERLY, AFTER ABOUT 60,000 MILES, THE COMPUTER WENT ON THIS VEHICLE, LEAVING ME STRANDED MANY, MANY TIMES. IT WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS AND THEY COULDN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER MY PERSONAL MECHANIC TOLD THEM WHAT IT WAS. I HAD TO HAVE THIS FIXED ON MY OWN BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT STICKS AND IS DIFFICULT TO UNFASTENED, THE PAINT ON THIS VEHICLE IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE FROM EVERYWHERE BUT THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE RIDICULOUS AND REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. HOW MANY DEATHS ARE YOU WAITING FOR TO OCCUR BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEFECTS??? IS IT GOING TO TAKE A DEATH TO OCCUR AND CHRYSLER TO BE SUED FOR THEIR NEGLECT AND FAULTY EQUIPMENT????? *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
BALL JOINTS FOR THE 1998-2004 DODGE TRUCKS WERE FAULTY, I COULD NOT BELIEVE AFTER ALL THE COMPLAINTS RECEIVED THAT NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS FAULTY PARTS THAT COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. YOU COULD DO A SEARCH FOR FAULTY BALL JOINTS ON THE WEB AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE BALL JOINTS WEARING OUT AFTER SOMETIMES 20,000 MILES THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS YOU GUYS SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR NOT HOLDING DODGE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THESE ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2000 MODEL YEAR. YET NO OTHER YEARS YET I AM SURE THAT THEY USED THAT SAME BALL JOINT FOR ALL OF THOSE MODEL YEARS.*AK
TRUCK DIED IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. NO BUS"ON DIGITAL ODOMETER. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT, BUT IT WAS STILL FAILING. *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
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