2003 Dodge Dakota Other / unspecified Problems

The lower ball joint just snapped the whole right front end assembly hub

NHTSA ID

11761108

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

ON SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014, DURING A TRIP FROM SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA TO LARAMIE, WYOMING, WE SUFFERED TWO BLOWOUTS OF GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES IN SIZE P265 70 R16. IN EACH INSTANCE THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE WELL MAINTAINED AND PROPERLY INFLATED. AT 10:00AM, TRAVELING 65MPH ON INTERSTATE 35, NORTH OF DES MOINES, IOWA WE SUFFERED THE FIRST BLOWOUT. THERE WAS A LOUD WHUP, WHUP, WHUP NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY REDUCE SPEED AND PULL OVER. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. WE HAD THE DAMAGED TIRE REPLACED IN AMES, IOWA AT A GOODYEAR DEALER. AT OUR NEXT STOP, I CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE IN ALL 4 TIRES. THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS AT 32 PSI. I INFLATED THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO 40 PSI TO MATCH THE OTHER 3 TIRES. WHILE TRAVELING 75 MPH ON INTERSTATE 80, EAST OF LARAMIE AT 11:00PM WE SUFFERED THE SECOND BLOWOUT. AGAIN THERE WAS A LOUD WHUP, WHUP, WHUP NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. I REDUCED SPEED AND ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE WHICH SENT THE TRUCK INTO A WILD FISHTAIL SKID. WE CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL AND THE VEHICLE WAS RENDERED INOPERABLE. WE GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND SURVEYED THE DAMAGE. IT WAS THEN WE DISCOVERED THAT A PORTION OF THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE INNER TUBE OF THE TIRE WAS EXPOSED BUT STILL INFLATED. AFTER THE CRASH I WAS MADE AWARE OF A RECALL BY GOODYEAR OF THEIR WRANGLER TIRES. WHILE THE TIRES DESCRIBED ABOVE DO NOT FALL INTO THE DOT NUMBERS OF THE RECALL, I WOULD ASK THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE FURTHER AND BROADEN THE RANGE OF RECALL AS THE BLOWOUT THAT CAUSED OUR CRASH APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AS THE BLOWOUT THAT CAUSED A CRASH IN TEXAS THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS ON AUGUST 01, 2011. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576087

Incident

Mar 29, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

I HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL TIRES FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND THE PROBLEM IS MAINLY IN THE FRONT. I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED AS REQUIRED AND IT CONTINUED TO EAT THE TIRES IN A VERY FEW MONTHS. I RECENTLY (WITHIN THE LAST 6 - 8 MONTHS) HAD THE BRAKES, ROTORS, IDLER ARM, BUSHINGS AND OTHER ITEMS REPLACED THAT DEALT WITH THE STEERING AND THE BRAKING OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, IT WILL POP, AND WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKES IT WILL GRAB, RELEASE THEN GRAB AGAIN. THE BRAKES ARE NOT MAKING A NOISE AND I KNOW WHEN NEW BRAKES ARE INSTALLED THAT THEY HAVE TO ALLOWED TO MAINTAIN THEIR FIT, HOWEVER, ONCE THEY MAINTAIN THEIR FIT, THEY SHOULDN'T START GRABBING. WHEN I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKES IN A HURRY THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND IT CONCERNS ME THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP IN TIME. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10535760

Incident

Jul 23, 2012

2003 DODGE DAKOTA, 2WD, 5 SPD MANUAL, V6. AT SPEEDS FROM 15 MPH AND UP THE BRAKE SYSTEM SEEMS TO FAIL AS THE TRUCK JUMPS AND SKIDS VERY RAPIDLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, TRAFFIC CAME TO A HALT QUICKLY, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AS THIS JUMPING AND SKIDDING OCCURED. ALL PARTS ON THE TRUCK ARE FACTORY AND HAVE NOT BEEN MODIFIED. I AM CONCERNED AND WONDERING IF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION CLUNKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10275390

Incident

Aug 8, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

ON JUNE 5, 2006 THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN OUR 2003 DODGE DAKOTA (APPROX. 25,500 MILES). WE TOOK IT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED A HOSE FOR THE FUEL LINE AT A COST OF APPROX. $250. ON JUNE 7, 2006 THE ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON AND DODGE SAID AN O2 SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (AT A COST TO US OF APPROX. $300). WITH IN THE NEXT 3 WEEKS OUR DODGE WAS IN THE SHOP 2 MORE TIMES (FOR A TOTAL OF 4 ITEMS IN A MONTH) DUE TO THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. THE LAST TIME THEY TOLD US THE O2 SENSOR THAT WAS REPLACED WAS FAULTY AND WAS THE PROBLEM. THIS CONCERNS ME AS THE CAR WAS 5 WEEKS OVER THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY SO NOTHING WAS COVERED AND THE SERVICE WE RECEIVED AT DODGE WAS THE WORST I HAVE EVER RECEIVED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10163316

Incident

Jun 4, 2006

Mileage

25,500 mi

THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT SEPARATED CAUSING MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA TO RUN OFF THE ROAD AND SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. THE TRUCK HIT A PARKED CAR AND BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. THERE WAS NO NOISE OR INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MILEAGE WAS 31,600.*AK

NHTSA ID

10118784

Incident

Apr 21, 2005

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 DODGE DAKOTA 4.7L V-8 QUAD CUB. AT APPROXIMATELY 6,000 MILES, I NOTICED A SHUDDER IN THE TRUCK WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IT BECAME WORSE WITH MILEAGE, AND AT 15,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE FELT UNSAFE WHEN STOPPING DUE TO HORRIBLE SHAKING AND SHUDDERING. IT ALSO FELT I HAD LESS STOPPING POWER AND DISTANCE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ADVISED I HAD WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS AT MY EXPENSE. APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MILES LATER, THE VEHICLE SHOWED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK, SAME DIAGNOSIS. I ASKED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHY THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. SHE TOLD ME "DODGE IS USING JUNK PARTS". I ASKED WHY THEY DIDN'T PUT BETTER PARTS ON IF THEY KNEW THIS AND SHE SAID THAT WAS UP TO CHRYSLER, NOT THE SERVICE DEALER. APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MILES LATER I HAD TO TAKE MY TRUCK BACK AGAIN, FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. AGAIN, WHEN I ASKED WHY THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN, I WAS ADVISED "JUNK PARTS". I CONTACTED DODGE VIA THEIR WEBSITE EXPLAINING MY PROBLEM AND THEY ADVISED ME TO USE A DIFFERENT SERVICE DEALERSHIP. EVEN WITH THE NEW ROTORS, MY TRUCK FEELS IT HAS INADEQUATE STOPPING POWER. AFTER REVIEWING DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS WEBSITE, I SAW THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP DODGE OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. DODGE IS CLEARLY USING INADEQUATE BRAKES FOR THEIR TRUCKS, SACRIFICING ON STOPPING ABILITY AND QUALITY. DODGE DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE ABOUT THE OWNERS SAFETY. PLEASE HELP DODGE TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTATION TO ASSIST WITH RESOLVING THIS ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10104830

Incident

Dec 27, 2004

I HAVE A 2000 DAKOTA -- ROTORS WARPED @11,000 DEALER REPLACED -- ROTORS WARPED AGAIN 8 MOUNTHS LATER @24,000 DEALER WOULDNT REPLACE, OVER 12K SINCE THEY INSTALLED THEM,SO I TURNED AND NEW PADS -- @38,000 WARPED AGAIN REPLACED ROTERS AND PADS --@53,000 WARPED AGAIN TURNED AND NEW PADS --WARRPED AGAIN @71,000 BUT HAVENT REPLCED ROTORS TILL THIS WEEKEND @76,000 . *AK

NHTSA ID

10029070

Incident

Jul 24, 2003

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WIT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING GEARS THE WHEEL WILL SPIN BY IT SELF. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IF THE CONSUMER DOES NOT GIVE A GOOD REFERENCE ON THE DEALER SURVEY THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. TS

NHTSA ID

8023686