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Damn Chrysler
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
19:03:51
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 Subject: CBS News
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Anyone catch the story on the Dakotas and Durangos this evening on the CBS News? It was a follow up story on the Durango's faulty ball joints and now it includes the Dakota (like most dakota owners didn't already know that). Amazing how that guy's wheel just snapped off his. Seriously thinking about trading in my Dakota. Dont' get me wrong, it's my favorite truck, just too many problems. Don't got the money to invest in repairs to this extent. Can't believe how Daimler-Chrylser said they would pay for the repairs on the guy's Dakota if he kept quiet about it and didn't sue. Glad CBS News is running that story.
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tom lanning
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
19:19:24
|  RE: CBS News
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yes i just caught that. i have a 99 dakota and it has less then 60,000 miles on it and is on its 3rd set of uppper ball joints luckly i check my truck over all the time i wrote a letter to dodge a couple of weeks ago and they basically said tough luck. i could not believe it the factory brakes out lasted 3 sets of ball joints when i took it to a shop to have alignment done and told them it was 3rd set they just looked at me like i was crazy
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tom lanning
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
19:19:24
| RE: CBS News
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yes i just caught that. i have a 99 dakota and it has less then 60,000 miles on it and is on its 3rd set of uppper ball joints luckly i check my truck over all the time i wrote a letter to dodge a couple of weeks ago and they basically said tough luck. i could not believe it the factory brakes out lasted 3 sets of ball joints when i took it to a shop to have alignment done and told them it was 3rd set they just looked at me like i was crazy
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Nate
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
19:23:15
|  RE: CBS News
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Really? It looks like they're going to have to start dealing with the problem now. Looks like another Ford/Firestone type deal upcoming again. I'm sure more people will start calling in with accident stories related to bad ball joints. I own a 98 5.2 V8 with 56,000 miles on it. Have never had the ball joints checked, doing it tomorrow!! Anyone have a ball park estimate of how much it is to replace upper ball joints?
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Lisa
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
20:08:50
|  RE: CBS News
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My husband only caught a few seconds of the news story and celled me at work...I went searching and came upon this site. Would love to know if they will be recalled (Crossing fingers they are!)
I have a 2000 Dakota Quad cab, bought in 2001 and have spent $600 so far just on ball joints. I replaced my (think lower) ball joints once, early this year, and it already needs another replacement. About 6 months old it started creaking and clunking when turning into parking spots, around corners and hasn't stopped since. Now the front tires "whir" and rattle as I drive.
I sure don't want to give up my truck, but I have 3 kids to worry about as well at 15 mile midnight drives home from middle of Detroit and at this rate, it's just too much money every few months between the $600 plus what I've spent for new tires, wheel alignments, etc. to make it worth keeping :(
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Nate
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
20:25:18
| RE: CBS News
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Don't blame you for not wanting to give up your truck. I love mine, though I've had it for less than a year. I'm not able to afford constant repairs on it, so I'm probably going to venture into a jeep. If the new makes of Dakota are GREATLY improved, I'll definitely go back into a Dakota. I'm still in college though and need reliable transportation. Maybe I can get a good deal on getting my ball joints fixed. Don't know, going to start browsing for used Cherokees. And your right Lisa, if your hauling your children around in it daily, it needs to be safe. And obviously Chrysler could care a less about that right now. AH! Makes me mad.
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Nate
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
20:27:42
| RE: CBS News
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Oh, and to answer your question...no recalls yet. Will probably be quite awhile if it does happen. Can get your ball joints replaced with the same junk ball joints under warranty, about it.
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Lisa
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
20:30:43
| RE: CBS News
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I wish! Went in to Dodge about 8 months ago right before I replaced the ball joints the last time. Dropped 12K on Neon for hubby a work car and as we were leaving casually asked about the warrenty on my truck. SURPRISE! I had a 3 yr/30K and I was sitting at 30,150 so no dice :/
Basically got the "So worry your front tires are crap, so sorry we can't help you GRRRRRRRRRR
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Lisa
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
20:35:36
| RE: CBS News
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Oh! Last thing...I hear you on going to another truck. We have a 95 Chevy, Z-71 with a lift. That thing is over 175K miles and with a broken shock rides like my Dakota :/ I just might sink my money into IT instead and park my Dakota when the Chevy's been for the last year.
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Nate
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
20:41:12
| RE: CBS News
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Dodge makes the best looking trucks in my opinion, just not well built. Now excuse while I go feel sorry for myself :)
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Deep Purple
*GenIII*
12/18/2003
21:36:29
| RE: CBS News
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I replaced the ball joints with Moog ones. They can be greased and feel heavier. So if you are out of warantee put Moog ball joints in and keep your Dakota if you like it. Keep all receipts just in case Chrysler does have to pay for them. The S10 I got rid of was a lot more expensive to keep up and got worse ( if you can imagine it ) gas mileage. Good luck with what ever choice you make.
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Lisa
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2003
22:30:23
| RE: CBS News
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Thanks!
I'll keep that in mind! I have put in complaint with Traffic/safty assoc too. The more I think about this truck the more I have to shake my head. 2 of my automatic windows are on quarter speed, making me think the motor is going. The windshield is cracked on both sides, starting from the corner and moving halfway up the window before running off the black film to where I could see it, telling me it was bad installation. (By then was out of warrenty!)The more I look up on the internet, the more bad things I am reading about it. My fuses for my lighter went after a week and replacing fuse, still won't work. The door speakers are shot most of the time even though I don't "rock out".
These are just off the top of my head.
Totally wishing that I'd have wasted my 32K on a Mustang now. At least THOSE can screw up and still have a decent resale value :P
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Richard
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
00:27:53
|  RE: CBS News
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Don't own a Dakota (Lincoln Mark VIII and Corvette). If you cars out of warranty any ball joint can be drilled and a grease fitting installed. Just lube the ball joints once or twice a year with a high quality ball joint or wheel bearing grease. They'll go 200K miles.
Don't do this under warranty as it will certainly void it. Under warranty I would take the car to a third party for inspection not CD, get it in writing from them that they are bad. Get them fixed with good after market BJ's and send your dealer the bill with a letter from a lawyer otherwise you'll just have the problem again. That works 90% of the time.
These "permanetly" lubed ball joints are only designed for 80-100K miles serice to begin with. I seriously doubt if CD under engineered them more than likely poor lubrication from a 3rd tier supplier. It's also possible that they were made in China and the metal is soft (not to spec) causing premature separation (no pun intended).
You can spray your squeaking bushings with WD-40 when you change the oil, they'll quit sqeaking. Only use a silcone based lubricant for bushings.
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James B.
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
07:21:11
|  RE: CBS News
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I had an accident in 2002 in my 1998 Dodge Dakota. I fell asleep behind the wheel, when I woke up there was an eighteen wheeler in front of me. I pressed on the brakes to slow down while I was pressing on the breaks my right tire exploded on my truck causing me to swerve into the eighteen wheeler totaling my truck. How do I find out now that I no longer have the truck, if the tire exploding was caused by the ball joint malfunctioning? Is there anything I can that can do now that I don't have the truck?
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flipa
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
12:13:15
|  Bad vibrations from Dodge
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I have experienced the same symptoms of front tire wear, whirring, and jumping, so that i know my ball joints are shot. I only have about 58,000 miles on my 98 Dakota, and i cannot afford to replace the joints. Have sent a request for class action to http://www.classactionamerica.com/ so they may encourage Dodge to do the right thing and maybe this will make manufacturers think twice about making stuff designed to wear out so you are forced to spend more just after the warranty runs out. A very unethical and possibly dangerous mindset that i hope does not result in one of us dying and Dodge Execs going to prison for manslaughter or worse.
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Kevin
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
12:41:41
| RE: CBS News
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Wonderful...yet another problem with the Dakotas. I'm really starting to think that I should've bought a different truck. At this point it seems like any other choice out there would've been better than the Dakota. I've got 46,000 miles on my QC, my extended warranty company (Warranty Gold) just went bankrupt, and now there are all these reports of the damn ball joints failing, causing buku damage to the vehicle...absofragginglutely wonderful!!! I think I am going to go sit in the corner and feel sorry for myself...and then I'm going to fix this problem...
BTW, what is the part # for the aftermarket ball joints? I can't see replacing the stock ones with more that are also garbage.
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
13:15:21
| RE: CBS News
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What model years are affected? I have a '95 Dakota and I think the ball joints have grease fittings on them. Its been a good truck except for a noisy timing chain that was fixed under my extended warranty.
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B.P
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
14:03:35
| RE: CBS News
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I finally had the opportunity to read the article by CBS and I'm just amazed. I have a 2000 Dodge Durango and take very good care of my vehicle. However the wear on my tires is odd it's on the inside and outside, I have my tires rotated every oil change (3000 miles) and alignments but it continues to wear in the same areas. Could this be caused by these upper ball joints? I also have had to replace the front "arms" on my vechile because of steering problems, could this also be realted? If anyone could answer these questions I would appreciate it, because I highly doubt that Dodge will give me the truthful answers I'm looking for. Thanks B.P.
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Nate
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
16:21:22
| RE: CBS News
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Uneven tire wear is a definite sign. Whether your front arms are, I'm not sure. Hopefully someone more mechanically inclined than me will answer that for you. But I've heard numerous times on here that bad ball joints will cause uneven and rapid tire wear. Getting a price quote from a local mechanic today on replacing my ball joints with MOOG's. Will let you know what it was. Good luck!
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Tongo
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
20:33:01
| RE: CBS News
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I'm curious, do the '97 Dakota's have this same problem? Someone on another thread said that it was '98 and later.
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Greg
Dodge Dakota
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12/20/2003
08:19:44
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I have a 97 2 wheel drive that has been 'squeaking' for about a month now, I thought it was the suspension. I am taking it in monday for Moog ball joints. I also just had the rear end replaced, luckily at the dealers expense since I had just bought it in August. This is my second Dakota and I hope we can solve these problems.
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