| From | Message |
Ayrow
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/24/2003
20:02:43
|
 Subject: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
So, I bought a brand-new '01 Dodge Dakota QC, 4x4, fully loaded, 2 1/2 years ago. Several times on this board, I have read about complaints of rattling and clunking noises eminating from the front end, especially on the new ones. I started to experience this problem at about 20k miles, so I took it to the dealer and had them look at it. They told me they could not find anything wrong. 10k miles later (30k miles) I took it back again, complaining that the sound was getting worse. Again, they took it for a drive only to tell me that there was nothing wrong. Concerned, i believed them and drove off in hopes that they knew what they were talking about.
So now my truck has 47k miles on it and the warranty has expired. This weekend I was backing out of a parking lot in the middle of a hurricane and the entire wheel assembly broke off. Yep, you heard right, the toe links popped right out of the control arms. The wheel, brake system, and half-axle lay sideways on the pavement while the front bumper and fog light was destroyed as they fell upon it. 20 minutes later and $60.00, I had it towed back to my driveway. After the hurricane passed, I took the damn thing apart only to disvover the top ball-joint completely ground down. The upper control arm was worn to bits.
This is on a truck that is treated like gold, has never been off-roaded or modified.
I called the dealer that looked at it and complained that they should be responsible for repairing it due to their inability to fix it before it got to this point. I had it towed to their lot so they could "look at it."
I am currently waiting to hear back from the dealer on what the Regional Manager has to say about it. Chances are, they won't do squat to help me.
Bottom line is this: No vehicle under 100k miles, especially a recent one that has been lloked at twice, should EVER have a frickin' wheel come completely off the truck.
If this would have happened on the interstate, i could have been killed.
I will wait for Dodge to come through. If they do not, I will be talking to a lawyer about forcing a class-action lawsuit for on obvious problem/defect in the design of the Dak.
I wanted to post this information for two reasons:
1.) To warn any that might be having the same noise to be carefull
2.) To have any of you that have this noise to write to me and let me know. The more people I have that have the problem, the better our chances of Dodge fixing the problem in a recall for free.
Please help. Our/your safety depends on it.
Thanks,
Ayrow
ayrow@yahoo.com
|
jdllizard
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/24/2003
20:42:08
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
The dealer knew full well what was wrong with your truck, and if you would have taken it to them 10 miles after the warranty ran out they would have found it and charged you an arm and a leg to fix it. Since you have a record of taking it to them for this problem you should be able to get it fixed under warranty, yell, threaten with a lawyer or do whatever it takes to get their attention. Be sure to look up the lemon laws in your state. Call DC's 1-800 complaint number and be sure to let them know what this dealer did also, and remind them that if it would have failed on the highway, they would be forking out a HUGE settlement. Do not take "sorry nothing we can do, its out of warranty" for an answer. This is a well know problem with Dakotas/Durangos and I'm sure you will find alot of evidence and TSB's proving that.
|
blakdak01
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/24/2003
20:45:38
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
wow, after i lowered my dak i took it in to a shop to get an alignment and they called me back in 15 minutes to tell me to come in and take a look at something. they showed me how my whole front left wheel was about to break off and i probaly had less than a week before this wouldve occurred. since i had lowered it earlier that day however, the dealer refused to cover it saying i had caused the ball joint to break lose, even tho i had only driven it about 5 minutes to the alignment shop!!!i also have a 2001 dakota QC but its 2wd and ur the first person ive heard of that experienced something similar.
|
01 RT
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/24/2003
20:46:38
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
Good ole "Dodge Quality" at it's finest
|
eallen
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/24/2003
21:05:53
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
I've had so many damn things fixed on that front end I
can't even remember what they fixed (I would have to go
back through the service papers) I know for a fact that
both control arms were replaced, and right now as we
speak it is at the dealer getting the inner tie rods replaced.
The truck is an '01 QC with 47,000 miles on it. All of this
not to mention the countless times that the vehicle had to
be aligned! Something is seriously wrong with the front
end on these vehicles! If you think something might be
wrong, take your truck to another dealer, I have found that
some dealers (although rare) do actually care.
|
Rob 1
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/24/2003
22:48:19
|  RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
There are two TSB's listed for that problem with your truck. #13-001-00B (Oct 00)Suspension/Snapping/Popping or Clunking; and # 19-009-00 (12 00 ) Steering Column/ Popping sound on turns. There may be others but those are two I know of. Also if you have any documentation (bill or work order copy) where you took you truck in for that problem you have proof of creating a history before your warranty expired and you should have little problem getting them to cough up the money for repairs, towing and if you have to get a lawyer offer to let them pay for any other problems you were caused becaused of it. LOL
|
92Dakota4x4
GenII
9/24/2003
23:31:45
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
Yes, since you had complained about a rattle type noise twice while in warranty,they should cover you repairs.Dealers are allocated a certain $ amount by the manufacturer for out of warranty repairs- it's called "good will" You'll have to go into the dealer and basically be an a**hole about it,and threaten possible legal action.They WILL fix your truck.
|
kota318
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/25/2003
01:00:48
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
ROB 1... i have a clunking noise from my front drivers side wheel area that accures mostly when i hit a little bump in the road, would that tsp cover the repair even though its out of warranty?
thanks
|
Rob 1
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/25/2003
06:18:03
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
TSB's are only often reported problems and what the manufacterer recommends for diagnosing and fixing the problem. It will not help you if you are out of warranty unless it is associated with a recall but they are a source of good information in how to repair and good evidence of the problem if there are ever legal actions. This is why it is a good idea to check with your dealer or ALLDATA or DOT(Dept. of Transportation) for these while your truck is under warranty. The dealer or manufacturer will not notify you of them unless they are associated with a recall and sometimes not even then if you buy the vehicle used or have moved and they do not have new address.
Understand I am not nor do I pretend to be an expert in these matters but this has been my experience in the past having owned cars for 40yrs and working at various dealerships for about 12yrs.
|
TexasTodd
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/26/2003
23:21:52
|  RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
Ayrow,
Bummer. I'm going to have them check my 01 QC, 2x4 ball joits again at the dealer. I just had my front end aligned, for the first time, tok them two times to get it the way I liked it. When I mentioned the balljoints, they said that's the first thing they check, cause you can't really align a worn front end anyway.
I'm still letting the dealer look at it soon. I'm past my 3/36, now at 43K, but I talked to the service writer on the phone, and he agreed that I had it in twice while under warranty to have them check em.
Hey,
Maybe Mark, the forum moderator, could submit a complaint with D/C, on behalf of all of us here at DD.com, hell, I'd even buy a membership at this site.
And by the way, for my dakota, this IS the site I like the best.
|
Worried
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/26/2003
23:56:58
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
Is this problem with the 2 wheel drives as well? Got me kind of worried? I have a 99 CC 2 wheel drive. How do I check the front end components out myself so a mechanic doesn't sell me something I don't need. I have 80,000 mile on this thing and if the ball joints etc are shot I am getting rid of it. Are the new Rams built any better than these Dakotas? Sorry about so many questions.
|
LouNY
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/27/2003
08:40:23
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
does the 7/70 cover that? on a 03. i hear a slight clunk when i turn sometimes
|
Kowalski
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
9/27/2003
08:59:18
| RE: Something Every Dak owner should read...
IP: Logged
Message:
Worried - I have a freind who is a front end specialist and most of the ball joint problems he sees are with the full size Ram. I plow my Dak and no ball joint problems here yet. I wonder if part of the problem is bad metalurgy with some of the ball joints ? Of course, greasable ball joints would be nicer. LouNY - you should be covered, but there are other things that clunk could be.
|
| | P 1 |
|
Post a reply to this message:
Username Registration: Optional
All visitors are allowed to post messages
|
