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J.D. Leddon
Dodge Dakota
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10/27/2003
19:20:58
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 Subject: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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Well people there may be light at the end of the tunnel yet for us Dakota & Durnago owners for the junky front ends DaimlerChrysler has been putting in their SUV's & trucks. I ssen on CBS world news tonite that the Federal Government is launching a nationwide investagation into the problem. Here is the link to check it out http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/27/eveningnews/main580233.shtm. They said there is a class action law suit against DaimlerChrysler. About time we Dakota owners got some relief to this problem. Cause it sure looks like DaimlerChrysler is or has done nothing to solve the problem. If anyone finds a site for the class action law suite please post it on here.
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madmac9143
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
08:26:33
|  RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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JD you're a fool if you think a cl"ass" action law suite is going to do anything more than drive prices up. Start doing the proper maintainance and vehicle inspections and you'll never have the problem that b***h on the news had. This is as simple as owners having a little common sence and start paying more attention to there vehicles. The old days of not knowing how to check your own oil and tires is out.
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dkr8611
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
10:44:39
|  RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I think the problem is that we CAN'T do proper MAINTAINENCE because we can't service the ball joints. They are sealed. Common SENSE tells me that it will fail without proper lubrication.
;-)
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fuggetaboutit
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
11:42:32
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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class action is for durango, people mover suv = big money.
dakota= truck= SOL.
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hank
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
12:01:05
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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hey mad mac my truck has 14,000 miles on it how do you figure proper mmaintainance could have helped?
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Mel
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
12:26:21
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I own a 2002 QC V8 4x2 Dakota with 36,500 miles. We took the truck in to the dealership twice for an occaisional knock noise, mostly occuring during a turn. The first time they said it was nothing, just the spare tire - okay fine. Noise still there, without the spare tire, take it back in at 25,000, the dealership replaced the right front ball joint. Okay, fine. Still hearing the noise, but the dealership looked at it and said it was fine. Okay - here we are 11,000 miles later, Sunday night my husband just got off the freeway and pulled into the apartment complex and the damn wheel collapsed into the wheel well! We had to get a flatbed tow into the dealership and they said the entire ball joint assembly was busted and to do both wheels they were going to charge $950 since we were 500 miles out of warranty. I said NO WAY, called Chrysler and raised the roof; for a 'deductible' of $50 they are fixing the whole thing. I take very good care of my vehicles, and the post above by MadMac ticks me off - we had the truck in at low miles a couple times and they said they fixed it. Thank the good lord my husband was only going 5mph, or I would be a rich widow!! If Chrysler knows about this problem they owe it to the owners and their families to fix the problem before people get killed!!
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JRG
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
14:55:11
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I have a 1998 Dakota 4x4 5.2 V8 with 72,000 miles.
Bought the truck brand new. Change the oil every 2800 miles and have serviced the drive train every year. Have taken very good care of this truck and the guy at the dealership says its the cleanest 98 Dakota he knows of.
Well I will never buy another Dodge product again!!!
This is what I have had to have done to it to date:
1. Cabin leaked water into it and soaked carpet when it rained.
2. Electric fuel pump failed. TWICE
3. Fan clutch puked.
4. Throttle position sensor barfed.
5. Lower ball joints went bad.
6. Two freeze plugs leaked.
7. Radiator cracked.
8. Water pump failed.
I'm done with the Dodge stuff!!!!
I sure hope to see something come out of the front end issue!!!!
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Clinton
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
21:14:45
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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Are the ball joints a problem on both the 4x4 and 4x2?
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outlaw17
Dodge Dakota
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10/28/2003
22:36:22
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I have a 2002 QC 4x4 with 28,000 km and it has been making the odd clunking noise in the front end for quite a while now , maybe I should check and see if it is my ball joints , which seem to be the most problematic , the lowers ? Maybe a trip to the dealer is in store , its about time I got the rough idle and odd stalling looked at anyways .
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Mel
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2003
10:48:53
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I definitely recommend Outlaw get his dealership to look at the upper ball joint - on both sides, but especially the right side. We just found out that when we had our truck in the first time (at a different dealership) they only replaced the lower ball joint when it's rarely the lower joint that's the problem - they should have replaced the upper ball joint assembly. Our truck is still at the shop because they found a pinched brake line as well, probably caused by the failed assembly. Love that term, 'failed assembly' - the damn wheel practically broke off the axel; the only thing holding the wheel on were the steering arms. Don't wait! I knew the occasional clunk I heard was bad, but I let the 'experts' tell me it was nothing.
Anyone who has this problem out of warranty and needs to contact Chrysler Customer Assistance, just be sure to negotiate them compensating for tow and rental - we didn't negotiate it ahead of time and now we're stuck with the bill for a $76 tow and a rental for 3 days.
Good luck!
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97-Dakota
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2003
13:29:42
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I have 89k on my 97 and it's clunking like crazy... I brought it into one place (local shop, not dealer) and they said it was fine...
I guess I need a 2nd opinion just in case... I'd almost feel better if they DO tell me I need to spend the $1000 for new uppers & lowers... at least I'll know it's been done and good for a while.
***crossing my fingers I don't wind up with the scads of other non-balljoint problems people have had!!***
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don d
Dodge Dakota
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10/29/2003
19:28:13
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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took my 2001 2 by4 in for clunking in front end , dealer replaced the hole front end , ball were bad 22,000 miles , great now no cost , they said drango had a recall but dakotas didnt but they change mine any way
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Snapwrench
Dodge Dakota
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11/06/2003
00:53:31
| RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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Don't bother with the dealers.....they charge 100.00 per balljoint and still aren't serviceable......
Go with the SPICER ball joints!!!
They have put there knowledge towards this specific problem and come up with a GREAT product for the Dakotas and Durangos.
These are well worth the money at $60.00
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bdhasson
Dodge Dakota
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12/19/2003
19:35:50
|  RE: Front Ends On Dakots & Durangos
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I have a 00 Dakota QC 4x2 about 50k miles, could this also cause a intermitent steering loss on gradual turns? I thought the ps fluid was low but checked ok. haven't heard any clunks. What model years are affected by this?
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