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98 Dak
Dodge Dakota
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4/12/2006
14:36:41
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 Subject: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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Ok, on 11-9-05 I took my 98' Dakota to a dealership (75miles away) to have a speed sensor replaced, and while there I figured it a good idea to get an alignment. They told me the lower ball joints were worn to the point of being unsafe and would not do the alignment with those in place, so I said replace them.
Less than two weeks after this we noticed a bad squeeking in the front end when the truck would bounce or we would turn the wheels. It never occured to us that this would be the parts the garage just replaced and figured it a squeeky shock or something.
The squeek worsened until it became intolerable and we took it to a local non-dealership garage on 3-27-06, and left it with them to fix. When returning for the truck later that day the shop said it was indeed the lower ball joints making the noise and they replaced them. They said they tried greasing them first and for some reason they wouldn't take any grease.
When contacting the dealership about getting reimbursed for the work their shop had done: they wanted the receipt for the work done at the other shop. Then they would send this in to Chrysler and see what they would do.
I did drive up with the receipt from the other shop, and *then* they wanted the part numbers for the parts the other shop installed. By this point it was clear that I was getting the run-around, and I informed them that the additional time and miles for this game would only serve to increase the amount of recompense. They didn't care.
Rather than keep racking up the miles..and days, I sent them a polite letter stating that they could make it right or small claims will be filed.
After talking with the service manager on the phone today he says they were not given the opportunity to make it right so he's done with it. He also said that I signed a paper saying they were not liable for anything.
Anyway, I feel like when I signed the shop receipt it was to say they done the work (whether they really did or not who knows), and basically be able to get my truck back.lol Just because they have this little disclaimer on their ticket saying they are not liable, does this necessarily make it so?
The rub is: this is a rather large dealership along a major interstate, in a not so large town. If filing suit I will have to do it in that town and I feel like Al and the judge are probably golfing buddies or something and the effort will be a waste. What say those here..?
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
4/12/2006
15:39:09
|  RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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Sounds like a bunch of fackers to me!
Good luck with the small town. Too bad it's so damn far away or you would at least be able to drop in daily and be a pain in the a$$ to where they would give in.
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Obio3
Dodge Dakota
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4/12/2006
16:57:23
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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Sorry to say but I think they got you by the you know whats. You in fact should have taken it back to them FIRST to get it done right prior to switching shops. The only way you might have done it as you did was total breakdown. And even at that I would have called the shop and did what they wanted at there expence. They really did have the right to correct there work. Any reputable shop does this.
So many problems .... So little time
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Dark Jedi
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2006
04:25:10
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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well why take it back to a place that messed it up in the first place? if a doctor almost kills you from his screw up. do you go back to give him a chance to fix what he screwed up??
it might be a good idea to take the person that replaced the BJ with you and also if you still have the defective part take that to. have the guy explain whats wrong with it. ands tell the judge that you didnt feel safe to have the stealership to fix something they screwed up. after all they should of noticed that it wouldnt take grease. in the end they are liable for anything they do it your truck.
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98 Dak
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2006
11:18:14
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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That was my thoughts also, Jed. The way it happend though is that it was making this noise, and we suspected everything BUT the part that had just been replaced. We took it to the local garage, borrowed a car and ran around town while they fixed whatever the problem was. Had we known it was the ball joints Chrysler had just replaced, I'm still not sure I would've given then another shot.
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2006
12:39:19
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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I read your post 98 and find one comment kind of concerning...
"They (second shop) said they tried greasing them first and for some reason they wouldn't take any grease."
There's a pretty good reason why the new OEM Dodge ball joints wouldn't take any grease,,, they are "lube for life" sealed ball joints, no grease zerks which allows the ball joint to be greased. Yes the second shop is right that they couldn't add grease, but it's not a mystery as to why.
I hate it when I catch a repair shop in a lie, which has happened to me several times, ruins thier credibility. I'd question what the second shop did to my truck if they are claiming they couldn't grease OEM sealed ball joints.
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Dark Jedi
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2006
12:54:52
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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I thought the new bj from dodge wasnt sealed no more? that they had a grease fitting. I dont knwo about this as they say my 03 isnt part of the recall. still makes me kinda worried as my truck is right at the cut off of the recall.
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Obio3
Dodge Dakota
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4/13/2006
15:12:15
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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Read the post again > He stated it was the LOWER BALL JOINTS.Whole differant ball game.Are you sure one shop didn't do the uppers and the other shop did the lowers???? And... I doubt a judge will be Listening to you explain why you wasn't available at least long enough to find out what the problem was.Every shop gives an estimate prior to doing the actual work. Somehow I thinking the first repair shop did the upper ball joints. New lowers take grease unless the zerk was dammaged. Any dummy shop would at least try a differant zerk before condeming a part. Did you look under your truck to determine if both uppers and lowers have now been replaced? How about the 2 repair invoices. What do they say. Something just doesn't sound correct here. But it's still a guess without your input.
So man problems .... So little time
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98 Dak
Dodge Dakota
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4/15/2006
15:21:26
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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I have the ball joints that the second shop took off, and you're right, the lowers do not have zerks. When leaving it at the shop they told me before I left that it was the lower ball joints squeeking. I told them that the dealership had just replaced some bj, and that it must have been the uppers. When going back to get it they said if chrysler said they replaced the uppers they were screwing me because they were still riveted in. Checked the receipt when I got home and it was indeed the lowers chrysler had replaced.
Still considering filing suit. It just gripes my butt that this dealership has well over five million dollars worth of cars sitting on their lot, but wants to play games about refunding me for the lousy work they did.
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METALHEAD
Dodge Dakota
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4/16/2006
01:57:21
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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On top of this I would report it to chrysler, that will affect their 5 star rating if they have one.
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jj
Dodge Dakota
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4/17/2006
15:07:41
| RE: Ball joint and Dealership problems..
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The lowers (on a 99 for sure) DO HAVE zerks. It is built into the lower control arm and not the ball joint :)
Again, I know for sure 99's have it, pretty sure 98's do also.
Look for it on the front side of the lower contol arm, it will be front about mid ball joint and angled in toward the grill of the truck.
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