10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 5 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 35,322 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Upper ball joints worn to the point of breakage
- Kingsland, GA, USA
Both upper ball joints failed and had to be replaced. The ball joints have no way to grease them so they will fail. I replaced the upper ball joints with a 3 party joint that has a grease fitting so that I will be able to use my truck safely.
- Benton, AR, USA
2001 Dodge Dakota quad-cab 4X4. I had one upper ball joint replace at 37,863 miles. The remaining ball joints also seem to be failing. There is similar noise coming from the front suspension. After viewing a program on cbs news, I felt it would beneficial to report this problem.
- Barto, PA, USA
The upper and lower ball joints both went out and had to be replaced.
- Haughton, LA, USA
Ball joints on 2001 Dodge Dakota quad cab have gone out.
- Crete, NE, USA
Upper and lower ball joints.
- Crowley, LA, USA
Bad ball joint failure.
- Gadsden, AL, USA
Upper and lower ball joints malfunctioned.
- Hilliard, OH, USA
My 40K '01 Dakota qc has a very loose upper left ball joint, a loose lower right ball joint, a loose right outer tie rod and has been making a popping noise/thunk for a number of months. When I called Dodge and asked them why they would need to be repaired they said, "just wear and tear." As if it was no big deal. They didn't mention any safety concerns.
- Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Defective ball joints on 2001 Dodge Dakota quad cab.
- Big Water, UT, USA
Upper balljoint defective 35000 miles Chrysler would not replace. This found when a alignment performed. I replaced both balljoints. I have all bills and defective parts.
- Battle Ground, WA, USA
Front suspension problems identical to that of the Dodge durango. Have had both lower and upper control arms/ball joints relaced with less than 50,000 miles on the vehicle. Parts were replaced by dealership with same defective parts as originally installed on vehicle. Personally, no accidents related to this problem yet. Concerned about overall safety of Dakota owners. We have a 2001 Dodge Dakota.
- Dacula, GA, USA
Early failure of vehicle ball joints. Vehicle has 51000 miles on it, and ball joints are failing.
- Bonne Terre, MO, USA
Vehicle has a clucking noise in the front suspension when making a turn. This is caused by the ball joints wearing out, and needing replacement.
- North Tazewell, VA, USA
My balljoints snapped while turning in my sons school one morning, resulting in my front wheel and brake assembly falling off completely from my 2001 Dodge Dakota 4X4 truck in December 2002. I had 1000 miles passed factory warrenty
- Modesto, CA, USA
Bad control arms ball joint assembly, steering wonders to right, power steering pump replaced, steering shaft replaced waiting for new steering column, lower control arm and ball joint replaced under warranty, Chrysler zone office knows they have a defect in the front end of the Dakota and durango stated it was cheeper to replace parts.
- Cocoa, FL, USA
- Kingsland, GA, USA