PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB PICK-UP WITH 26,465 MILES. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO DIAGNOSE A CLANKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING THEY DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM ON THE FIRST VISIT, I RETURNED FOR A SECOND VISIT AND I IDENTIFIED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AS THE PROBLEM, THEY CHECKED THEM AND AGREED. THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY. AFTER READING A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON DIFFERENT WEB SITES THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS. HOW ABOUT A RECALL! (PREMATURE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR FAILURES IS ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM ON BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES. MINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 26,120 MILES AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.) *LA
2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE HEADLIGHTS AND AUTOMATIC LOCKS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WERE INOPERABLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. TWO MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC THEN STATED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MODULE WAS REPAIRED ON THE VEHICLE. SINCE THE REPAIR NO OTHER FAILURES OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER REGARDING RECALL #02V322000. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 60,000.*AK UPDATE 05/10/07*TR