2002 Dodge Dakota suspension problems

“FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND HUB ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY BROKE FREE FROM THE VEHICLE THIS IS A FOLLOW UP FROM MY FIRST INTIAL REPORT TO CHRYSLER AND ALSO NHTSA PHONE CONVERSATION IN WHICH I DID A REPORT TO BOTH AND PAID 2500.00 WHICH I STILL HAVE RECEIPT OF PAYING TO HAVE FIXED...FATHER HAD A 2000 DODGE DURANGO WHICH HAD THE SAME RECALL THAT MY DIDN'T HAVE AS CHRYSLER STATED...”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR STEP BUMPER WAS CORRODED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE PORTION BAR FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,279.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN 90 DEGREES INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND CRASH. THE SPECIFICS OF THE CRASH WERE NOT AVAILABLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH BOTH FRONT TIRES LOCKED UP AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BRAKES AND UPPER BALL JOINTS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRONT CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOUR TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HE HEARD A CLICKING SOUND NEAR THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT NOTICED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED DUE TO THE VIN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.”

“TRUCK HAS BEEN DRIVING LIKE SOMETHING WAS GRINDING AGAINST MY FRONT RIGHT WHEEL FOR A WEEK OR SO, I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, IT HAD JUST BECOME AN ANNOYANCE. ID LOOK UNDER THE WHEEL AND EVERYTHING LOOKED OKAY AND IN SHAPE, NO DAMAGE WAS BEING DONE. THE OTHER DAY I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE AND HEARD A POP, LIKE SOMETHING HAD POPPED NEAR THE WHEEL, I PULLED OVER AND COULD SEE NO DAMAGE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND NOTICED THAT THE GRINDING HAD STOPPED AND MY WHEEL SEEMED TO BE FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. I ARRIVED TO MY DESTINATION WITH NO PROBLEM. WHEN I LEFT THE DESTINATION TO RETURN HOME, I STARTED FEELING HEAVY PULL TO THE RIGHT ON MY STEERING WHEEL, IF I LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL I WOULD HAVE GONE INTO A DITCH OR THE WOODS OR ANOTHER CAR. I THEN STARTED NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM MY RIGHT WHEEL, I WAS A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM HOME AND FIGURED I COULD MAKE IT, I STARTED NOTICING MY BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING TOO WELL, AND ANYTIME ID PUSH ON THE BRAKES MORE SMOKE WOULD ARISE, I WENT THE 3 STOP SIGNS TO MY HOUSE AND PULLED IN, RAN AROUND AND SAW THAT BEHIND MY WHEEL HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, TOOK ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH WATER AND SOME CAT LITTER WE HAD LYING…”