NHTSA complaint: 2004 DODGE DAKOTA — SUSPENSION:FRONT
MY TRUCK HAD BEEN MAKING THE NOTORIOUS SQUEAKING SOUNDS FROM THE FONT END THAT THE DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. I KNEW NOTHING OF THE BALL JOINT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL MY FIANCE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE TRUCK. THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WAS FAULTED TO MY FIANCE'S FAULT. WHEN SPEAKING WITH HER, SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE TRUCK AND THEREFORE STRUCK THE OTHER CAR 'WHILE GOING AROUND THE CORNER'. WHEN SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SHE FOUND THE TRUCK LOWERED TO THE GROUND ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DUE TO THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY POPPING OFF THE TRUCK. BY 'POPPING OFF' I MEAN THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT POPPED OUT OF ITS LOCATION AND THE RIVETS HOLDING THE TOP OF THE SPINDLE POPPED OUT OF THERE POSITION. YES I SAID POPPED. THERE WERE NO RIPPING OF PARTS ETC, THE ASSEMBLY JUST POPPED OFF THE TRUCK. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT A LOW SPEED GOING THROUGH A TURN. THIS IS THE EXACT ENACTMENT THAT CHRYSLER HAS STATED THAT THE WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF IF THE PART FULL MALFUNCTIONED. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN USING THE SAME PARTS IN THE 04 DAKOTA TRUCK AS THAT USED IN THE 00-03. WHY IS THE PART NOT BEING CORRECTED? WHY IS CHRYSLER NOT TAKING CONTROL OF THIS ISSUE AND RESOLVING THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL? CHRYSLER IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK EVERYDAY THAT THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THIS PART AND CORRECTING THE ISSUE. IS IT GOING TO TAKE THE DEATH OF AN INDIVIDUAL CAUSED BY THIS FAILING PART FOR THEM TO STEP UP AND ADMIT THEY HAVE MESSED
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation