#DODGE VIN NUMBER DECODING FOR FREE#

I BOUGHT A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA PICK/UP THAT HAD 52,303 MILES SHOWING ON THE SPEEDOMETER, THE DEALER SAID AND SHOWED ME A 'SAFETY CHECK' SEAL ON THE WINDSHIELD AND TOLD ME THEY SAFETY CHECK ALL THEIR USED CARS AND TRUCKS, AFTER FINALLY PUTTING 1,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK I NOTICED IT WAS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO STEER AND CONTROL, I ALSO STARTED HEARING A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING. THIS DOES NOT SPEAK WELL OF CHRYSLER/DODGE. ONLY ONE HIGH MILEAGE VEHICLE WITH CV JOINTS BUT MAYBE NO BALL JOINTS HAD TO HAVE A CV JOINT REPLACED.

I HAVE OWNED OVER A DOZEN VEHICLES AND MOST DRIVEN OVER 100,000 AND ONE AT 145,000 AND ONE 200,000 AND HAVE NEVER REPLACE BUT ONE BALL JOINT ON A 1970 CUTLASS. THIS SHOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR ANY YEAR VEHICLE UP TO AT LEAST 100,000. IT IS TIME NHTSA FORCES DODGE TO RECALL AND REIMBURSE ALL COSTS TO THOSE ALREADY HAVING PAID FOR SUCH REPAIRS. HOW DO THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASHES AND AT UNDER 50,000 MILES. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE AND FAILURE OF BALL JOINTS IS NOT A PROBLEM IN ALMOST ANY CAR EXCEPT CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON DOZENS OF INTERNET SITES, BLOGS, ETC AND ALL MECHANICS AND STATE INSPECTORS ALL NOD KNOWINGLY ABOUT THE DODGE PICKUP. THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE DAKOTA AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS. ALL DEFECTS OCCURRED AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. ANOTHER BALL JOINT HAD BEEN REPLACED THE PREVIOUS YEAR. *TRД«ALL JOINT FAILURES: TRUCK FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO DEFECTIVE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS OR BALL JOINT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ALSO FAILED AT UNDER 50,000 MILES AND NO REPAIR RECALL ON THIS LONG STANDING PROBLEM AS WELL. THEREFORE, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER OF ANY SORT. DODGE HAS NOT AGREED TO ANY RECALL TO FIX BUT SHOULD DO THIS. DEALER INDICATED THIS WAS A YEARS OLD PROBLEM WHICH WAS COMMON TO REPLACE THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND THAT MY $600 REPAIR WAS NOT GUARANTEED TO PREVENT TOTAL FAILURE.

I WAS LUCKY AND ONLY HAD TO REPLACE ALL PRESSURE REGULATING VALVES FOR ABOUT $670 (FUNNY HOW THEY ALL WENT BAD AT THE SAME TIME BUT I WOULD NOT ARGUE THE POINT SINCE THE PARTS WERE CHEAP COMPARED TO DOING IT OVER IN A FEW MONTHS). TOW OPERATOR REMARKED ALMOST ALL DODGE DAKOTAS TOWED FOR TRANNY WORK ENDED UP COSTING $2300-$2900 FOR A REPLACEMENT. PAID FOR TOW TO DODGE DEALER IN HAMPTON VA FOR ANALYSIS AND REPAIR. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES IT WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 5 MPH WHILE REVING ABOUT 3500 RPM. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO BOG DOWN WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH. MY VEHICLE IS APPARENTLY NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AS A SEARCH OF SALVAGE YARDS REVEALED NUMEROUS STRIPPED OUT THREADS ON VEHICLES WHERE THE STEERING KNUCKLE WAS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE. THE STEERING KNUCKLE IS A VERY PRICEY PART (ON THE ORDER OF $600 JUST FOR THE PART) AND CONTINUING REPLACEMENT IS COST PROHIBITIVE. AUTO PARTS SUPPLIERS SELL SLIGHTLY OVERSIZE, SELF TAPPING STUDS, BUT THESE DO NOT LAST LONG. THE THREADS STRIP OUT, AND THE MOUNTING BOSS SECTION IS SO SMALL THAT A LARGER THREAD CANNOT BE RETAPPED WITHOUT DANGER OF BREAKING THE HOLE OUT. ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE, THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR THE THIRD TIME NOW, ONCE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND TWICE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. UNDER PROLONGED USE, THESE STUDS CAN BACK OUT, LETTING THE CALIPER FALL OFF, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE DESIGN, THE THREADS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE CALIPER MOUNTING STUDS CAN STRIP OUT, THEREBY LEAVING THE CALIPER TO FLOAT ON THE KNUCKLE. THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER BOLTS TO THE STEERING KNUCKLE ON A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA, 4WD. THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE BRAKE ASSEMBLIES IN PLACE IS THE WHEEL, ITSELF!! *TR THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. THE DEALER WANTS $1000 PER SIDE FOR THE REDESIGNED UNITS.

#DODGE VIN NUMBER DECODING FOR FREE#

I PREFER TO HAVE THE RE-DESIGNED SPINDLE ASSEMBLIES INSTALLED FOR FREE BY DEALER WITH UP-DATED PART NUMBERS. (SLIDE PINS) I FEEL TOTALLY UNSAFE WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT. THERE ALSO IS A REPAIR KIT INVOLVING THE USAGE OF 'HELI-COIL' INSERTS TO SECURE BRAKE PAD CARRIER TO SPINDLE ASSEMBLY. HAVING READ THE 'ALLDATA' DATA BASE, THERE IS A REDESIGNED KNUCKLE WITH IMPROVED SLIDE PIN SUPPORTS. THIS CAUSES EXCESS WEAR ON THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY, INCREASED WEAR IN BRAKES, AND STRESS ON THE HUB BEARINGS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE FRONT CALIPER WOBBLES IN IT'S PLACE, POSSIBLY EJECTING THE SLIDEPINS BECAUSE THEY 'WOBBLE' IN THE KNUCKLE HOLES DESIGNED TO RETAIN THEM. LEAVING FRONT BRAKE SLIDER PINS UNATTACHED TO CALIPER MOUNTING PLATE. DUE TO POOR CHOICE OF MATERIALS (I ASSUME) THE FRONT HUB AND SPINDLE ASSEMBLY WEARS.

Dodge vin number decoding