Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Dodge Dakota owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Consumer received recall 04V596000 concerning upper ball joints. While driving 10 MPH suddenly the right front wheel came off, causing the vehicle to strike the ground. Vehicle sustained front end damage. The police arrived, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the consumer made contact with his insurance company. It was discovered later there was a recall for the upper ball joints. Currently, the insurance company was not filing the consumer's claim. Consumer contacted the manufacturer, who sent an independent contractor to examine the vehicle, and consumer heard nothing from the manufacturer since then.
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.
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.
I had loss of control of my vehicle this morning which I believe is a direct result of my steering/ball joint / rack and pinion failure. It's at the dealer now being looked over thoroughly. The dealer just replaced the intermittent steering shaft last week.
The right front tire came off while driving at 75 MPH on the highway. Vehicle went into the median and stopped. Vehicle was towed. It was discovered that ball joints were defective, and caught on fire.
My husband and I own a 2002 Dodge Dakota. We purchased it in March 2002 and moved to puerto rico in September 2002, where we took our Dakota to an authorized Dodge dealership when problems arose. In April 2003, we began to hear unusual noises coming from the front left tire area. The service techs reported premature wearing of the ball joint and replaced it, plus the upper and lower control arms, as well as the sway arm and all related bushings (they showed premature wear, too). The following January (1/23/04), less than 12 months later, we began to hear similar noises from the front right tire area. The service techs at the same dealership as before replaced the same items for the same reasons that affected the driver's side front tire. All new parts, correct? …
I purchased my 2002 Dodge Dakota quadcab 4x4 new from the dealer. And at about 40,000 miles I notice suspension noise from the front. It was intermittent at first then as I approached 50,000 miles the noise became a metallic chatter at all times. I had the parts replaced by a local shop after the dealer failed to honor my appointment times. The mechanic said that the upper ball joints were out and that they had to be replaced. He also commented that he has never seen a ball joint wear out in just 50,000 miles. He gave me the old parts showed the play in the joint and the absence of grease in the boot. He claimed that the design must be defective to wear out that early and completely. I use the car for work and lose money when it is not operative. My main concern was safety and reliability since I am required to work in all weather conditions with my contract to the local utility, pg&e. …
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. …
Since I've purchased this vehicle, about six months into driving it, I began experiencing front end problems with the control arms & ball joints. I've had it back to the dealer(big valley Dodge) at least 10 times(@75.00 a visit) for them to repair/replace the ball joints/control arm. Now it's no longer under warranty and will cost $1500.00-$2500.00 from different quotes I received. I can no longer enjoyably drive the vehicle. And I can't even drive it on the freeway as the whole front-end shakes the entire truck above 50mph. Please help me. I love everything about the truck otherwise. I just want Dodge to be responsible and fix their problem. They made a recall for the 4x4, why not the 2x4 with a very similar issue. Please help! This is not fair. …
Related recalls
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint May cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension upper ball joints. This safety improvement campaign began on December 21, 2004. Owners can contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA investigations
Upper ball joint separation
Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (NHTSA recall no.
Suspension complaints in other Dakota years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2002 Dodge Dakota?
NHTSA has 226 complaints about the suspension of the 2002 Dodge Dakota, 33% of the model year's 678 complaints. The component named most often is front › control arm › upper ball joint (162 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Dodge Dakota suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-596 (upper ball joint, Dec 21, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Dodge Dakota suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 3 fires and 2 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.