Noise from front end, had checked out and mechanic found left side ball joints (upper and lower) were prematurely worn. I had them replaced at my expense. I saved the old parts. Now the passenger side nedds to be replaced. Again the dealer tells me the recall does not apply to my car.
1998 Dodge Dakota: rotors or pads wearing out early
16 of the 544 complaints about the 1998 Dodge Dakota describe rotors or pads wearing out early.
- owner complaints
- 16
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 70,000
- recalls
- 3
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls and 1 service bulletin for this area of the car. See below
Rotors or pads wearing out early by model year
What owners say
Upper ball joints prematurely worn out due to lubrication being washed out (same problem as detailed in the federal safety agency campaign id number 04v596000, but my vehicle is a 1998 model and this campaign is for 2000 and newer).
There is a squeaking noise in the front end while driving. Dealership indicated that all 4 ball joints needs to replaced due to premature wear.
Premature wear on both upper ball joins and one lower ball joint.
Vehicle was taken to dealer for premature wear of the tires. Mechanic determined that ball joints were rubbing , and needed to be replaced.
Premature wear on left ball joints for 1998 dodge dakota 2wd.
Prematurely worn upper ball joint for 1998 dodge dakota sport truck (2w) with 55,000 miles. Severe squeaking and grinding noise along with obvious irratic braking problems.
On two separate occasions upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced because of premature wear. *ak *nlm
Upper ball joint premature wear.
Brake rotor warpage after low miles.
The front braking system is extremely undersized. The rotors warp quickly due to overheating. Materials used are very cheap. The right side caliper pins have both stipped out their threads requiring me to install oversized self-tapping caliper pins. The dodge dealer I took it to called me a liar and said that I stripped out the pin threads. I completed the repairs myself and installed aftermarket rotors and pads. Dodge refused to do anything about the problem.
Air conditioning hose leading to aluminum assembly failed due to cut in hose. Middle portion of hose rests directly over one corner of plastic air filter cover assembly. At the corner of air filter cover there is a small vertical spline that is part of the molded pastic lid cover. The thickness of the spline is similar to a common plastic picnic knife but without serrations. Apparently over time due to vibration while driving, the hose rubbed against this plastic spline wearing a 1/4 inch slit/hole. When the hose finally rubbed through, the refrigerant decompressed rapidly. I consider this a safety hazard as all automoble air conditioning refrigerant contains a certain amount of oil. When the refrigerant decompreses explosively or extremely rapidly, it creates a mist that is highly flammable. Tires. The original manufacturer tires (goodyear p235/70 r16) have premature wear and the vehicle pulls to the right when braking. Excessive tire wear has taken place to varying degress on all four tires. Tire wear was first noticed around 25,000 miles, but due to the amount of wear, I estimate it started at 20,000 miles. These tires are rated for 40-45,000 miles. I do not think the tires are at fault. Since the truck veers to the right when braking, I suspect that an out-of-alignment condition exists. Premature tire wear presents a safety hazard if the tire fails at highway speeds. Also, an out-of-alignment condition should not exist before 20-25,000 miles on a new vechicle.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: pickup trucks built with 2.5l engines. Some vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the left front brake tube and the power steering hose.
- Risk
- A puncture of the left front brake tube can result in a loss of braking force at the front wheels, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the brake tube and power steering hose for wear. If wear is evident, the brake tube and/or power steering hose will be replaced. A power steering standoff bracket will be installed on all vehicles to ensure that adequate clearance between the brake tube and power steering hose is maintained.
Recall number 00V193000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Some vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the rear axle vent hose and the brake hose.
- Risk
- A puncture in the rear brake hose will result in a loss of braking force at the rear wheels.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear brake hose for evidence of wear. Worn brake hoses will be replaced. The rear vent hose will be shortened by 3 inches and a clip will be installed to assure clearance between the axle vent line and brake hose is maintained.
Recall number 00V198000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks (2 wheel drive only). The front brake hoses or anti-lock brake system (ABS) sensor wire may be abraded at the front wheels by contact with a front wheelhouse splash shield.
- Risk
- Prolonged brake hose contact can cause a partial loss of the braking system. Prolonged ABS sensor wire contact can cause a loss of ABS function.
- Remedy
- Dealers will trim the front wheelhouse splash shields and the brake hoses and ABS sensor wires will be inspected. If evidence of abrasion is found on any hose or ABS wire, they will be replaced.
Recall number 97V170000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1998 Dodge Dakota premature wear
Is rotors or pads wearing out early a common problem on the 1998 Dodge Dakota?
16 of 544 owner complaints about the 1998 Dodge Dakota (3%) mention rotors or pads wearing out early. The model year with the most reports is 2000.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Dodge Dakota?
There are 3 recalls and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Dodge Dakota
Ball joint 189Brake failure 17Grinding brakes 17No deployment 16Steering noise 11Knocking 10Harsh shifting 10Headlights 9Pulling 9ABS 7Seat belt 7Stalling 7Transmission failure 6Engine failure 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1998 Dodge Dakota?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history