Upon turning the steering wheel, I would hear "popping" coming from the front suspension. Brought it in for inspection. Mechanic diagnosed the problem as bad ball joints. Replaced both upper and lower ball joints (left and right). The condition of the upper ball joints indicated that they were ready to pop out of the socket.
2002 Dodge Dakota: clunking or noise when steering
6 of the 678 complaints about the 2002 Dodge Dakota describe clunking or noise when steering.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 2 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Clunking or noise when steering by model year
What owners say
Dodge dakota 4x4 2002 /have been experiencing front end problems with truck since purchase. Brought in numerous times to dealer for brake issues[front rotors,pads,rear drums and discs].told multiple times there is no problem, its the way you drive. Truck has never been abused,very well cared for. After the 5th time to dealer finnally told that the upper ball joints need replacment.this was after one full year of denial.notified dealer of noise at the steering wheel,told they could not vrify the complaint would probably go away after replacing upper ball joints.one week later after replacment of upper ball joints ,same noise reoccured [loud clunking sound at front end]took back to dealer only to be told that the bottom ball joints need replacment,no mention one week prior about wear on lower area.dealer also stated that the noise noted coming from stering wheel from previous complaints was now thought to be an intermiediate shaft in the steering column,this same noise that one week earlier could not be identified.at 30,000 miles my entire differential gear assembbly needed replacment.I have been charged multiple warranty deductibles on what seems to me to be, the same problem and possibly a canidate for lemon status.at what point will the consumers right's be protected.I am joining a class action lawsuit in regards to chrysler/daimler and suggest to everyone who reads this to do the same.check out www.dodgetalk.com for info and links.also I reccomend to anyone who has had problems with their daeler in terms of denials/non repairs/faulty workmanship/or any related costs out of pocket to file formal complaints and contact a local lemon law attorney in relation to their actions and lack of proper business ethics.only until we make change happen can we acctually achieve it.good luck to everyone who reads this.
When making a left turn there was a popping noise in the steering. Dealership replaced the steering shaft sector, rack and pinion, and upper and lower ball joints.
Upper ball joints are worn out and are popping and causing front tires to cup,and truck will not drive straight.you can really hear popping noises when turning sharp and going in a driveway.
Upper and lower ball joints are exhibiting premature signs of failure at 10,000 miles load popping sounds when turning and braking. Vehicle now has 23,000 miles and is showing signs of steering vibrations. Why haven't the dakota models been included with the durango suspension engineering investigation. There are almost 100 complaints on the website?
Popping sound in front end when turning at slow speed, driving over a speed bump at slow speed, stopping or pulling out from stop.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2002 Dodge Dakota steering noise
Is clunking or noise when steering a common problem on the 2002 Dodge Dakota?
6 of 678 owner complaints about the 2002 Dodge Dakota (1%) mention clunking or noise when steering. The model year with the most reports is 2000.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2002 Dodge Dakota?
There are 0 recalls and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2002 Dodge Dakota
Ball joint 197Headlights 23ABS 22Stalling 22Brake failure 21Harsh shifting 21Premature wear 20Fire or smoke 18Engine failure 17No deployment 16Overheating 15Won't shift 15Wipers 15Grinding brakes 12Knocking 12Pulling 11Check engine light 9Door locks 6Jerking 5Loss of power 5Misfire 5Tire blowout 5Transmission failure 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2002 Dodge Dakota?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history