The defect
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. THIS COULD CAUSE A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE HEARD BY THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
The risk
EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT MAY ALLOW IT TO SEPARATE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
The 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's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Dodge Dakota | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 |
| Dodge Durango | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Dakota | 2000 | 806 | 5 |
| Dodge Dakota | 2001 | 678 | 7 |
| Dodge Dakota | 2002 | 678 | 5 |
| Dodge Dakota | 2003 | 296 | 4 |
| Dodge Durango | 2000 | 1,075 | 2 |
| Dodge Durango | 2001 | 665 | 5 |
| Dodge Durango | 2002 | 423 | 4 |
| Dodge Durango | 2003 | 339 | 4 |
Other suspension recalls in 2004
28 of the 601 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2004 concerned the suspension; DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION filed 203 campaigns in all.
| 04V604000 22 Dec 2004 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 04V594000 20 Dec 2004 | AUTOCAR, LLC |
| 04V535000 8 Nov 2004 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V508000 27 Oct 2004 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 04V506000 25 Oct 2004 | AIRSTREAM, INC. |
| 04V496000 14 Oct 2004 | TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES (AMERICA) LTD |
| 04V477000 7 Oct 2004 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V478000 7 Oct 2004 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2004