1997 Dodge Dakota Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1997 Dodge Dakota, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 62,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ball joints” (65% of reports).
- 142suspension complaints
- 62,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 43%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ball joints: mentioned in 92 of 142 complaints (65%)
- Upper lower: mentioned in 40 of 142 complaints (28%)
- Front end: mentioned in 30 of 142 complaints (21%)
- Tire wear: mentioned in 8 of 142 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 1997 Dodge Dakota at $1,550, and half of them between $1,050 and $1,800.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2006), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 87 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 142 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Dodge Dakota suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Dakota | 1 | 2% | 60,500 |
| 2010 Dakota | 2 | 6% | 44,200 |
| 2008 Dakota | 5 | 5% | 67,171 |
| 2007 Dakota | 13 | 9% | 47,000 |
| 2006 Dakota | 25 | 9% | 47,000 |
| 2005 Dakota | 51 | 11% | 45,000 |
| 2004 Dakota | 45 | 22% | 32,047 |
| 2003 Dakota | 100 | 34% | 34,900 |
| 2002 Dakota | 226 | 33% | 35,000 |
| 2001 Dakota | 236 | 35% | 46,129 |
| 2000 Dakota | 282 | 35% | 50,000 |
| 1999 Dakota | 342 | 53% | 55,500 |
| 1998 Dakota | 217 | 40% | 62,000 |
| 1997 Dakota | 142 | 32% | 62,000 |
| 1996 Dakota | 12 | 6% | 45,000 |
| 1995 Dakota | 17 | 8% | 21,794 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists suspension for the 1997 Dodge Dakota. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Premature wear and failure of upper and lower ball joints. Truck was making popping noises when you turned the wheel or went over bumps. Took to local mechanic; mechanic stated that the ball joints were scary bad. Mechanic also stated that if i had not brought the vehicle in the front wheels could…
Due to poor choice of materials (i assume) the front hub and spindle assembly wears. Leaving front brake slider pins unattached to caliper mounting plate. When this happens, the front caliper wobbles in it's place, possibly ejecting the slidepins because they "wobble" in the knuckle holes designed…
The ball joints on my 97 dodge dakota are worn out. Apparently this is a very common problem and supposedly there is a recall in effect for newer dakotas as though the problem didn't start until after 1997. This is a faulty part from the manufacturing process and its repair (amongst the many other…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge Dakotas have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 142 owner complaints about suspension for the 1997 Dodge Dakota (32% of the 446 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Dodge Dakota suspension?
No recall currently lists suspension for this vehicle.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 62,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 1997 Dodge Dakota?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,050 and $1,800), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1997 Dodge Dakota?
The most frequent phrase is “ball joints”, in 92 of 142 complaints, followed by “upper lower” (40).
Other 1997 Dodge Dakota problems
See all 1997 Dodge Dakota problems or suspension problems across all Dakota years.