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1997 Dodge Dakota Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint Problems

NHTSA component category: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT · data through 07/14/2026

82Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint complaints
18.4%Of all 446 complaints
#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint ranks on this vehicle

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT82 · 18.4%
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT75 · 16.8%
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL23 · 5.2%
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION21 · 4.7%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP20 · 4.5%

Share of the 446 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Dodge Dakota overview page.

Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint complaints by year filed

1200114200342200416200532006320072200812012

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Dodge Dakota have suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint problems?

Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint is the most-reported problem area on the 1997 Dodge Dakota: 82 of 446 complaints on file (18.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Dodge Dakota have in total?

446 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 42 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 30 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.