2002 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

162Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint complaints

23.9%Of all 678 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 JOINT162 · 23.9%

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT69 · 10.2%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR68 · 10%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC58 · 8.6%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION40 · 5.9%

Share of the 678 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Dodge Dakota overview page.

What owners report

“DEALER REPLACED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS. CONSUMER STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS THE VERSION OF DURANGO, THEREFORE , THEY USED THE…”NHTSA complaint 10030165 — filed 07/25/2003

“I HAVE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 PICK UP TRUCK WHICH NEEDS TO HAVE ITSUPPER LEFT BALL JOINT REPLACED AFTER 10 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. I…”NHTSA complaint 10028869 — filed 07/22/2003

“THE INVESTIGATION ON THE 1998-2003 DODGE DURANGO BALL JOINTS NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO THE ENTIRE LINE OF DAKOTA TRUCKS. THESE VEHICLES, FROM THE "B"…”NHTSA complaint 10028867 — filed 07/22/2003

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

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

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 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 2002 Dodge Dakota: 162 of 678 complaints on file (23.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Dodge Dakota have in total?

678 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 55 involved a crash, 18 involved a fire, 32 reported injuries, and 2 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.