Seven problems related to steering have been reported for the 1998 Dodge Dakota. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
I found a list of recalls on pep boys website.
This car has been a safety nightmare. From steel brake lines rusting through (and the vehicle losing it brakes), to upper ball joints almost separating to steering wheel drive shafts where the u-joints almost separated. These are not items that should fail like this. I spent part of my career looking after global product liability for cummins engine and I am stunned at the poor quality Chrysler has used in critical components.
Lower steering shaft u joints are unprotected and rusted out causing sticky steering and difficulty controlling the vehicle in a turn.
Sterring shaft on our Dodge Dakota went bad. . . . . Going to fix it but how many are on the road with the same problem and the fix costs a small fortune.
Steering won't turn at all when cold, until it warms fully it's hard to turn. I've noticed this on 2 other 98 Dodge Dakotas I looked at.
Heard crackling and poping from the left front wheel, and truck starting to pull to the left. Found NY-lock spindle nut (torqued to 185#, factory spec's) almost off. Right hand threaded spindle with inner race of bearing rotating in a counter-clockwise direction against the nut. Bearing trashed, having to buy whole hub assembly @ $163. Checked right wheel assembly while front end raised and was able to turn nut with a pair of 10" channel locks. Had to redo both sides at 52+k origional miles, no one has tampered with vehicle. Where's the old repairable system with the cotter key?.
After reading about steering problems in Dodge vehicles, I have hope you can help me. I purchased my '98 Dodge Dakota from 5 corners Dodge at 1292 highway 143, cedarburg, wisconsin 53012. Dec '97 I took my truck in for "customer states that when making left hand turns there is s jarring that comes through the steering wheel" - replace intermediate shaft - n/c. July '99 - "check noise at low speeds from drive train" - front propeller shaft ball socket insufficient lube noisy 16300100 driveline/propeller shafts, remove inspect wheels, brakes, universola, repair/lube front shaft ball socket joint and reinstall -n/c. July 2003 - "grinding noise from drivers side front end area" - 2200 replace left front wheel bearing/hub assy, 219 replace upper and lower ball joints-both sides, 2wt 2 wheel truck alignment, 52165 test drive and insp replace failed lf bearing assy replace both upper ball joints replace both lower ball joints 2wheel truck align - $1095. 12!!!! I brought attention to the problem from the beginning and by the time it was finally fixed, it was no longer under warranty. Can you help me, in any way? thank you, don gruell.