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

NHTSA component category: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT · data through 07/12/2026

75Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint complaints

16.8%Of all 446 complaints

#2Most-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:lower 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.

What owners report

“AT 27,000 MILES THE LOWER JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.”NHTSA complaint 826945 — filed 08/19/1998

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

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

Frequently asked questions

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

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Dodge Dakota: 75 of 446 complaints on file (16.8%). 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 07/12/2026. 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:lower ball joint category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER 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 07/12/2026.