NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA03-023: UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA03-023 on November 19, 2003 and closed it on February 11, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Dodge Dakota and Durango for it and links recall 04V-596 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA03-023 (also written EA03023)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed February 11, 2005
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Suspension; Suspension — Front; Suspension — Front — Control Arm; Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Upper Arm; Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Upper Ball Joint
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 04V-596: DAIMLERCHRYSLER/BALL JOINT WEAR, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Dodge Dakota and Durango
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA03-023.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (DCC) IS RECALLING THE TARGET POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 600,000 MY 2000 THROUGH 2003 DURANGO AND DAKOTA VEHICLES WITH FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE TO REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINTS WITH REDESIGNED PARTS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE JOINT INTEGRITY CONCERNS AND HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED JOINT RETENTION CAPACITY (NHTSA RECALL NO. 04V-596).
THOUGH DCC DOES NOT ADMIT TO A SAFETY-DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT COMPONENTS, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE FACTS IN THIS INVESTIGATION SHOW OTHERWISE.BECAUSE OF THE LOW RATES OF SEPARATION INCIDENTS IN THE REMAINING SUBJECT VEHICLES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THOSE POPULATIONS AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS IN THOSE VEHICLES.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA03-023. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Dodge VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA03-023
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.