Dodge Dakota Complaints (2002)
678 consumer complaints on file.
- #10107631January 20, 2005SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DIPS WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE LIFTING. AS A RESULT, THE REAR WHEELS LOCK UP VERY EASILY, CAUSING THE ABS SYSTEM TO KICK IN. WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM KICKS IN, THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY OTHER TYPES OF TRUCKS AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED A TRUCK WITH SUCH POOR BRAKING. THE TRUCK SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO LIMIT THE REAR FROM LIFTING WHILE BRAKING. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10107506January 18, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
NHTSA RECALL 04V596000 ON THE BALL JOINT WEAR. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE NEXT AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT IS ON MAY 26, 2005. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10106498January 17, 2005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE LIGHTS ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA STARTED FLASHING AND A FEW DAYS LATER MY LIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS AND POWER DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE HAD 3 DIFFERENT AUTO MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. MY TRUCK HAS 40,900 MILES ON IT AND NO WRECKS OF ANY KIND. I READ ABOUT A RECALL WITH THIS PROBLEM ON DAKOTA'S AND THE FACTORY STATES THAT THEY ARE RECALLING DAKOTAS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ONLY FOR THIS PROBLEM. MY TRUCK IS AN AUTOMATIC. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10107443January 14, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, POWER TRAIN
THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE SCOPE OF THE BALL JOINT RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. THE BALL JOINTS ON THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FAILED YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CONSUMERS 100K MILES LIMITED WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED. *BF *NM *SC THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND GETS STUCK IN LOW GEAR WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. *TC
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10111077January 12, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
RECALL CAMPAIGN#04V596000: THE VEHICLE'S BALL JOINTS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION. *NM THE BALL JOINTS HAD WORN OUT. THE CONSUMER REQESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10107011January 7, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
RECALL 04V596000 CONCERNING BALL JOINT WEAR. CONSUMER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE RECALL ON BALL JOINT WEAR. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THERE IS NO DATE OF EXPECTATION EITHER. *AK......*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10106963January 6, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT UPPER BALL JOINTS PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER INSPECTED IT, GAVE IT A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AND THEN SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. CURRENTLY, MANUFACTURER IS RECALLING THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS A TWO WHEEL DRIVE. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10106880January 5, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V596000; DAIMLER CHRYSLER ISSUED AN UPPER BALL JOINT RECALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THERE WERE NO APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE UNTIL LATE MARCH 2005. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10105765January 4, 2005SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
REGARDING THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER RECALL OF MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK. ONE OF THE REASONS THEY MAY BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS HAS TO DO WITH THE LOUSY METAL USED ON THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK FOR 3 YEARS AND UNDER NORMAL BRAKING THERE IS SHUTTERING, AND MUCH WORSE DURING HEAVY BRAKING. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AND HAS ONLY WORSENED. THE LOCAL DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND SAID THE PADS ARE FINE BUT THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10105664January 3, 2005SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
VEHICLE IS 2002 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT PLUS QUAD CAB 4X4, WITH 58,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BRAKE REPAIR SHOP FOR ROTOR / DRUM RESURFACING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE HAVE WORN OUT, ARE LOOSE, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $850. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS YET, BUT WILL HAVE TO SOON. I FEEL THE BALL JOINTS SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN 58,000 MILES.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10104836December 31, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FRONT DISC BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. OCCURRED AGAIN ON DEC 10, WITH FRONT ROTORS TURNING BRIGHT RED AND SMOKING. DEALER FOUND ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT RELEASING HYDRAULIC FLUID, REPLACED ABS COMPONENT, FRONT ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. OCCURRED AGAIN ON DEC 30 WHILE DRIVING, WILL RETURN TO DEALER FOR RESOLUTION.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10108801December 30, 2004SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
RECALL CAMPAIGN: 2002 DODGE DAKOTA HAVE UPPER BALL JOINTS PROBLEMS. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN: THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE DEALING WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD BUT NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ON WHY ONLY TO REPLACE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS IF THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE STILL BAD AND WHAT RECOURSE HE HAS OTHER THAN CONTACTING CHRYSLER. *TC
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10104632December 28, 2004SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, STEERING
UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AFTER 2,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION. THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, STATING IT WAS A WEAR ITEM. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AND FIXED BEFORE OFFERING THE VEHICLE FOR SALE, BUT THEY CLAIM OTHERWISE. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE BOTH SETS OF BALL JOINTS ON MY OWN. SINCE THEN, DC HAS RECALLED THE UPPER JOINTS. THE UPPER JOINTS CREATED A SITUATION CAUSING THE LOWER JOINTS TO FAIL ALSO AND SHOULD BE COVERED IN THEIR RECALL. THEY ALSO DO NOT SPECIFY COVERING THE ALIGNMENT NEEDED AFTER JOINTS ARE REPLACED. THE RECALL SHOULD BE REISSUED COVERING UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ALONG WITH ALIGNMENT TO REMEDY THE SITUATION IN THIS RECALL FAILURE. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10105371December 27, 2004SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V596000 CONCERNING BALL JOINT WEAR. DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PURCHASED AT THAT PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10078353December 21, 2004POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES
THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT IT IS HARD TO REALLY POINT ONE OUT THAT I AM MOST CONCERNED WITH. FIRST OF ALL IT STARTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THEN IT LEAD INTO WHAT THE MANUFACTURER SAYS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THEN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. NOW WE ARE AT A STANDSTILL SINCE THEY SAY THAT IT IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THEY ALSO SAY THAT IT IS EXPECTED TO SEE THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR FROM THE MOTOR. I AM CONFUSED SINCE THEY SAY THAT THE COMPUTER ADJUSTS AND THEN IT WON'T ALLOW THE CAR TO RUN AT OPTIMAL EFFECTIVENESS. DOES THIS MEAN THAT IT IS DESIGNED TO RUN AT LESS THAN OPTIMAL EFFECTIVENESS? I HAVE HAD A SMELL COME OUT OF THE AIR AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY FLOODED. THE FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES THREATENING SOUNDS AND THE BACK WOBBLES LIKE A SERPENT. THE BRAKES JITTER AND I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR RENTALS AT TIMES WHEN THE MANUFACTURER APPROVED THE REIMBURSEMENT. THE STATEMENT FOR DENIAL OF REIMBURSEMENT WAS "THE AFTER MARKET ALARM CAUSED IT". THEY WERE THE SPONSORS AND INITIATORS OF THIS COMPANY SINCE I BOUGHT IT AT THE DEALERSHIP INCLUDED IN MY PRICE. *AK *TC
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10102993December 15, 2004SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
FRONT END OF TRUCK WOULD MAKE NOISE WHEN HITTING BUMPS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. OTH BALL JOINTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE DEFECTIVE. THE UPPER HAD NEARLY 1/4" OF UP AND DOWN TRAVEL AND THE BOTTOM WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. IT IS AMAZING THAT THE WHEEL DIDN'T FALL OFF COMPLETELY. REPLACED BOTH PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINTS. HAD TO PURCHASE THEM FROM AN AFTERMARKET VENDOR DO TO CHRYSLER HAVING THEM ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. THE ONLY PART THAT THEY HAD AVAILABLE WAS A COMPLETE A ARM ASSEMBLY AT A PRICE OF $250 EACH VERSUS THE $50 FOR THE BALL JOINT ITSELF. I FIND IT SOMEWHAT STRANGE THAT 2WD VERSIONS OF THE DAKOTA AND DURANGO ARE NOT BEING COVERED UNDER THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCE RECALL. HAVING MANAGED AUTO PARTS STORES FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ARE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND SALES ARE JUST AS HIGH ON THE 2WD PARTS AS THE 4WD.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10102919December 14, 2004SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
I HAVE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA 2WD TRUCK. I HAVE JUST BEEN REJECTED A VIRGINIA INSPECTION BECAUSE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS IN MY TRUCK ARE ABOUT TO COME OUT. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 2WDS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IF THE DAKOTAS ARE MADE WITH THE SAME PARTS FOR THE SAME PLACE. ISN'T IT LIKELY THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE FAULTY. NOW I HAVE A TRUCK THAT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AND A $400.00 PROBLEM TO FIX ON A TRUCK THAT ONLY HAS 40K MILES.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10103571December 13, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ANTI- BRAKES FROM A LOW SPEED BRAKES LOCKED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10102863December 13, 2004SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AT 20,000 MILES. PADS OK. TERIBLE PULSING WHEN STOPPING. LOCAL DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE A FEE JUST TO LOOK AT IT. I BELIEVE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS. BRAKES HORRIBLE IN WET CONDITION.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10102780December 12, 2004SUSPENSION:FRONT
I HAVE HEARD NEWS THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL OF DODGE DAKOTA TRUCKS FOR REASON OF UNSAFE BALL JOINTS. I OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUADCAB 4.7L TWO WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK. SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK, I HAVE HEARD A LOUD CLUNK NOISE WHEN I TURN A CORNER OR GO UP A BUMP OR DRIVEWAY. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL NOISE ON CARS OR TRUCKS. FOR A TRUCK THAT CAN HAUL HEAVY WEIGHT, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I AM ALWAYS AWARE OF THE NOISE AND KNOW THIS IS UNSAFE. ANYTIME YOU HAVE METAL MAKING RUBBING IN SUCH A MANNER, THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THESE VEHICLES ARE SAFE WITH PARTS THAT ARE NOT SOUND AND DURABLE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLES. I ASK THAT THE TWO WHEEL DAKOTA TRUCKS ALSO BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL FOR MORE DURABLE AND SAFE BALL JOINTS AND SUSPENSION PARTS. I DO A LOT OF HIGHWAY TRAVEL AND WHEN YOU PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEEL YOUR WHEEL MAY FALL OFF AT ANY TIME. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0