Dodge Dakota Complaints (1998)

545 consumer complaints on file.

#10096378October 25, 2004
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT THE STEERLING LOCKED UP AND WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO OFF OF THE ROAD AND INTO A FIELD BEFORE STOPPING. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE IF THERE HAD BEEN OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED.*AK MECHANIC HAS RECOMENDED THAT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS BE REPLACED. (4) BALL JOINTS (2) CONTROL ARMS (2) TIE ROD ENDS HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT PREMATURE FAILURES OF THE COMPONENTS ON 97 - 04 DODGE DAKOTA AND DURANGO MODELS. MINE IS A 98 DAKOTA W/ 63665 MILES. CHRYSLER HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, STATING THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN YOUR STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. AFTER CONSIDERABLE EFFORT I WAS ABLE TO BREAK THE "LOCKED" CONDITION AND FREE UP THE STEERING. AFTER THIS, THE STEERING WAS STILL STICKING, BUT GOT BETTER AS TIME WENT ON. IT SEEMS TO STICK THE MOST WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 40 DEG. F. I HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIRS DONE YET.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10097113October 19, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, A SQUEAKING/POPPING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT BOTH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096039October 19, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
I WENT IN TO GET MY TRUCK ALIGNED BECAUSE THE OUTER END OF MY TIRES ARE WOREN. HOWEVER, I WAS INFORMED THAT ALL FOUR OF MY BALL JIONTS WERE WORN OUT AND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH DAKOTAS. I AM LOOKING INTO FIXING THEM BUT IF THEY ARE DEFECTIVE AND WILL BE RECALLED I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURE TO PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10097196October 19, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096945October 15, 2004
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
OWNER SAYS THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE AFTER ONLY 53,000MI. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS BROKEN PIECES OF DISC. OWNER FEELS THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS TO PREMATURE BASED ON THE MILAGE OF THE VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090363September 28, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
THE RUBBER BOOT ON ALL 4 BALL JOINTS SHREDDED AND ALL OF THE GREASE WAS LOST AND WASHED OUT. *AK *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10080149September 14, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE BALL JOINTS ALONG WITH THE TIE ROD ENDS WERE LOOSE. *AK *TC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090841September 11, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
FRONT END NOISE. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND FREQUENT FRONT END ALLIGNMENTS. 2 LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILURE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10091848September 10, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10091609September 8, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD AFTER SHIFTING OUT OF PARK OR NEUTRAL. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079569August 31, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088571August 25, 2004
STRUCTURE
VEHICLE LEAKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. AFTER SEARCHING FOR THE LEAK SPOTTED THE SOURCE UNDER THE FRONT DASH.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088389August 23, 2004
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RELATED FAILURE, BUT A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT HAS GONE UNFIXED BY CHRYSLER CORPORATION, ACCORDING TO REPAIR SHOPS IN MY AREA. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 65,000 MILES. I'M THE 2ND OWNER. VIN# [XXX]. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE A/C EVAPORATOR. ACCORDING TO REPAIR SHOPS IN LOUISVILLE, KY. CHRYSLER HAS HAD A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THEIR EVAPORATORS FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, SINCE CHANGING OVER TO THE 134 FREON. THE DEFECTIVE EVAPORATORS USUALLY WILL LAST TILL THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEN FAIL. ALL OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED AND TEND TO NOT FAIL, ACCORDING TO THE SHOPS. THIS IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR, DUE TO DODGE PLACING THE EVAPORATOR UNDER THE DASH, WHICH HAS TO BE REMOVED TO REPAIR. I FEEL, BASED ON WHAT THE REPAIR SHOPS ARE TELLING ME, THAT DODGE SHOULD STAND BEHIND AT LEAST A PORTION OR THE COST TO REPLACE THESE EVAPORATORS. THE AVERAGE COST FOR A DODGE TRUCK IS $800.00. BELOW ARE 2 SHOPS WHICH I'VE SPOKEN: ROPPEL'S RADIATOR/AC 632 BAXTER AVE. LOUISVILLE, KY. 502-587-8648. *AK SE-CLIFFS TRUCK AC 4436 POPULAR LEVEL ROAD LOUISVILLE, KY. 502-458-5319 THANKS, FOR ANY HELP YOU MAY BE OF UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088304August 21, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
AT 50K MILES THE FRONT END WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE AND STEERING CONTROL WAS BECOMING QUITE DANGEROUS. NO OFF ROAD ACTIVITIES. BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED. AFTER 1300$ TO FIX THE FRONT END FOUND THAT THE STEERING WORM GEAR IS ALSO WORN OUT. STEERING IS STILL DANGEROUS. THE STEERING SHOULD PRETTY MUCH NEVER FAIL AND UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE BALL JOINTS SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100K MILES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088261August 20, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
PURCHASE OF USED 98 DAKOTA ON 8/14-04, NOISE IN FRONT END, RETURNED TO USED CAR DEALER, BAD BALL JOINTS, REPLACED BAD PARTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10083659August 20, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, THE MAIN BRAKE LINE RUNNING FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR BROKE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONSUMER CROSSED A RED LIGHT, BUT REACHED THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *AK *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088076August 17, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
BALL JOINTS, FRONT UPPER, AND LOWER WORE OUT, AND WERE VERY LOOSE. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10086966August 16, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALER REPRESENTATIVE, I WAS TOLD TO RETAIN MY BILL SINCE ALTHOUGH THERE HAD NOT YET BEEN A RECALL, THERE MAY BE ONE IN THE FUTURE. FROM THIS CONVERSATION, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AS HAS BEEN INDICATED ON SEVERAL NEWS REPORTS AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10087804August 12, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINTS. THE BALL JOINTS CAUSED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR FROM THE INNER SIDEWALLS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10087183August 4, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF CONSUMER STILL COULD HEAR THE CLANKING NOISE. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN RERPAIRED TWICE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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