Dodge Dakota Complaints (2001)

678 consumer complaints on file.

#10177045December 27, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:BANJO HOUSING
THE REARS IN DODGE TRUCKS FAIL WITH MILEAGE BETWEEN 65000 TO 10000 AND THEY TELL EVERYONE THAT IT IS FROM NORMAL WEAR. MINE FAILED AT 83000 RESULTING IN THE REAR HAVING TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF 2200 DOLLARS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176858December 23, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY ONLY THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE 2000-2004 DAKOTAS IS COVERED IN THE RECALL AS THE LOWER BALL JOINT ARE THE SAME DESIGN WHERE THERE IS NO WAY TO GREASE UP THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND IT WOULD LEAD TO THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE UPPER BALL JOINTS? *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175632December 8, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
MOVEMENT OF TILT STEERING WHEEL IN LOWER HALF OF RANGE WILL CAUSE SHORT-CIRCUIT OF TURN SIGNAL OPERATION. LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WILL BE INOPERATIVE. RADIO CIRCUIT ALSO AFFECTED. MOVEMENT BACK INTO UPPER HALF OF RANGE WILL CORRECT PROBLEM. AS OF DATE NO REPAIR HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172527November 3, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED, THE DEALER NOTICED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE SWITCH AND CLEANED IT WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. UPDATED 11/30/2006 - THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE DEALER DETERMINED THERE WAS A VACUUM LEAK. THE WHEEL CYLINDER LOCKED UP. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171063October 17, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
1. NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. FRONT END SUSPENSION STARTED MAKING CLUNKING/POPPING NOISES AND STEERING BECAME ERRATIC. TRUCK HAS 85,000 MILES. 2. COULD NOT SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WAS TOO RISKY. I ALSO NOTICED WHILE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS PULLING THE VEHICLE ONTO THE TRUCK THAT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS LEANING OVER AT ABOUT 30 DEGREE ANGLE. 3. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS HAS BASICALLY RUSTED AND DETERIORATED. LOWER JOINTS WERE ALSO ON THEIR WAY TO FAILURE. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE MODELS WERE RECALLED. WHY WEREN'T THE 2 WHEEL DRIVES. THIS PROBLEM MIRRORS THE ISSUE THAT THEY HAD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10170231October 8, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT ROTORS BECOME HOT AND WARPED. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND ROTORS WERE ROTATED AND PUT BACK ON. RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK AND IT STILL FELT LIKE ROTORS WERE STILL WARPED... A LOT OF SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169148September 24, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LOSS OF ENGINE COMPRESSION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE #3 CYLINDER MISFIRING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON AND NOT ABLE TO RESET. VEHICLE WAS AT THE MECHANICS SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS. AFTER RECEIVING VEHICLE BACK, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. WHEN THE PROBLEM OF THE #3 CYLINDER MISFIRE WAS DETECTED, IT WAS CAUSED BY 2 VALVES BEING BENT, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC WAS DUE TO A CARBON BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. VEHICLE IS AND ALWAYS WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND NEVER HAD ANY SORT OF MECHANICAL PROBLEM. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND PURCHASED NEW IN 2001, ONLY HAD 63,000 MILES ON IT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP PARTS DEPARTMENT, THE 4.7L ENGINE IS KNOWN FOR A CARBON BUILD UP AROUND 50,000 MILES OR SO AND THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON ONE. WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT WAS ONE OF THE KINKS THAT DODGE NEVER COULD CORRECT. GEE THANKS! I CORRECTED THE PROBLEM MYSELF, HOWEVER, I TRADED IT IN ON A 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA. IT'S NO WONDER WHY THE AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY IS IN SUCH POOR SHAPE! *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168334September 15, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUADCAB BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AGO, FROM THIS DATE, 09/15/06. BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER CHARGING ME $500.00 + FOR A TUNE-UP, CLEANING THE INJECTORS, AND REPLACING AN OXYGEN SENSOR, THE DEALERSHIP STILL COULD NOT MAKE THE TRUCK RUN SMOOTHLY. THEY ENDED UP TELLING ME THAT IF I LEFT IT WITH THEM FOR A WEEK OR SO THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS PROBABLY GOING TO ENTAIL THEM REMOVING THE HEADS AND WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF $1,000.00. I WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT MY FRONT END NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED. I JUST PUT THE TIRES ON LAST SUMMER, HAD ALL THESE PROBLEMS CHECKED BY ANOTHER MECHANIC. FRONT END DID NOT NEED ALIGNING BUT THEY DID DETERMINE THE PROBLEM WITH RUNNING ROUGH. SEEMS THAT DUE TO A CARBON BUILD-UP INSIDE THE CYLINDER, SOME CARBON ACTUALLY GOT INTO THE #3 CYLINDER AND CAUSED THE VALVE TO BEND SLIGHTLY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE NEVER RAN IT HOT, WITHOUT OIL AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE I MAINTAIN MY MAINTENANCE ON IT. LAST YEAR, MY FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT $900.00 WHICH IN TURN RUINED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TOLD ME THAT THE BOOTS IN THE CALIPERS WERE DRY ROTTED. I LIKE THE TRUCK BUT IT SEEMS AS IF SINCE I PAID IT OFF 3 YRS. AGO, I HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH IT EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE, UNLESS THEY WERE A MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT A LOT OF IT IS DUE TO POOR WORKMANSHIP. WHAT A SHAME, IT IS NO WONDER WHY THE U.S. AUTO INDUSTRY IS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167548September 7, 2006
TIRES:SIDEWALL
THE SIDEWALLS ON THE FRONT TIRES SPLIT ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE . I FOUND THE DEFECT MYSELF. REPLACED THE TIRES. I STILL HAVE THE OLD ONES. THE TRUCK HAD ONLY A LITTLE OVER 12K MILES ON IT. THE DEALER BLEW ME OFF. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167499September 6, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, A WHISTLING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE HOOD. UPON CHECKING, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE HOSE CONNECTED TO THE INTAKE PLENUM WAS BROKE AND HAD SPLIT AT THE END ALONG THE MOLD MARK AND WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. THERE WAS ENOUGH SLACK TO CUT BACK TO A GOOD SECTION OF THE HOSE AND IT WAS REATTACHED. A WEEK LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT HOSE WAS ALSO SPLIT AT THE END. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP CUT THE HOSE BACK TO A GOOD SECTION AND REATTACHED THE HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED BUT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - AS OF 9/15/06 THE HOSE THAT ATTACHES TO THE INTAKE PLENUM HAS STARTED TO CRACK AGAIN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165845August 14, 2006
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
2001 DODGE DAKOTA DRIVER SEAT STEEL BRACKET BROKE. *KB THE POWER SEAT ADJUSTER CRACKED IN HALF. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE DAMAGED OCCURRED WHEN THE RIVET WAS FASTENED TO THE BRACKET. THE LEFT FRONT POWER WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10164492August 4, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP FOR REPAIR ON THE UPPER FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINTS. A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED PERTAINING TO THE BALL JOINTS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE UPPER FRONT LEFT BALL JOINTS UNDER THE RECALL AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO SEND THE MANUFACTURER COPIES OF THE PRIOR REPAIR WORK PERFORMED ON THE BALL JOINTS. AFTER SENDING THE MANUFACTURER A LETTER WITH INVOICE, A LETTER WAS RECEIVED FROM THE MANUFACTURER DENYING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COSTS OF THE PREVIOUS REPAIRS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10164239August 2, 2006
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
RIGHT TIE ROD END FELL OUT. THE BALL JOINT FELL APART. I HAD JUST DRIVEN FROM WASHINGTON STATE TO NEW YORK. HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED JUST BEFORE LEAVING. IT HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED TURNING A CORNER. NO CRASH NO INJURY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10161176June 30, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
2001 DODGE DAKOTA EXTENDED CAB 4X4. RATTLING IN FRONT END WHEN GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS SUCH AS MAN HOLES AND WASHBOARD. SOUNDS SIMILAR TO A LOOSE HUB CAP. WAS TOLD THE LOWER FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND DAIMLER/CHRYSLER HAS A BULLETIN PUBLISHED INTERNALLY ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND MAY CAUSE THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT TO ME THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160702June 25, 2006
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY FRONT END DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I TOOK MY TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC TO CHECK IT OUT. HE GOT IN IT TO TAKE IT FOR A RIDE. WHEN HE TURNED THE WHEEL, THERE WAS A CLUNK. WE GOT OUT AND LOOKED, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS STRAIGHT. HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE TIE ROD. IT TURNS OUT, THE THREADS HOLDING THE TIE ROD TOGETHER, STRIPPED AND IT CAME APART. HE SAID I WAS LUCKY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY THAT THE WHEEL PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAME OFF AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. I STILL HAVE THE TIE ROD. I CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ASKED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WON'T REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T BRING IT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER. I WAS AT MY MECHANICS, WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO? I THINK THEY JUST WANT TO COVER IT UP. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE STRIPPED TIE ROD ON THE DRIVER SIDE, AND REPLACED THE RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END BECAUSE IT HAD PLAY IN IT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10159850June 14, 2006
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, THE TIE RODS SEPARATED. THE STEERING WAS ERRATIC AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE FRONT END WANDERED ALL OVER THE ROAD. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TIE ROD HAD SEPARATED AND THE THREADS WERE STRIPPED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE LEFT INNER TIE ROD, LEFT TIE ROD END OUTER AND RIGHT TIE ROD END OUTER. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN INFORMED. UPDATED 06/27/06. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157482May 13, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PROBLEM STARTED WITH HORN INTERMITTENTLY BEEPING WHILE DRIVING, THEN OVER A FEW WEEKS PROGRESSED TO HORN BEEPING ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY, DRIVING LIGHTS FLASHING, AND DOOR LOCKS ACTUATING. PROBLEM WAS THE BODY CONTROL MODULE OR SOMETIMES CALLED THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE. IT WAS REPLACED AND ALL ISSUES HAVE CEASED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157499May 13, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
FOR THE 2ND TIME THE FAN MOTOR FOR THE A/C,HEATER HAS STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE DEALER HAD THE TRUCK FOR OVER A WEEK THE FIRST AND IT REALLY NEVER SEEM TO WORK RIGHT. THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154253March 31, 2006
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR, AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
2001 DODGE DAKOTA PICK UP, LOSS OF STEERING, RESULTING IN A OFF THE ROAD CRASH AND ROLLOVER WITH INJURIES. (ONE MOMENT LATER COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DEATHS.) *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10153505March 23, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
AT 32,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY 'TURNING' ROTORS (RESURFACING). AT 58,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY 'TURNING' ROTORS. AT 70,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY REPLACING ROTORS. AT 90,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY 'TURNING' ROTORS. AT 100,200 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. DEALER SUGGESTS REPLACING ROTORS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. THE SAME THING OCCURRED ON MY 1997 DAKOTA. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEN THAT THE ROTORS WARP WHEN THEY ARE HOT(FROM USE) AND THEN GET WET. (SO I GUESS I SHOULDN'T USE THE BRAKES IN WET/RAINY CONDITIONS) THE WARPED ROTORS ARE CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW, EITHER THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT 'SIZED' PROPERLY (IE INSUFFICIENT STOPPING POWER CAUSING EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD-UP) OR THE ROTORS ARE INFERIOR(METAL GRADE). I BELIEVE MOST OWNERS DO NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DODGE DEALERS CONVINCE THEM THAT THIS IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE TRUCK IS GREAT OTHERWISE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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