2003 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

BRAKE VIBRATION AT 40,000 MILES BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED THROUGH TO FRICTION SURFACE CAUSING LARGE PITS AND RAISED AREAS. ROTORS REPLACED. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND BEGAN TO ROLL WHILE IT WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 34,700.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, THE STICK SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FIRST GEAR AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A FLAT SURFACE AND THE WEATHER WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LOOKED AT BY A DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,750. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA 4X2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE CORRODED. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. A MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,198.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VACUUM TUBE HOSE HAS BECOME LOOSE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. DODGE STATED THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THE DEFECT. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE FAILURE IS DUE TO THE EMISSION. THE DEALER MOUNTED THE HOSE THAT CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE, WHICH IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE VEHICLE IDLES AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. DODGE AGREED THAT IF THERE WERE A RECALL, THEY WOULD REIMBURSE THE CONTACT FOR ANY COST RELATED TO THIS DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 61,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

I HAVE UPPER BALL JOINTS GOING OUT ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA..AND THE DODGE DEALER IN FARGO ND SAYS MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT RECALLED. BUT ON YOUR SITE THERE IS A RECALL FOR THEM? I WANT CLARIFICATION, OF WHY MINE HAS NOT NOT RECALLED TOO? PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH MY INTERNET ADDRESSES. THANK YOU. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE MATERIAL ON THE SEATBELT HAS RIPPED IN THE CENTER. THE SEATBELT WAS NOT IN USE AT THE TIME IT RIPPED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE SEATBELT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 67000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE HEADLIGHTS AND AUTOMATIC LOCKS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WERE INOPERABLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. TWO MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC THEN STATED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MODULE WAS REPAIRED ON THE VEHICLE. SINCE THE REPAIR NO OTHER FAILURES OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER REGARDING RECALL #02V322000. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 60,000.*AK UPDATE 05/10/07*TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I OWN A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB SLT. AND I HAVE RUN INTO A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK THAT PEOPLE I KNOW SAY THEY HAD VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME MAKE OF VEHICLE. TO START WITH MY TRUCK ONLY HAS ABOUT 62,184 MILES ON IT, FOR A 2003 MODEL TRUCK, THAT IS CONSIDERED LOW MILEAGE. THE PROBLEMS I HAVE RUN INTO IS AS FOLLOWS: BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING SETS HAVE PREMATURELY FAILED, IN PARTICULAR, THE RIGHT FRONT HUB TRIED TO LOCK UP ON ME AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK, I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THAT HUB BUT STILL NEED TO REPLACE THE LEFT FRONT BEFORE IT LOCKS UP:SECOND IS THAT THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS NO PROVISIONS FOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, I.E. NO GREASE ZIRCS FOR THE BALL JOINTS, TIE RODS,UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, WHEEL BEARINGS, ETC...CAUSING RAPID WEAR AND FAILURE:THIRD BIG ISSUE, I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS DUE TO WARPAGE. THE BRAKE CALIPERS WERE BUILT WITH SOME TYPE OF COMPOSITE PLASTIC PISTONS THAT DISTORT DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD UP IN THE BRAKES. WHICH IN TURN CAUSES UNEVEN PAD CONTACT, THAT THEN CAUSES EXCESSIVE HEAT, ACCELERATED PAD WEAR, BRAKE FADE, ROTOR WARPAGE, AND AN AWFUL "SQUEAL" WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY BRAND NEW BRAKE PADS ARE ACTUALLY CRACKED NOW BECAUSE OF A COMBINATION OF THE CALIPERS AND THE HUBS GOING BAD: FOURTH ISSUE IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OVER "REV" IN THE HIGHWAY PASSING GEAR ESPECIALLY WITH THE OVER DRIVE AND CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND YOU GIVE IT A LITTLE MORE GAS TO GET AROUND SOMEBODY, THE ENGINE RPM'S SHOULDN'T GO UP TO SOMETIMES AROUND 7000, THAT IN TURN COULD CAUSE PREMATURE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DAIMLER-CHRYSLER ABOUT THESE CONCERNS BUT THEY JUST KEEP GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND AND NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. I STILL HAVE THE OLD PARTS ALSO.

2003 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 4.7 AUTOMATIC: STEERING/HANDLING LOOSENESS, INSTABILITY, SKITTISHNESS ON ROADWAYS WORSE AT HIGHER SPEEDS, VERY PRONOUNCED OVER BUMPS. INCONSISTENCIES IN ROADWAYS. VEHICLE "WALKS" SIDEWAYS WHEN GOING ACROSS ROAD DISCONTINUITIES. DEALER SERVICE RETURN FOR DIAGNOSIS: MAJOR SAFETY COMPONENT INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT DEFECTIVE/WORN. *NM