2003 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

2003 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 PICKUP 1D7H32N03S124289 LOUD CLUNKING NOISES, FRONT END, STEERING LOOSESNESS,SKITTISHNESS, SEVERE VIBRATION AND POOR HANDLING FELT IN FRONT END SECTION OF VEHICLE. (PURCHASED FROM MITCHELL SIMSBURY,CT )BROUGHT TO LOCAL DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED & REPLACED (2)BAD /DEFECTIVE UPPER BALL JOINTS 17011019 BUT CHARGED FOR PARTS/SERVICE. APPROX MILEAGE:48,318 VERY PREMATURE FOR GOOD PRODUCT DESIGN & RELIABILITY. DANGEROUS SAFETY RELATED DEFECTS. *NM

POPPING NOISE IN FRONT END ENTERING DRIVEWAY OR OVER SPEED BUMPS HAD DEALER INSPECT AND PERFORM TSB. ON UPPER BALL JOINTS PER LETTER FROM CHRYSLER CORP. THEY DID REPAIR AND TOLD ME THE HUB BEARINGS WERE ALSO BAD NOT COVERED, 552.00 I REPLACED THEM MYSELF I CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM THE HUBS . THE NOISE IS STILL THERE ! *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL OIL PRESSURE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE OIL PUMP FAILED, AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

I WAS DRIVING ALONG WHEN MY TRUCK LOST POWER FOR NO APPARENT REASON, IT JUST STALLED OUT. I DID GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TURN IT OFF, THEN STARTED IT UP AGAIN. I CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. I WAS 80 MILES FROM HOME AND 30 MILES FROM THE NEAREST TOWN IN A TRUCK THAT ONLY HAD 40K MILES OF IT AND IT LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THIS MUST BE A PROBLEM SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL ON REPLACED FUEL PUMPS IN THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE. A VEHICLE BETWEEN 03' AND 06 SHOULD ONLY HAVE ABOUT 12K TO 36K SO WHY ARE THE PARTS NOT STAYING TOGETHER? IT WAS A FUEL PUMP, IN THE GAS TANK WHICH YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO UNLESS ITS AT HOME OR IN A SHOP, WHY ARE THEY BUILDING VEHICLES WITH FAULTY PARTS THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN CHANGE. I HAD TO PAY $763.00 TO GET IT FIXED, AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED 125 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVED, SO I WAS WITH OUT A VEHICLE AND THEN HAD TO GET A RIDE OVER TO GET IT A WEEK LATER. *NM

GAS CAPS ARE DEFECTIVE ON DODGE DAKOTA'S 2003 SERIES...THIS CAUSES COMPUTER TO FIRE AN ERROR THAT THEIR IS A LEAK IN THE POLLUTION SYSTEM..TAKE TO DEALERS AND THEY CHARGE 90 DOLLARS TO RESET AND THEN TELL YOU GAS CAP IS ALL RIGHT AND IF IT DOES IT AGAIN BRING IT BACK...AGAIN AT A 90 DOLLAR CHARGE. ON THE INTERNET I WAS ABLE TO DISCOVER THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME BAD GAS CAPS......THEN I WROTE THE MANUFACTURER AND BACK AND FORTH ON 3 REPLIES..EACH TIME THEY SIMPLY TELL ME GO TO A DEALER ...APPARENTLY THEY DO NOT EVEN PROPERLY READ E MAILS THEY RECEIVE...THESE ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED! THE POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM IS MAJOR ON THE NEWER VEHICLES, AND CERTAINLY A KNOWN CONTINUOUS FAILURE OF FAULTY GAS CAPS EFFECTS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND IS A HIGH COST ITEM FOR THE CONSUMER TO TRY WORKING OVER AND OVER WITH THE DEALERS..WHEN THE MANUFACTURE IS OR MUST BE AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE GAS CAP FAILURES. *JB

BALL JOINT FAILURE ON DODGE DAKOTA 4X4. RECALL ON OTHER VINS NOT MINE. FAILURE AT 30000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID 1200 DOLLARS AND THEY WOULD PUT ON THE NEW MODIFIED ONES. WHY AM I PAYING FOR A DODGE DEFECT. *NM

ON SEPTEMBER 8 2006 MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING HOME. WHILE CLIMBING A HILL THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISS FIRE AND THE TRUCK WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH. WHEN I CRESTED THE HILL THE VEHICLE STALLED AND I LOST POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. THERE WAS NO TRAFFICE SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY. I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SEEN THAT THE VACUUM LINE WAS ROTTED IN HALF. I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT RUN. I SPLICED THE LINE AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME. I WAS THEN LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE VACUUM BOOSTER FOR THE BRAKES HAS RUST ON IT. I CALLED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE LINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPING ON A 2003. THEY ASKED ME THE MILAGE AND I TOLD THEM IT HAD 45000 MILES ON IT. I WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A CHRYSLER DEALER AND HAVE IT CHECKED SO THEY COULD SEE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO RICHLAND COUNTY CHRYSLER IN RICHLAND CENTER WI. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AS SEE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT YES THE VACUUM LINES ARE ROTTED AND THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER IS RUSTING. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND CHARGED ME $80.00 TO LOOK AT IT. I HAVE THE OLD VACUUM LINES THAT ARE ROTTED AND I ALSO HAVE THE RUSTED VACUUM BOOSTER.

OIL GAUGE DROPPED TO 0 WHILE DRIVING. STOPPED TO CHECK THE OIL AND IT WAS FINE. DROVE ABOUT 3 MILES AND THE TRUCK DIED. EVERY THING LOCKED UP AND UNABLE TO START AGAIN. TOWED IT TO THE MECHANICS AND HE SAID THAT WE HAD SLUDGE. WE CHANGED THE OIL AS RECOMMENDED. THE WARRANTY SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER BUYING A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE IT WAS OUR FAULT. I HAVE THE RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT WE DID THE OIL CHANGES. THEY HAD POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. WHAT'S THE SENSE OF GETTING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IF IT WON'T HELP. OUR TRUCK HAS 50,000 MILES. *JB

WENT TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THERE WAS NO HOLDING OF THE BRAKE. TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AND IT WAS FOUND THAT ON BOTH WHEELS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LININGS HAD FALLEN OFF THE BACKING PLATES. REPLACED THE BRAKE LININGS IN BOTH WHEELS. *JB

OIL PRESSURE DROPPED WITHIN SECONDS, WITHIN 8 MINUTES ENGINE DIED, COULDN'T START UP AGAIN. OIL LEVEL WAS FINE, DID THE OIL CHANGES PRIOR TO THIS WHEN IT WAS RECOMMENDED. CHRYSLER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THIS. OIL SLUDGE. OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME THING. *JB