1997 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON A DIRT ROAD CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE FRAME HAD A LARGE CRACK ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FRAME MUST BE REPLACED. ON THAT SAME DAY CONSUMER HEARD A RADIO REPORT ABOUT DODGE DAKOTAS 1995-1996 HAVING A PROBLEM WITH CRACKED FRAMES. DURING THAT REPORT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT THAT COULD BE OBTAINED AT DODGE DEALERSHIPS TO FIX THE FRAME. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, THE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS REPAIR KIT. *AK

DRIVING AT 30 MPH, VEHICLE FISH TAILED, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHICH RESULTED TO ROLL OVER TWICE. *LA *MR

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *PH (NAR) THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SERVICE FACILITY FOR A FRONT END ALIGNMENT DUE TO NOTICEABLE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WEAR. ONCE THE TECHNICIAN LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE HE DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLES UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WA TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE WITHIN SPECS. THE CONSUMER HAD THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED DESPITE THE DEALER FINDINGS. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED AT 77,000 MILES. *AK THE VEHICLE STARTED SQUEAKING OVER SLIGHT BUMPS AND WORSENED TO SQUEAKING ALL OF THE TIME, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MAKE UNUSUAL NOISES WHEN TURNING, AND COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. *SC *JB

AIR CONDITIONING--STILL WORKS BUT AT TIMES IT SHUTS OF THE UPPER AIR DUCTS AND I HAVE TO SHUT IT OFF ON RESTART IT TO MAKE IT WORK RIGHT. ENGINE--- MAKES A NOISE ( STARTED AT 20,000 MILES) TOOK IT TO A DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP TOLD ITS THE TIMING CHAIN.AT 92,000 STILL MAKES THE SAME NOISE POWER WINDOW-- PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT WORK OTHER--1. RADIO (TAPE DECK) TAPE DECK TURNS THE WIND AND REWIND ON BY ITSELF. HAVE TO TURN THE MOTOR OFF AND RESTART TO GET IT TO QUITE. 2.HAVE ALL KINDS OF WIRE PROBLEMS, ALL THE PLASTIC COATING COMES OFF AND WIRES BREAK 3.TAIL LIGHT PLUGS WON'T STAY PLUGGED IN PAINT-- CHIPS EASILY

HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA 4 WHEEL DRIVE, 5.2L V8. HEARD KNOCKING SPORADIC NOISES IN FRONT SUSPENSION. TOOK IT TO DODGE DEALERSHIP WHO INFORMED ME THAT BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH DAKOTAS. IF I WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN MINE IN TO BE LOOKED AT, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE ASK DODGE FOR MY OLD BALL JOINTS SO THAT I CAN HAVE THEM AS EVIDENCE. DODGE IS CHARGING ABOUT $600 FOR THE REPAIR. IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR THAT DODGE IS MAKING MONEY OF THE REPAIR OF A BALL JOINT THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE NEEDED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. DODGE SHOULD ISSUE A SERVICE ADVISORY AND THIS TYPE OF REPAIR SHOULD BE HANDLED FREE OF CHARGE. *LA

1997 DODGE DAKOTA UPPER AND LOWER BALLJOINTS HAVE FAILED PRE-MATURELY. I CURRENTLY AM EXPERIENCING LOUD NOISES FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN RIDING OVER SMALL BUMPS. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALLJOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. I AM THE ORGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED OFF PAVED ROADS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE. WHEN RIDING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. MECHANIC SAYS THERE IS EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE BALL JOINTS. *AK THE RUBBER BOOT ON TOP OF THE BALL JOINTS WERE BUSTED. *SC

I OWN A 1997' DODGE DAKOTA V8 LONG BED STANDARD CAB PICK-UP WITH ONLY 32000 ORIGIONAL MILES. THE BALL JOINTS ARE BAD AND I HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. I WENT TO LOOK UP HOW TO REPLACE THEM AND DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD. SEARS MECHANICS WERE SUPRISED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE SO WORN WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE VEHICLE.*AK

THE FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED UNEVEN TREAD WEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM A FRONT END ALIGNMENT BECAUSE ALL 4 BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. *AK