1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD AFTER SHIFTING OUT OF PARK OR NEUTRAL. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

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

VEHICLE LEAKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. AFTER SEARCHING FOR THE LEAK SPOTTED THE SOURCE UNDER THE FRONT DASH.*AK

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.

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

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

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

BALL JOINTS, FRONT UPPER, AND LOWER WORE OUT, AND WERE VERY LOOSE. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *AK

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

THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINTS. THE BALL JOINTS CAUSED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR FROM THE INNER SIDEWALLS. *JB