1997 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

FRONT END SUSPENSION FAILED, AND CAUSED THE THREAD ON THE TIE ROD TO BECOME WEAK. THE THREADS APPEARED CORRODED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *CB *JB

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA EXTRA CAB. IT CONSTANLY LEAKS WATER ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS, SOAKING THE CARPET.MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORT THIS PROBLEM TOO. ALSO THE DRIVERS SEATBACK WILL NOT LOCK. WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKE,THE BACK OF THE SEAT RECLINES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT.*AK

LOW OIL PRESSURE AT IDLE SPEEDS. ACCORDING TO DEALER, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 5.2L V8 ENGINE. FIX IS TO REPLACE THE OIL PUMP AND OIL SENDING UNITAT A COST OF OVER $800.00.*AK

DEALER REPLACED UPPER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINTS AT 35000 MILES, AGAIN WAS REPLACED AT 80000. DEALER KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF THE BALL JOINTS, BUT CLAIMED THEY WERE STILL GOOD AND CONSUMER COULD STILL DRIVE ALTHOUGH THE BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT PREMATURELY.

I OWN A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT PICKUP. IT IS A 4X4 WITH A 318CID ENGINE AND AUTO. TRANS. AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES, DURING A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, I HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT. HAVING 25 YEARS AUTO EXPERIENCE MYSELF, THIS PART WAS DEFINITELY BAD AND I REPLACED THE WHOLE UPPER CONTROL ARM, AS THE BALL JOINT ALONE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. CURRENTLY, AT 84,000 MILES, BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE BAD AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT USED MUCH IN OFF ROAD CONDITIONS AND THEN ONLY ON PAVED ROADS. THIS IS PREMATURE PART FAILURE AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS I DRIVE AT OR ABOVE THE POISTED SPEED LIMITS IN MY TRAVELS. TOTAL FAILURE OF THESE PARTS WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT. *JB

THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM LEAKED WATER ONTO THE PASSENGER CABIN FLOOR BOARD. *JB *PH *JB

WITHOUT WARNING, JUST AFTER EXITING A FREEWAY, THE REAR WHEELS OF MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK, LOCKED UP. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE. TOW TRUCK ARRIVED , AND ADVISED THAT THE REAR AXLE HAD LOCKED-UP. THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 52,423 MILES. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATE AND THEN GO OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT WILL TURN OFF IF TURN SIGNALS ARE ENGAGED.*AK

POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED DURING COLD WEATHER. WAS SLUGGISH DURING SLOW IDLE. MOPAR MECHANIC SAID THAT COMPLETE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST OVER $1000 AND MAY STILL NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. *TT

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP BOTH FRONT SEATS RANDOMLY FALL ALMOST FLAT, CAUSING SEVERAL NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS FROM LOSING CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. ON OCCASIONS THE DRIVER SEAT HAS FALLEN AND STRIKING OUR 2 YEAR OLD IN THE FACE. NOT ONLY DOES IT COLLAPSE FROM STOPS, AS DOES IT HAPPEN WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP, SPEED BUMPS, OR OTHER SMALL ROUGH PATCHES IN THE ROAD. I HAVE FOUND NO WAY TO KEEP THEM UPRIGHT AND I FULLY BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOOT THE $700+ BILL TO REPLACE/REPAIR THESE SEATS. *NLM