2001 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING RECALL ON CLOCKSPRING. CONSUMER 2001 DODGE DAKOTA AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, HORN DID NOT WORK AND CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK. *TS THE CONSUMER LEARNED THERE WAS A RECALL, HOWEVER HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED HIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITH SAME DEFECTIVE PART AS THE OTHER YEAR MODELS. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE LOWER BALL JOIN BROKE AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WENT INTO A CREEK. THE INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE STILL BEING DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING INSPECTED. *AK

DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE UPPER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 31,915 MILES. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AT 37,556 MILES. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE DID NOT NOTICE IF THERE WAS ANY PLAY IN THE STEERING UNTIL THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. SINCE THE REPLACEMENT IT HAS A TIGHTER STEERING CONTROL. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE UPPER BALL JOINTS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK *MR *JB

DT: ON JUNE 29, 2005 REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BELTS SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THEN, AROUND SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 THE DRIVER'S REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. A GOODYEAR REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE TIRES AND SAID THEY MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE TIRES. GOODYEAR WAS ONLY OFFERING TO GIVE A DISCOUNT, AND GAVE A PERCENTAGE, BUT WERE NOT WILLING REPLACE THE OTHER THREE TIRES. ON THE FRONT TIRES THE RING AROUND THESE TIRES SPLIT. THE RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURE WAS FORTY-FOUR POUNDS, THESE TIRES WERE REGULARLY SERVICED. THERE WAS NO FOR WARNING, NO VIBRATION, AND NO TYPE OF ABNORMAL BULGING. *AK

RECENTLY INVESTIGATED A FIRE IN A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA R/T PICKUP TRUCK EQUIPPED WITH A 5.9 LITER GASOLINE ENGINE. FIRE ORIGINATES AT AND CONFINED TO THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE AND THE C1, C2 & C3 WIRING HARNESS CONNECTORS ATTACHED TO THE MODULE. THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE IS LOCATED BEHIND THE KICKPANEL AT THE FRONT LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BELOW THE FUSE PANEL AND THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROX. 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE FIRE. IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THIS LOCATION OR WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT STEVEN C. ROWE FIRE INVESTIGATION AT 610-285-6542 OR BY E-MAIL AT [email protected] . *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD STARTED BLINKING ON AND OFF, BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DODGE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRBAG LOCK SPRING WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THIS ITEM IS NOT COVERED BY ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY OR EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM DODGE. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT AIRBAG FAILING TO DEPLOY IN ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES INVOLVED WITH IT. THE AIRBAG IS A SAFETY FEATURE IN THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURING COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AND ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULTY EQUIPMENT. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND DODGE CORP. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT, IM A VERY UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER. *NM

HAD A SUDDEN STOP IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER, WHEN PULLED OFF, THE TRUCK FELT AS IF IT WERE PULLING A LOAD AND A STRONG BURNING RUBBER SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT END. ENDED UP HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRONT CALIPERS HAD SEIZED UP. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT CERTAIN AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. TRUCK ONLY HAS 52,000 MILES ON IT. ENDED UP PUTTING ALL NEW BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE FRONT END. A YEAR AGO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A SENSOR THAT CONTROLLED THE ABS. CAN'T FIGURE THAT ONE OUT, ONLY HAVE ABS ON THE REAREND, NOT ON THE FRONT. IT IS A SCARY THING WHEN YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOU HAVE THAT BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE IS BELLOWING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS NO FIRE WOULD'VE OCCURRED. TAINED. *JB

ON MY 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB, THE VEHICLE HAD A LONG STUTTER OR PAUSE ONCE THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED, FROM A STOP. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC BECAUSE I EXPECTED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, WHICH IT DID NOT. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE WOULD JUMP FORWARD, MAKING ME FEEL LIKE SOMEONE REAR ENDED ME. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. I WAS TOLD MY WHOLE INTERNAL TRANSMISSION WAS BAD! I FIND THIS TO BE RIDICULOUS FOR A 2001 VEHICLE, AND DANGEROUS!*JB

STEERING WHEEL AND TRANSMISSION DO NOT LOCK WHEN KEY IS REMOVED. I FOUND THIS OUT WHEN A 2 YEAR OLD GIRL WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE PARKED VEHICLE AND PULLED THE TRANSMISSION LEVER INTO GEAR. THE KEY SWITCH WAS IN THE LOCKED POSITION AND THE KEYS WERE REMOVED. *JB

ABS & BRAKE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ON OUR 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB WITH 43,000 MILES. TOOK TO NORWIN DODGE FOR SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL (REAR END) WAS COMPLETELY RUINED. SINCE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRENTLY OUR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE WAS IN EXCESS OF $1,600.00. ALSO SAID THAT ENGINE LIGHT WAS DUE TO A MODERATE EVAPORATION LEAK AND REPLACED GAS CAP. THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 4000 MILES!(FORTUNATELY THIS WAS COVERED UNDER WARRENTY), BUT A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AFTER ONLY 4000 MILES? ALSO HAD VEHICLE BACK TO BE CHECKED AFTER TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT BECAUSE IT WOULD HESITATE AND THEN SHIFT HARD. WE WERE TOLD THAT THAT IS NORMAL AND HOW DODGE TRNAMISSIONS SHIFT? WE TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY. WANT TO REGISTER FORMAL COMPLAINT AND MAKE OTHERS AWARE OF POOR QUALITY OF DODGE VEHICLES AND POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS USED?