1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING A COMBINE WAS APPROACHING IN ON COMING LANE TAKING UP PART OF MY LANE, APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL HIT THE FLOOR (NO BRAKES). I HAD TO GO OFF ROAD TO AVOID ACCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION FOUND BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH. REPAIRED AND WHILE BLEEDING LINES HAD ANOTHER RUSTED AREA RUPTURE DUE TO RUST ( 4 AREAS SO FAR). FEARFUL TO DRIVE UNTIL ALL LINES REPLACED......BUT TOO COSTLY!

FOR DODGE CARS AROUND 98 OR ONES THAT HAVE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, THEY STOP WORKING. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY WANT TO ACTUATE THE LOCK BUT IT WON'T LOCK OR UNLOCK. ALL OTHER FUNCTION REMAINS IN THE DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING. UPON MY QUEST OF TRYING TO FUX THE PROBLEM ON BOTH DOORS, I TOOK APART THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR HOUSING WHERE THE GEARS ARE. THERE IS A LITTLE BLUE PIECE UNDER ALL THE GEARS THAT HAS BROKEN AND APPEARS TO BE BROKEN FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE FRICTION SPRING BEHIND IT. THINKING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE OTHER ONE, I TORE IT APART AND WAS THE SAME THING. THE TWO PARTS HAD BROKEN IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT. I HAVE A FEELING THIS IS DUE TO PRODUCT DEFECT AND NOT JUSE IN MY CASE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH, THE FRAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 10/24/2014*LJ UPDATED 04/20/2015 *JS

BRAKES FAILED DUE TO COMPLETE RUST THROUGH OF LINES. HAVE HAD TO SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACE OTHER LINES AND HOSES DUE TO THEIR DEFECTIVE QUALITY. *TR

HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER AND TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHETHER DRIVING OR AT A STAND STILL. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS AND THE DODGE DURANGO. HAVE BEEN STOPPED TWICE BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE VEHICLE IS STOCK WITH NO AFTERMARKET ADDITIONS. *TR

THE SPARE TIRE HOIST / CARRIER CABLE BROKE, CAUSING THE FULL SIZE SPARE TIRE TO DROP TO THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, IT HAPPENED AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A SEVERE ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. *TR

APPROACHING STOP LIGHT WHEN HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY RUPTURED CAUSING A CONDITION OF NO BRAKES AND IMPACT WITH VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT ENGINE STARTUP, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 02/01/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE INTERMITTENT BEHAVIOR WOULD OCCUR AT IDLE, WHEN COLD, HOT, ALL SPEEDS AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, CHRYSLER DENIED A RECALL EXISTED. THE CONSUMER PAID $1,243 FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH INCLUDED A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY AS NOTED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 02/10/12

LOWER STEERING SHAFT U JOINTS ARE UNPROTECTED AND RUSTED OUT CAUSING STICKY STEERING AND DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE IN A TURN. *TR

1998 DAKOTA BRAKE LINE (STEEL) RUSTED THROUGH AND RUPTURED RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE (RIGHT FRONT). THE DEALER BLAMES THE FAILURE ON ROAD CONDITIONS IN WESTERN VIRGINIA (SALT). THE TRUCK HAS ONLY 80000 MILES. *TR