2003 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK IN NOVEMBER, 2003. THE BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING LOUDLY IN JANUARY, 2004. IT SEEMS THAT I REALLY HAVE TO PUSH HARD FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK. I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP IN JANUARY, MARCH, AND MAY 2003 AND AGAIN IN JUNE, 2004. THEY INSIST THAT IT IS COMMON FOR THE BRAKES TO MAKE A NOISE LIKE THIS. THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO PUT SOME TYPE OF FILLER ON THE PADS WHICH ONLY STOP IT FROM MAKING A NOISE FOR ONE WEEK. IN JUNE, 2004, THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE PADS WITH A "CHEAP" NEW PAD. THE BRAKES ARE STILL SQUEAKING LOUDLY. I AM SENDING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE I CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I AM JUST AFRAID THAT ONE DAY MY BREAKS WILL NOT WORK AND I WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND I DO? THANK YOU. INGRID GETKA *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO CLAIMED THAT THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ANOTHER CERTIFIED MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. RECENTLY THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, AND THE DEALER WAS STILL DENYING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.*AK

THE ARMS THAT HOLD THE FRONT END IN PLACE ARE BROKEN THEY WILL KNOT FIX IT. THEY ARE SAYING IT GOT HIT THE TRUCK HAS 8320 MILES ON IT. *AK

VEHICLE WILL EITHER GO INTO NEUTRAL WHEN PUT IN REVERSE OR WHILE REVERSING POP OUT OF REVERSE INTO NEUTRAL. THIS MOSTLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT SINCE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD TWO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE TRANSMISSION MODULE SHORTED OUT ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO BE NEARLY REAR ENDED THREE TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE BUT ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT, THE BRAKES WOULD SQUEAK AND THE VEHICLE HAD POOR GAS MILEAGE. *SC THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT START AT TIMES. *JB

VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. *MR THERE WERE BACKFIRES AT TIMES, THE PEDAL WOULD BARELY MOVE AT STOP SIGNS, WHEN BACKING OUT, THE VEHICLE WOULD STAY IN SECOND GEAR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL THEN SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR, SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE, THEN AS SOON AS IT STARTED TO MISFIRE, THE VEHICLE WOULD DROP TO OVERDRIVE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THERE WAS A WHINE AND OR HOWL IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AROUND 50 MPH, THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NEVER COME ON, SOMETIMES THE SHIFT LEVER WOULD BE PLACED IN PARK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD START, AT TIMES WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE AND THE WOULD HAVE TO BE JERKED AROUND ON THE SHIFT LEVER, THE HEATER CONTROLS WERE INOPERATIVE, AND THERE WERE NOISES WHEN THE LIGHTS ON THE RADIO WERE TURNED ON. THE VALVE ON THE TRANSMISSION WAS CHANGE AND HELPED THE VEHICLE, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED UP OR DOWN IN GEAR IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM. *SC *JB

PE 03-032, FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE: AFTER INSPECTING THE WHEELS, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE RUSTING OUT ON BOTH SIDE. *NM

AT 24775 MILES; THE RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA 4X2. *AK

NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON VEHICLE, OPERATED UNDER OPTIMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. FRONT ROTORS WARPED BEYOND REPAIR AFTER 18000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE DUE TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION. ROTORS SHOULD NOT HAVE WARPED AFTER ONLY 18000 MILES. *NM

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM WITH NEW BALL JOINTS. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED.*AK CONSUMER IS SEEKING CHRYSLER TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE. *LA

ONCE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM A STOPPED POSITION IT BACK FIRED. CONSUMER HAD TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND THE SPEED ONLY REACHED 2-5 MPH. *AK