2006 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

10-23-12. MY TECHNICIAN ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF HIS VEHICLES BRAKES(ABS CONTROL MODULE). MY TECH NOTICED THE STOPPING LIGHT AND APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW. THE TECH NOTICED THAT THE CLOCK WENT OFF FOR A SECOND AND CAME BACK ON. HE STILL DIDN'T HAVE ANY BRAKES. RIGHT BEFORE HE CAME INTO THE INTERSECTION THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND HE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKES AND IT WAS STILL LOCKED UP. HE STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE BRAKES RELEASED AND HE PARKED IN PARKING LOT. I HAD HIM GET THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP CHAIN AND THEY CALLED ME LATER THAT NIGHT AND TOLD ME THAT THEY ALMOST GOT THROWN OUT OF THE WINDOW BECAUSE THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON HIM. *TR

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE I WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH AND PUSHED MY BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP AS I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP AND THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY A 50-60 FT SKID MARK ONLY FROM THAT WHEEL REDUCING THE SPEED FROM 45 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH DURING THE SKID WHILE THE OTHER 3 WHEELS FAILED TO BRAKE. THE FAILURE OF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM, WHICH WAS AN UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF BRAKING PRESSURE, CAUSED MY TRUCK TO FAIL TO STOP IN TIME. THE DISTANCE WAS WELL WITHIN NORMAL BRAKING DISTANCE FOR THE SPEED. AND UNTIL NOW, I HAD NEVER HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THE BRAKES, CALIPER, AND ROTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS 2012 WITH NEW PARTS. THEY HAD BEEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND I HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO PROVE THAT. DURING THE CRASH, THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE ACCIDENT WAS ONE WHERE MY DODGE DAKOTA REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO INJURIES HAD OCCURRED, HOWEVER THE TRUCK SUSTAINED APPROXIMATELY $5000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND IS CONSIDERED TOTALED DUE TO THE COST OF REPAIRS VS THE VALUE OF THE TRUCK. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 206,500 MILES AND ALL MAINTENANCE WAS CURRENT AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE (AS REQUIRED WHEN UNDER WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES) WORK WAS COMPLETED AT BOTH A DEALERSHIP OR AN AUTHORIZED AUTO REPAIR SHOP. AFTER THE 100,000, WORK WAS COMPLETED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP OR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED BY MYSELF, OWNER, WHO IS EXPERIENCED IN AUTO REPAIR/MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES UTILIZING OEM / OEM APPROVED REPLACEMENT PARTS. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA ITEM # 10016024 THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL DUE TO AND ECU FAILURE FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED JUST BEFORE MINE WAS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TELL IF MY ECU IS THE REPLACEMENT ONE OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT WASN'T. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SKID MARKS AND DAMAGE ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST AND I HAVE TRUCK AT MY HOME. *TR

ON THIS 2006 DAKOTA, STEERING IS VERY STIFF AND MAKES ME OVER CORRECT THE STEERING WITH EACH TURN, CAUSING ME TO JERK THE WHEEL HARD. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE I HAVE ALMOST HIT PARKED CARS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING. I HAVE HEARD MANY WITH THIS PROBLEM AND FEEL OUR 2006 SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL IF THERE SHOULD BE ONE(REALLY NEEDS TO BE). *TR

WHEN FILLING THE TRUCK WITH GASOLINE, FUEL IMMEDIATELY STARTS SPITTING OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK. UNLESS THE FUEL IS PUMPED EXTREMELY SLOWLY, IT SPRAYS ONTO HANDS, CLOTHES AND THE GROUND. IT DOES THIS REPEATEDLY AND AT ANY LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE TANK. IT CAN TAKE NEARLY 15 MINUTES TO FILL THE TANK INSTEAD OF AN AVERAGE TIME OF 5 MINUTES. EVEN WITH ATTEMPTING TO FILL SLOWLY, OCCASIONALLY FUEL KICKS BACK AT THE PERSON FILLING THE TANK. VERY DANGEROUS! *TR

MY TURN SIGNALS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. IT OCCURS AT RANDOM TIMES AND I CAN TEMPORARILY FIX IT BY ADJUSTING THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA QUADCAB LWB. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE DUELER 684 TIRES, TIRE SIZE 245/70/16. THE DOT NUMBER WAS EJMTJMM032. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, AN EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE OUTSIDE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,500.

THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STUCK AND IS VERY STIFF AND WON'T RETURN. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS AND THE ALL THE DEALERS HAVE THESE PARTS ON BACK ORDER.. IF THERE IS NOT A RECALL THERE SHOULD BE THE POWER STEERING PUMPS, STEERING RACKS AND STEERING CONTROL RODS ARE ALL ON BACK ORDER AND NOT AVAIL IN NJ, DEL OR PA.... IF ALL THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAIL THAT SHOWS THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. *TR

POWER STEERING INCONSISTENT, NEARLY LOCKS UP DURING SLOW SPEED TURNS AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN, DOES NOT MATTER IF LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS. HAVE HAD TO DEALER WHO STATES NO PROBLEMS WITH STEERING. HAVE HAD TIE ROD ENDS AND BALL JOINTS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, THIS HELPS FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT PROBLEM NEVER LEAVES COMPLETELY. AM TOLD ONCE AGAIN THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE BAD. QUIT GOING TO DEALER, AS I AM GETTING NO WHERE WITH THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER. HAVE FOUND HUGE AMOUNT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, AND A FEW ON NHTSA SITE. WOULD BE GREAT IF SOMEONE WOULD ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHAT THE CAUSE IS AND GET FIXED BEFORE I AM IN A MAJOR CRASH AND OR GET KILLED. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS HAVE BEEN MALFUNCTIONING FOR A FEW WEEKS. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO SIGNAL LEFT, THE SIGNAL TURNS ON TO THE RIGHT AND VICE VERSA. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT RELIABLE WHEN USING THE SWITCH. BOTH TURN SIGNALS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. *TR

WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING AND THEN COME BACK ON WHEN THEY GET READY. MALFUNCTIONING. *TR