1997 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

STEERING IS UNRESPONSIVE IN CERTAIN SPOTS. NO MOVEMENT IN CERTAIN TURNS CAUSES WHEELS TO FLOAT. DEALER FOUND JOINTS CORRODED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. *AK

DRIVERS SEAT BACK ADJUSTER IS STRIPPED. UPON ACCELERATION, SEATBACK WILL COLLAPSE INTO AN ALMOST FLAT POSITION. I HAVE LOST CONTROL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER,MANUFACTURER,AND VEHICLE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY ALL REFUSE TO REPAIR. WHAT PROMPTED ME WAS A REPORT ON TV ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM WHERE A GUY DIED FROM A MINOR REAREND COLLISION,HE WAS ALSO DRIVING AN EXTENDED CAB PICKUP AND HIS SEATBACK FAILED, HE HIT HIS HEAD ON THE BACK WINDOW FRAME AND DIED! REPAIR PART COST IS $700 NOT INCLUDING LABOR.

WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE TURNED ON IGNITION SWITCH, WITHIN SECOND A LOUD EXPLOSION CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. AFTER OPENING HOOD NOTICED TOP OF BATTERY WAS SHATTERED, AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COVERED WITH ACID. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

CONSUMER SMELT GAS FUMES. VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GASOLINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED GAS LINE WAS IMPROPERLY ROUTED. CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND THEY DID NOTHING. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED 00V198000 RECALL LETTER. CALLED DEALER, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER TO COME IN. ONCE THERE, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS FOR THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE, WHEN PARTS WOULD COME IN, THEY WOULD CONTACT CONSUMER. CONSUMER HAS CALLED, AND STILL WAITING ON PARTS THAT WERE ORDERED IN OCTOBER OF 2000. *AK *SLC

THE UNIVERSAL JOINT ON THE STEERING COLUMN TOTALLY FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO "FREE-WHEEL" THE VEHICLE VEERED OUT OF CONTROL SIDESWIPING TWO PARKED CARS. THIS IS A CRITICAL FAILURE; IF IT OCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERAL FATALITIES!!. *AK

A PART INSIDE THE FRONT SEAT BROKE EASILY IN REAR END CRASH, FRONT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. DRIVER WAS GOING 12 MPH WHEN HIT IN THE REAR OF THE TRUCK BY A VEHICLE HIT BY A VEHICLE GOING 40 MPH. THE DIFFERENCE IS ONLY 28 MPH AND THE SEAT BROKE, THE DRIVER FELL STRAIGHT BACK AND WAS UNCONSCIOUS, SLIDING UNDER THE SEATBELT TOWARDS THE FLOOR. THE PART OF THE SEAT THAT BROKE WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

WHEN STARTED TO TURN THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND. A FEW DAYS LATER, POPPING STOPPED, BUT THERE WAS A 2 TO 3 INCH PLAY IN STEERING BEFORE CAR WOULD EVEN START TO TURN IN THAT DIRECTION. FELT LIKE STEERING COLUMN WAS GOING TO FALL ON GROUND, AND CONSUMER FELT UNSAFE. *AK *SLC

ENGINE IS CAUSING A "PINGING" NOISE WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT PAN GASKET WAS SUCKING AIR AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE BURNING OF OIL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF 5TH GEAR AND REMAINED IN NEUTRAL. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT "GEAR WAS CRACKED." PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK