2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA (WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES, WHICH I BOUGHT BRAND NEW) AND I WAS HAVING WATER POOL ON MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR AFTER IT RAINS, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SEAL ON MY REAR WINDOW WAS FAULTY. I REPLACED MY BACK WINDOW AND NOW THE WATER IS GONE. I HAVE ASKED SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN DAKOTA'S AND THEY HAVE ALL SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD WATER EITHER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OR DRIVERS SIDE AT SOME POINT. I HAVE EVEN BEEN TO ONLINE FORUMS TO SEE IF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE US HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEM TO BE VERY COMMON. CHECK OUT WWW.DODGEDAKOTAS.COM. *NM

AS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA OWNER, I HAVE HAD THE UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACE ONCE OUT OF MY OWN POCKET AND ONCE AT THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE RECEIVED MY REFUND. MY CHIEF COMPLAINT IS THE FACT THAT WHEN THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED MY UPPER BALL JOINTS THEY FAILED TO INFORM ME THAT MY LOWER BALL JOINTS ALSO HAD EXCESSIVE/UNACCEPTABLE MOVEMENT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY ROTORS AND BRAKES FOR THE THIRD TIME AND I ONLY HAVE 72,000 MILES. I DON'T DO ANY OFF-ROADING EITHER. I BELIEVE THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS CAUSED MY LOWER BALL JOINTS TO GO BAD AS WELL IN ADDITION TO CAUSING THE REPLACEMENT OF MY ROTORS AND BRAKES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE IS A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND THE OIL PAN ON THE VEHICLE SITS BELOW THE TRUCK FRAME. THE OIL PAN IS TO CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND DOES NOT HAVE A SKID PLATE THEREFORE, DEBRIS PUNCTURES THE PAN. THE MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN ALERTED BUT STATED THERE ARE KNOW RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

2002 DODGE DAKOTA, 4 WHEEL DRIVE,81,180 MILES, FRONT BRAKES SEIZED. HAD ALL BRAKES REPLACED ON AUG 31, 2005. ON NOVEMBER 10, 2005 LEFT FRONT ROTOR AND PADS SEIZED, ALERT DRIVING PREVENTED POSSIBLE VEHICLE. MARCH 10, 2006, RIGHT FRONT ROTOR SEIZED AND ONCE AGAIN MY ALERTNESS PREVENTED ANOTHER POSSIBLE VEHICLE FIRE. THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME THE ROTORS AND/OR PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. *NM

ABS SYSTEM CAUSING STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION; BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED, NO CHANGE. REAR ABS PULSATING CAUSING REAR AXLE TO VIBRATE ENOUGH TO MOMENTARILY LIFT REAR TIRES OFF PAVEMENT. NEITHER PROBLEM EXTANT DURING RAIN CONDITIONS. PROBLEM INTERMITTENT: APPROX 30% OF THE TIME FOR FRONT ONLY; APPROX 60% FOR REAR ONLY; BOTH CONDITIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY, MIXED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING UP AT 10 MPH THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL DETACHED. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE, HOWEVER NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

I OWE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA AND HAD A RECALL FOR UPPER BALL JOINT THAT WAS REPAIRED BY MERRICK DODGE IN MERRICK NY. THE DEALER ADVISED ME THAT THE WAY THEY DO THE RECALL AN ALIGNMENTWAS NOT NECESSARY. I WAS INFORMED BY CHRYSLER THAT A TOE ALIGNMENT WAS REQUIRED. THIS RECAL WAS DONE IN JANUARY 2005. THE NEW TIRES THAT WERE INSTALLED IN NOVEMBER OF 2004 HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INNER EDGES OF BOTH FRONT TIRES EVENLY. THE ALIGNMENT WAS NEVER DONE OR DONE IMPROPERLY AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO CORRECT OR EVEN ADDRESS SAID ISSUE. ALL I ASK IS A FRONT END ALIGNMENT SO THAT THE TIRES WILL WEAR IN A SAFE AND CORRECT MANNER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS UP TO 55 MPH THE TRUCK BEGAN PULLING TO THE LEFT AND DECELERATION WAS MUCH GREATER THAN NORMAL. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. NOTICED LOTS OF HEAT COMING FROM DRIVERS SIDE DISK BREAK. WHEN RESTARTING AND MOVING FORWARD THE TRUCK STOPPED VERY QUICKLY. THE FAILURE WAS, THE CALIPER DID NOT RETRACT, CAUSING THE DISC BRAKE TO OVERHEAT AND IT SEIZED UP. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO PULL LEFT INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. A TRAGEDY COULD COME OF THIS IF THIS FAILURE IS NOT CORRECTED. THE TRUCK DEALER HAD NO EXPLANATION BUT NOTICED OTHER WORN PARTS THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED UNRELATED TO THE BRAKE FAILURE.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4 - HEADLAMPS AND CONSOLE LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF. THIS CAUSES OTHER VEHICLES TO THINK YOU ARE FLASHING YOUR LIGHTS AT THEM AND ALSO YOU END UP DRIVING IN COMPLETE DARKNESS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *JB

2002 DODGE DAKOTA STARTING MAKING CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING. HAD RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FOR UPPER BALL JOINTS. UPON BRINGING TO DEALER, WAS TOLD BOTH LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS COMMON BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE. WE HAVE ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND GOODYEAR TIRES SPLIT. ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS ARE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE. 99.9% WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE. WE NOW HAVE 2. PREVIOUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT INTERACTIONS STOPPED ME FROM BUYING A DODGE IN JUNE OF 2005 SO I PURCHASED A NISSAN. *JB