2005 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

VEHICLE WHILE ON HIGHWAY WOULD FLASH 4LO ON DASH OR ILLUMINATE SVC 4WD. VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE 4LO AS WELL. WHILE ENGAGING, VEHICLE WOULD LOSE ACCELERATION AND RPMS WOULD IMMEDIATELY INCREASE. THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WITH VEHICLE OFF AND KEY REMOVED, TRANSFER CASE MOTOR WOULD TRY TO CHANGE TRANSFER CASE POSITION. NONE OF THESE SYMPTOMS OCCURRED WHILE 4WD WAS ENGAGED USING SELECTOR SWITCH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE. CODES RECORDED IN COMPUTER WERE FOR TRANSFER CASE POSITION SENSOR BEING OUT OF RANGE. (BOTH HIGH AND LOW VALUES WERE RECORDED SIMULTANEOUSLY) DEALER ORIGINALLY FOUND LEADS ON FCM CONNECTOR BETWEEN WIRING HARNESS AND PCB HAD CORRODED DUE TO FAULTY SEALANT AND WERE POSSIBLY SHORTING OUT. MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAULT. MANUFACTURER REPLACED FCM AT NO COST. AFTER FCM WAS REPLACED VEHICLE WOULD STILL EXHIBIT SYMPTOMS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO SAME DEALER. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF TESTING, TECH WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TO EXHIBIT SYMPTOMS IN SHOP. TECH FOUND THAT THE RANGE POSITION SENSOR WAS FAILING. IT WAS FOUND THAT VIBRATION WOULD CAUSE THE SENSOR TO SHORT OUT OR GO OPEN. MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE BUT WOULD NOT COVER REPAIR. TRANSFER CASE MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AT COST TO CUSTOMER. VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN DRIVEN OVER 2000 MILES WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUES. *JS

THE 2005 DAKOTA BEGAN SHOWING A SERVICE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT PANEL, INDICATING TO SERVICE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. SERVICE LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT BUT FREQUENT, AND CONTINUES TODAY!. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE GEARS WOULD ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE ON THERE OWN, AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SELECTOR SWITCH PROVED USELESS TO DISENGAGE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE UPON CHOOSING THE VARIOUS SETTINGS. UPON TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND EXITING WITH THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE TRANSFER CASE CAN BE HEARD ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE GEARS, EVEN WITH THE KEY IN THE OFF POSITION AND AFTER A NUMBER OF SECONDS HAVE PASSED. THIS WOULD PROVE VERY HAZARDOUS IF THE VEHICLE SELF-ENGAGED INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY IF IT OCCURRED AND ENGAGED THE "LO-4-WHEEL DRIVE" FUNCTION, WHICH WOULD LIKELY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL/STEERING AND POSSIBLY DAMAGE TO THE REAR CHUNK/DIFFERENTIAL RESULTING IN HIGHWAY DEBRIS. I SEE AND READ MANY INSTANCES FROM CONSUMERS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN DODGE 4-WHEEL DRIVE PRODUCTS FROM 2001 THRU 2009, AND IT IS SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL MECHANISM CALLED THE TCCM OR IPM (DEPENDENT UPON YOUR MODEL) AND WHICH PURPORTEDLY CONTROLS THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR THAT ENGAGES THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V817000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V817000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING, MY DAUGHTER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE. SHE NOTICED THE COAT SHE WAS WEARING WHILE DRIVING WAS SMOKING AND WAS SCORCHED AT THE BOTTOM. SHE THEN NOTICED THE DRIVERS SEAT WHERE SHE WAS SITTING WAS ALSO SCORCHED AND HAD BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE FABRIC OF THE SEAT. SHE STATED SHE HAD THE HEATED SEAT TURNED ON HIGH AT THE TIME. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I HAVE FELT A BURNING SENSATION TO MY RIGHT BUTTOCK WHILE DRIVING AND JUST TURNED THE SEAT HEATER OFF NOT THINKING ANY FURTHER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V817000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE (14V-354) IN THE MAIL IN DECEMBER OF 2014. THIS NOTICE PERTAINED TO MY 2005 DODGE DAKOTA AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT CONTAINED FAULTY AIRBAG INFLATORS. ON THIS SAME DATE I CONTACTED CUTTER DODGE IN HONOLULU, HI TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT - I MADE THIS APPOINTMENT VIA THEIR WEBSITE (AND PROVIDED FULL DETAILS OF THE RECALL, ETC.), AS WELL AS OVER THE TELEPHONE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. MY APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED/CONFIRMED FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK. I ATTEMPTED TO DROP MY VEHICLE OFF FOR THIS SCHEDULED SERVICE BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THE NECESSARY PARTS AT THE TIME, AND WOULD NOT UNTIL MID-JANUARY (AT WHICH TIME THEY ANTICIPATE HAVING ONLY A LIMITED SUPPLY). MY CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE BEEN, AND CURRENTLY AM, DRIVING A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE VEHICLE AND AM AFRAID THAT I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AT LEAST MID-JANUARY FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE CORRECTED. WHAT IF THE DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE ANY/ENOUGH PARTS IN MID-JANUARY? HOW MUCH LONGER WILL I HAVE TO WAIT IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ME AT THAT TIME? IT SEEMS THAT THE DEALER SHOULD RECEIVE ENOUGH PARTS TO FIX THIS ISSUE IN ALL OF THE VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL (SEEMS TO BE QUITE A LARGE NUMBER), AND NOT JUST A LIMITED NUMBER SO AS TO ONLY HELP PEOPLE ON A FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVED BASIS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO ME SO THAT THIS ISSUE CAN GET CORRECTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND/OR SO THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO POSSIBLY WAIT BEYOND MID-JANUARY FOR A SOLUTION. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,140.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IT SPUN IN CIRCLES. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THERE WERE NO INURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,140.

"4LO" INTERMITTENTLY FLASHES WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEED. "SVC 4WD" MAY COME ON AND GO OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS, FOLLOWING BY "4LOCK" FLASHING FOR A SECOND OR TWO. 4WD WILL ENGAGE/DISENGAGE ON IT'S OWN WITH NO INDICATION. TRANSFER CASE MOTOR WILL ENGAGE/DISENGAGE ON IT'S OWN WHILE VEHICLE IS PARKED, TURNED OFF, AND KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. TODAY, THE 4WD ENGAGED AND BOUND UP THE WHEELS. TRANSFER CASE WAS OVERHEATING. PULLED IN PARKING LOT AND CAN MANUALLY "4LOCK", THEN "2HI", THEN PULLED FCM FUSE TO DISABLE 4WD. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *TR