1997 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

LEFT HAND UPPER BALL JOINT IS COMING APART FROM STEERING TIE ROD WHICH COULD CAUSE COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

RECLINE SEAT LATCH DOES NOT POSITIVELY LATCH AFTER USE. CONCERNED THAT CHILDREN IN REAR SEAT WILL BE INJURED IN MINOR REAR END COLLISION WHEN FRONT SEAT COLLAPSING ON THEM. AFTER SEAT IS RECLINED FORWARD TO ACCESS REAR SEAT, RECLINE LATCH DOES NOT POSITIVELY LATCH. SEAT CAN BE RECLINED BY DRIVER/PASSENGER PUSHING BACK WITHOUT RELEASING LATCH.

RECALL 00V199000/FUEL LINE / CAB UNDERBODY : DEALER TIED OFF FUEL LINE WITH ELECTRICAL STRAPS INSTEAD OF OF FOLLOWING CORRECTIVE ACTION MENTION IN RECALL. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER; DEALER IS KELLY SALES & SERVICE, SPRINGFIELD, VT PHONE # 802/885-2186. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS:*AK

AIRBAG SENSOR WEAKLY ILLUMINATES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE MAKES A PINGING NOISE WHICH DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR, VEHICLE EXPERIENCING HARD START MOSTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD BUT SOMETIMES WHEN IT IS NOT, IT TAKES MORE TIME THAN IS NECESSARY TO START.*ET

THE SEAT BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT WILL NOT REMAIN IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. IF THE DRIVER LEANS BACK TO HARD OR WHEN A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD IS ENCOUNTERED THE SEAT RECLINING MECHINISM WILL NOT HOLD AND THE BACK WILL BE RELEASED TO A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. *AK

CONSUMER STARTED HEARING A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM BRAKES, ALSO REAR SEAL OIL PAN WAS LEAKING OIL. *AK

WE PURCHASED A 1997 DODGE TRUCK IN OCT. 1996. THHE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 42000 MILES. WE WERE TOLD BY BOTH OUR LOCAL SOUTH CAROLINA DEALER AND BY ED MURDOCK WHERE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO OUR WARRANTY BEING UP AT 36000 MILES. WE CALLED THE 800 # TO CHRYSLERS COMPLAINT LINE AND WERE TOLD THE SAME THING. WE HAD OUR TRUCK REPAIRED AT A LOCAL INDEPENDENT GARAGEAND ONLY THEN DID WE DISCOVER THAT OUR TRUCK HAD A 1998 PROTOTYPE TRANSMISSION IN IT. PARTS WERE ORDERED FROM ATLANTA THAT WOULD NOT FIT OUR 1997 DODGE DAKOTA BECAUSE OF THE PROTOTYPE TRANSMISSION AND HAD TO BE RETURNED AND REORDERED FROM DETROIT. ALA IN ALL WE WERE WITHOUT OUR TRUCK FOR 29 DAYS WHILE THIS MESS WAS SORTED OUT. WE WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED A TRUCK WITH A PROTOTYPE ASIAN TRANSMISSION IN IT IF WE HAD BEEN TOLD. THHE ED MURDOCK DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REIMBURSE US FOR OUR EXPENCES, CHRYSLER SAYS THAT THEY WILL NOT BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE THIS RIGHT BECAUSE NOT ONLY WERE WE MISLED IN OUR PURCHASE BUT ANY TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO PERFORM LONGER THAN 42000 MILES. WE WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK DONE AND OUR EXPENSE FOR A RENTAL CAR DURING THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT WE WERE SORTING THIS MESS OUT AND STILL HAVING TO GO ON WITH OUR DAILY ROUTINE. NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO STAND BEHIND THHE CHRYSLER PRODUCTS FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO THE ONE WHO SELLS THEM. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP , I HAVE SENT SEVERAL OTHER LETTERS AND IF YOU CAN TELL ME OF SOMEONE ELSE TO WRITE I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANKS, RENEE MCABEE. *AK

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ALIGNED AT 12000 STILL HAD WEAR TOOK TO AN ALIGNMENT SPECIALIST AND FOUND A BAD BALL JOINT. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WERE SEPARATED. BEARINGS WERE BEINGA HELD ON BY 1 NUT & BRAKE ROTOR. VEHICLE WAS MAKING A THUMPING SOUND GOING 65MPH. CONSUMER FOUND OUT THRIUGH THE MANUFACTURER THAT T 600,000 WERE ON BACK ORDER. CONSUMER PURCHASED 1 THROUGH THE DEALER IN STOCK FOR $150. DEALER SEEMED TO KNOW THAT IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *AK