1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON MY TRUCK TWICE SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT IN 1998 BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE MY TRUCK WAS MAKING WAS DUE TO THE SUSPENSION AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. THE TRUCK WAS NOT EVEN EVALUATED, I WAS JUST TOLD THAT I WAS WRONG, AND IT WAS NOT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND WAS SENT ON MY WAY. WHEN I WENT BACK AFTER THIS INCIDENT 2 DAYS LATER I REQUESTED TO SPEAK WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND PROCEEDED TO TELL HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY THEN PUT MY TRUCK ON THE LIFT AND FOUND IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND FIXED IT. IT THEN HAPPENED AGAIN AND IT'S NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL EMISSIONS LAW STATES THAT THEY HAVE TO COVER IT UP TO 80,000 MILES FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, BUT MY TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT, THUS I AM GETTING CLOSE. I HAVE HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS WITH THE DODGE DAKOTAS AND I FEAR THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND WILL END UP TO COST A LOT OF MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR A MISTAKE ON THE PART OF DODGE WHICH THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR TO TRY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF IT BEING ONGOING. *LA

WHILE TURN A CORNER IN MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA I HEARD A BANG. LOOKED AROUND UNDER THE TRUCK I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING BROKEN. TOOK TRUCK TO TIRE SHOP TO HAVE FRONT TIRES RPLACED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION BY YOUR STAFF INTOP THE DODGE DURANGO (PE03032). THE DURANGO AND DAKAOTA HAVE THE SAME FRONT ENDS UNDERNEATH THEM. IF THERE IS A FINDING OF DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THE DURANGO IS SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO THE DAKOTA.*AK

FRONT BALL JOINT EARLY FAILURE ON 1998 DAKOTA. FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE EXPERINCING EARLY FAILURES. SAME SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AS DURANGO.*AK

TRANSMISSION THROTTLE VALVE ADJUSTMENT...KEEPS THE TRANSMISSION FROM SHIFTING AT THE PROPER TIME... WONT DOWNSHIFT WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. ALSO... SHIFTER LEVER CABLE ADJUSTMENT.... WRONG GEAR SHOWS UP ON CONSOLE.*AK

I OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT WITH PAINT FADING ON THE HOOD IN SEVERAL PLACES. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THESE AREAS THAT WOULD CAUSE A PAINT PROBLEM. I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED THAT I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. I HAVE SEARCHED FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL SINCE THIS APPEARS TO BE A FACTORY PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORTING SIMULAR PROBLEMS BUT NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF DODGE IS PLANNING ON RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM SOON. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD AND STAYED ON. THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. THE CONSUMER SAW RECALL 01V-153000 WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING DEALER THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THE RECALL, BUT IT HAS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR COST OF REPAIRS. *JB *CB

ADVISED BY AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER SERVICE TO REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARMS FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR AT 46059 MILES. COST $1478 PLUS TAX. ONE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS SAME PREMATURE PROBLEM EXPERIENCED ON DDODGE DURANGO.*AK

WHITE SPOTS WERE SHOWING THROUGH THE BLACK PAINT ON THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS MADE WITH FAULTY PRIMER. MANUFACTURER WAS WILLING TO PAY HALF OF THE COST. *AK

A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AS I DRIVE. A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG. HE SAID IT COULD MALFUNCTION IN AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE YET COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.*AK

IN WINTER TIME TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WANT TO SHIFT OUT OF LOW GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD WILL EVENTUALLY USUALLY AT ABOUT 1500 TO 2000 RPM AFTER GETS REALLY WARM STILL WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. CHANGED FLUID MYSELF WITH ATF 3 OR 4. HAVE HAD AT SHOPS NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT CAUSES THIS THEY GUESS A LOT. *NLM