2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED A SENSOR INSIDE OF THE ABS UNIT. *AK

NORMAL, REGULAR DUTY USE OF A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB V8 REQUIRING REGULAR MAINTENANCE, NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AT 57,000 MILES. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER (MIKE BROWN @ GRANBURY) PERFORMED THE ALIGNMENT, CONDUCTED TWO (2) TEST DRIVES WHILE I WAS THERE AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME WITH A COMMENT THAT IT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK WITH THE 'PULLING TO THE RIGHT' PROBLEM AND THE DERVICE MANAGER SAID TO BRING IT BACK THE NEXT AM AND THEY WOULD MAKE IT RIGHT. THEY CALLED TO NOTIFY ME THAT THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING WAS DETERIORATED AND THAT THEY COULDN'T ALIGN IT TO SPECIFICATIONS. THEY HAD A REPLACEMENT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BUSHING (COMES AS ONE PART) FOR $280.00 AND 4 HOURS LABOR ($65/HR) WOULD FIX IT. MY RESPONSE WAS 'PULL IT OUT FRONT AND PARK IT'. MY DISCUSSION WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE DEALER WAS ABOUT HOW IN 31 YEARS OF NEW AND USED VEHICLE OWNERSHIP I HAVE NEVER HAD A FRONT END GO BAD IN 57,000 MILES.HE BROUGHT OUT THAT THE V8 LEFT EXHAUST MANIFIOLD HEATS UP THE BUSHING AND DETERIORATED IT FASTER THAT ONE WOULD EXPECT. WE AGREED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THEREFORE A MANUFACTURER ENGINEERING ISSUE. I WILL GO BACK TO COLLECT MY INITIAL ALIGNMENT FEE CHARGED ON A JOB THAT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED TO FACTOORY SPECS DUE TO FAILING FRONT END PARTS.*AK

2000 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4. WHILE CRESTING A HILL ON A MAINTAINED GRAVEL ROAD TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CONTROL OF VEHICLE WAS LOST. VEHICLE STRUCK BERM ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD AND RETURNED TO CENTER OF ROAD. VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER SLIDING ABOUT 50 YARDS TO THE BOTTOM OF A DOWNGRADE. UPON EXITING VEHICLE IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH FRONT/ LEFT BALL JOINTS HAD FAILED, CAUSING TIRE/WHEEL ASSY. TO BUCKLE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. DAMAGE TO STEARING COMPONENTS AND AXLE ALSO OCCURED. CHRYSLER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND A REP IS BEING SENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE BRAKING, THE BRAKES WERE WARPED, AND VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM 4 TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

BOTH ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. THEY DON'T UNLOCK PROPERLY BUT, INSTEAD, STICK IN A HALFWAY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK

WHEN REPLACING TIRES ON MY 2000 DAKOTA, I WAS ADVISED THAT MY BALL JOINTS WERE WORN TO THE POINT OF BEING UNSAFE. MY VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 30 DAYS BEYOND THE EXPIRATION OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 19,000 MILES ON IT. I BELIEVE BOTH THE BALL JOINTS AND THE TIRES SHOULD WEAR MORE MILEAGE THAN THAT. I ALSO BELIEVE THE DETERIORATION OF THE BALL JOINTS ACCELERATED THE WEAR OF THE TIRES. BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. DID NOT WANT TO WAIT FOR A RECALL AT THE EXPENSE OF MY FAMILY'S SAFETY.

WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS AT ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CAN ALSO FEEL A THUMPING SENSATION COMING THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT. *NM *NM

DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT. CONSUMER WAS NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME. DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *LA

DURING INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC INFORMWD THE CONSUMER THAT THEIR FRONT LOWER/UPPER BALL JOINT WERE WEARING. *JB

2000 QUAD CAB 4 X 4 DAKOTA. I BOUGHT THE DAKOTA USED WITH 59,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER THE FRONT END BEGAN TO SQUEAK AND CLUNK. A DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSISED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THIS IS AWEFUL EARLY TO HAVE BALL JOINT FAILURES. I HAD THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED FOR $360. THE SERVICE MANAGER ALSO INFORMED ME THAT DAIMLERCHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IF AN UPPER BALL JOINT FAILS, THEN IT WILL SEPERATE FROM THE KNUCKLE. THE KNUCKLE HOLDS THE WHEEL IN PLACE. SO, IF THE BALL JOINT FAILS THERE AS HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THE WHEEL WILL COME OFF.