2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

DT: WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED THERE WAS ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HORN, AND LIGHTING SYSTEM. ALL OF THEM CAME ON AND OFF ALL BY THEMSELVES. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A DEALER BUT PLANNED TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER WAS REFERRED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NO CORRECTIONS OR REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS OCCURRED. THIS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. NHTSA RECALL 03V389000 WAS ISSUED BUT IT WAS FOR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES ONLY-THE CONSUMER HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA BRAKE CALIPERS LOCK UP, THE DATE BELOW IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON APRIL 20TH 2005, THE LEFT CALIPER LOCKED UP. I HAD THAT CALIPER REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THE RIGHT CALIPER LOCKED UP ON THE RIGHT SIDE ON JUNE 3RD 2005. NOW THE THIRD TIME AROUND AND I HAVE INFORMATION THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. ON AUGUST 12TH I PAID FOR A TOW CHARGE AND CAME CLOSE TO A FIRE. ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT INFORMED ME OF THE SAME PROBLEM HAD THERE CALIPER CATCH FIRE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION HELPS. I HAD NO LUCK WITH THE MANUFACTURER. I WILL TRY AND HAVE THEM HOLD THIS CALIPER FOR YOU TO LOOK AT. THANKS. *NM

DRIVING <30MIN AT 20-50MPH,TOWING A LIGHT TRAILER, WHILE TURNING INTO DRIVEWAY, DEPRESSED CLUTCH, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND STAYED DOWN, DROVE 100 YARDS FURTHER, PARKED, OPENED HOOD. FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM UNDER FIREWALL BELOW BRAKE AND CLUTCH HYDRAULICS AND VISIBLE BEHIND LEFT FRONT TIRE. FLAME HEIGHTS WERE ~6 - 10 INCHES. MOVED OTHER VEHICLES FROM AREA AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE WITH DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER. CHRYSLER FOUND CLUTCH ASY HOSE MELTED, EVAP HOSE MELTED, AND FUEL LINE DAMAGED FROM FIRE. CHRYSLER REPLACED THE HYD CLUTCH ACY, REPLACED EVAP HOSES AND FLEX FUEL LINE. CHRYSLER DID AN INDEPENDENT SPECIAL INVESTIGATION AND CONCLUDED THEY HAD "NO MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY". CHYSLER SUBMITTED BILL FOR $526.54 TO ALLSTATE. ALLSTATE PAYED CLAIM. OWNER'S OPINION IS THAT PLASTIC CLUTCH HYDRAULIC LINE FAILED, SPRAYING HYDRAULIC FLUID ON NEARBY EXHAUST, IGNITING FLUID AND PLASTIC PARTS AND OTHER FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. INVESTIGATOR PHOTOGRAPHED ALL CRITICAL AREAS BUT CHRYSLER DID NOT RETURN OLD PARTS. *NM

EVER SINCE THIS TRUCK WAS NEW IT FEELS AS THOUGH SOME COMPONENT IN THE FRONT END SUSPENSION IS LOOSE, I CAN FEEL IT THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN. FIVE TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO FIND AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM HAVE RESULTED IN: NOTHING OUT OF SPECS ON THE FIRST VISIT; REPLACED THE FRONT SHOCKS ON THE SECOND VISIT; REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY ON THE THIRD VISIT; REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE FOURTH VISIT; AND ALIGNED THE STEERING COLUMN ON THE FIFTH VISIT. LOOKING THOUGH THE CONSUMER COMPLAINT SECTION I FOUND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME EXACT COMPLAINT WITH THEIR DAKOTA TRUCKS. *JB

DT: 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THE CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. DODGE TOLD CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THERE WERE NO DIM LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE. HE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THE DIMMER SWITCH; THERE WERENO FUSES FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL WAS FOR A CENTRAL TIMER MODULE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE LOOKED AT. THIS OCCURRED ON JULY 29, 2005.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER. HOT SPOT ON THE FRONT ROTORS CAUSED PULSATION WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION MADE NOISE AND INTERMITTENT DELAYED SHIFTING. THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING WERE REPLACED. THE RIGHT FRONT OUTER TIE ROD END WAS REPLACED. THE LEFT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS UPSET THAT AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A FULL ALIGNMENT, BUT CHRYSLER WILL ONLY PAY FOR ONE THIRD. SPECIALLY, CHRYSLER WILL ONLY PAY FOR THE TOW IN ADJUSTMENT, AFTER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT. THE RECALL WAS 04V596000. THE TOW IN ADJUSTMENT WAS NOT AFFECTED AS MUCH AS THE OTHER CAMBER AND CASTER. THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE ON THE TRUCK. THE OWNER WAS LOOKING AT A CHARGE OF ABOUT $60.00 THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CONTROL ISSUES WITHOUT THE ALIGNMENT, WHICH WOULD BE THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE CALIPER ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA SIEZED UP CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO OVERHEAT TO THE POINT OF SMOKING.THE BRAKE FLUID WAS RUINED, THE PADS DESTROYED,THE ROTOR DAMAGED, AND THE WHEEL BEARING GREASE BROKEN DOWN. FAIR OAKS DODGE OF FAIRFAX VA HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS INCIDENT. THEY REPAIRED THE DAMAGE AT MY EXPENSE WITH ONLY THE CALIPERS COVERED UNDER WARRENTY. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY INSTANCE OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER BRAKES FAILING IN THIS MANNER. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THOUGHT I WOULD "BUY AMERICAN" AND GET THE DODGE DAKOTA 4 DR CREW. LOVE ITS STYLE, COMFORTS, MORE POWER THAN I NEED (4.7L V8) 2WD HAS NO TRACTION IN SNOW OR ICE. VERY EASY TO DRIVE AND COMFORTABLE 6FT.2 220LBS.(2 TRIPS NJ TO CALIF.) GAS MILEAGE STINKS...13-18MPG, NO LOADS. BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 28K, LEFT TOP BALL JOINT WORN (NO RECALL YET)A/C NEEDED CHARGING, RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARINGS REPLACED 49K, REAR LEAF SPRING NOISY, TRANSMISSION HESITATION OCCASIONALLY. GREAT TRUCK TO DRIVE AND HAUL BUT RELIABILITY REALLY IN QUESTION WITH ONLY 49K. PROBABLY BACK TO NISSAN OR TOYOTA.

DT: WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SAW SMOKE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND WAS SHAKING. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC BUT HE COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS TO MOVE. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CALIPERS FROZE AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE SO HOT THEY APPEARED TO BE READY TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE CONSUMR HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE FAILURE AND TOLD THE CONSUMER TO CALL NHTSA. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK *NM