1999 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

NOISE IN FRONT END OF 1999 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK WITH ONLY 51,000 MILES ON IT . AD TO REPLACE BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS AND ONE TIE ROD END.*AK

PRIOR TO THE PART REPLACEMENT, I EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING WITH MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THE ENGINE STALLED, THE SPEEDOMETER ACTED ERRATICALLY AND DROPPED TO ZERO, AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS STILL IN GEAR AND MOVING AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, 35 MPH, 25 MPH, AND WHEN JUST STARTING OUT AFTER BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THOSE TIMES WHEN I HAD SUFFICIENT SPEED, THE ENGINE WOULD RESTART WITHIN 10 SECONDS - IF I LEFT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR. AT OTHER SPEEDS, THE TRUCK STOPPED DEAD IN THE ROADWAY - WITH TRAFFIC BEHIND ME HAVING TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES. THE INTERNET IS LITTERED WITH STORIES OF THE FAILURE OF THE ABS/REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR IN DODGE VEHICLES. (FOR EXAMPLES, SEE WWW.DODGEDAKOTAS.COM). THERE ARE, HOWEVER, NO INDICATIONS OF RELATED ACCIDENTS. I SUSPECT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM VIA THE INTERNET AND TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE PART (AT A COST OF $85 +$36.10). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EXHIBITED ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS SINCE REPLACING THE SENSOR. I RETAINED THE FAILED PART. THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT THIS SENSOR SHOULD NOT CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL. THERE ARE NO DIAGNOSTIC CODES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE. MY BELIEF IS THAT THE FIRMWARE FOR THE ONBOARD COMPUTER MUST BE FLASHED FOR ALL MODELS (AND THE ISSUE CORRECTED FOR ANY FUTURE MODELS) SO THAT THE ENGINE IS NOT TOLD TO SHUT DOWN. I WOULD ADD THAT, SINCE THIS SENSOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH EMISSIONS, THE REPLACEMENT AND LABOR SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VENT! *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE HUB ASSEMBLY WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER AND THE DEALER DENIED THE CLAIM. THE WHOLE FRONT TIRE BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AND FRONT END ASSEMBLY. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

BOTH UNPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED THIS MARCH WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC SAID THE BALL JOINTS WERE RUINED AND THAT IT WAS IN LARGE PART TO THERE BEING TO SMALL AND ALSO HAVING NO GREASE FITTINGS.*AK

FRONT END STEERING MECHANISM HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK BOTH OF THE VEHICLE'S LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE STARTER ASSEMBLEY WAS REPLACED. THE BATTERY TERMINALS WERE ALSO REPLACED. *NM

WHEN DRIVING 1999 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP IN TEMPERATURES BELOW -10 DEGREES F OVERDRIVE MALFUNCTIONS. DEALER AT FIRST CLAIMED THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED DO THIS. LATER THEY ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT, DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. MANY OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE NORTHERN STATES UNDER FALSE PRETENCES. *AK

1999 DODGE DAKOTA 77,250 MILES. FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE. HAVING BALL JOINTS REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXEL SEAL LEAKED AND WAS DRIPPING FLUID ONTO THE REAR BRAKES. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED TWICE, PROBLEM RECURRED. ALSO, BALL JOINTS WORE OUT EXCESSIVELY ON BOTH SIDES, UPPER AND LOWER.*AK

I PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HEARD A LOUD THUMP COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TRUCK. I GOT OUT AND PULLED ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE WHEEL BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE THE WHEELS WANTED TO COME OFF. WHEN I PULLED THE TIRE MOVED AN INCH. FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND THE BALL JOINT BOOT SPLIT IN HALF AND NO SIGHT OF THE BACK SIDE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. *LA

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM ONCE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED FOR A SECOND TIME. *SC