2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

MULTIPLE SUSPENSION COMPONENT FAILURES PLEASE REOPEN INVESTIGATIONS INTO DODGE DAKOTA/DURANGO PRODUCTS. STABILIZER BUSHINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED, STEERING INPUT SHAFT FAILED AND REPLACED ONCE.

1. YEAR OLD TRUCK NO WRECKS 2. SOMETHING LEAKING, WET CARPET ON PASSENGER SIDE FROM DAY ONE. 3. THEY REPLACE BACK WINDOW SEAL BUT LEAK STILL OCCURS.

I LOVE THIS VEHICLE, HOWEVER WILL JOIN THE MASSES REPORTING A FAILED UPPER BALL JOINT AT 55,000 MILES, 3 SETS OF WARPED FRONT BRAKE DISCS AND LACK OF PROPER BRAKING FOR THE ABS SYSTEM.

CONSUMER HIT AN IRON POLE WHILE CROSSING RAIL ROAD TRACKS AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, AND NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE IS AT THE BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *NM

THIS IS MY SECOND POSTING. MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB IS STILL DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE FOUR WHEEL ABS SYSTEM WILL NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN A PANIC SITUATION. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED HARD, THE ABS KICKS IN AND RELEASES THE WHEELS BUT IF I LET OFF WHEN THAT HAPPENS AND REAPPLY THE BRAKES, THERE IS ALMOST NO BRAKING. THE PEDAL SEEMS TO HIT A BLOCK AND THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO ROLL ALMOST FREELY. THE PROBLEM IS REALLY EXACERBATED OVER ROUGH SURFACES OR ON WET PAVEMENT. I'VE LEARNED TO GIVE MYSELF ABOUT FIVE TIMES THE NORMAL SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE BUT THAT JUST RESULTS IN PEOPLE PULLING IN FRONT OF ME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GAP AND THEREBY TAKING AWAY THE SAFETY MARGIN I NEED WITH THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE MANY POSTS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM. IS ANYONE THERE LISTENING? THE DEALERS CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT ARE TOLD BY CHRYSLER THAT THE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE IN A ACCIDENT BEFORE YOU INVESTIGATE AND PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS?

DT: HEADLIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING. ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING, THE WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE HIGH, LOW SELECTION FOR WIPERS DOES WORK. KEYLESS ENTRY DOES NOT WORK. CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO COURTESY TIRE TWICE, THEN TO BBC DODGE THREE TIMES FOR ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. THIS STARTED AROUND 11/26/04. WAS TOLD THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A LOOSE GROUND WIRE, SECOND TIME THEY THOUGHT IT WAS TIMER MODULE PART NO#TI-8035033 AND THIS MODULE WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES, PROBABLY FOUR TIMES AS CONSUMER IS TAKING CARE AGAIN TOMORROW. WHEN THE MODULE IS FIRST PUT IN EVERYTHING WORKS WELL FOR AWHILE OR UNTIL IT RAINS. CONSUMER STATES HE NOTICES THAT AFTER IT RAINS EVERYTHING LISTED ABOVE STOPS WORKING AGAIN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED HIS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REPORT THIS SITUATION. *NM THE TRANSMISSION MADE A HARSH SOUND WHEN IT WAS PLACED INTO GEAR. *SC *JB

DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTOR CORPORATION P.O. BOX 21-8004 AUBURN HILLS, MI 48321-8004 ATTENTION: QUALITY ASSURANCE MY DODGE PRESENTLY HAS 49,200 MILES. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED AT RECOMMENDED AND REQUIRED INTERVALS AT MANAHAWKIN DODGE APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3,000 MILES. EARLY INTO MY OWNERSHIP I HAD INTERMITTENT TROUBLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THEY TRIED TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. THEY DID A RECHARGE OF THE SYSTEM AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD AT 28998 MILES THAT THE "PULSING" WHEN MY BRAKES WERE APPLIED WAS DUE TO "HOT SPOTS" ON MY FRONT ROTORS. WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN TO A RELATIVELY NEW TRUCK THAT IS USED AS A PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE I WAS TOLD THEY REALLY "DID NOT KNOW BUT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE OTHERS." IT IS NOTED THAT I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS ON MY PREVIOUS NISSANS. THAT ENDED UP COSTING ME $393. I BEGAN HEARING A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND INTERMITTENT DELAYED SHIFTING INTO GEAR RESULTING IN THE TRANSMISSION BEING SERVICED WHICH INCLUDED CHANGING FILTERS, LUBRICANT, ETC. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MY UPPER BALL JOINT WAS WORN AND REPLACED ONE SIDE ONLY. THIS I SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SOME DODGE VEHICLES AND I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DAIMLERCHRYSLER REGARDING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE PART. TODAY I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD PLAY IN THE RIGHT FRONT BALL BEARING AND THE HUB NEEDED A TOTAL REPLACEMENT. ALONG WITH THAT A STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT ONCE IT WAS COMPLETED. WHEN I ASKED HOW AXLE BEARING COULD GO BAD WITH THIS LOW A MILEAGE I WAS TOLD THAT THE HUB IS SEALED AND NO WAY TO LUBRICATE AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BAD. IN ADDITION, I HAVE A NOISY LEFT LEAF SPRING THAT NEEDS A PART. THE COST FOR THE FRONT HUB IS OVER $600. I RARELY GET OVER 16 MILES PER GALLON EVEN I THE BEST DRIVING CONDITIONS. SINCERELY, CHARLES W. STAUFFER CC: NHTSA NJ DIVISION CONSUMER AFFAIRS FILE

MECHANIC DETECTED FAILING BALL JOINT, FRONT RIGHT I WAS INFORMED CONDITION COULD FAIL, AND VEHICLE COULD BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE HAD MECHANIC REPAIR DEFETIVE BALL JOINT. CHRYSLER REFUSED WARENTEE, AS THEIR DEALERSHIP DID NOT REPAIR DEFECT.

2002 DODGE DAKOTA EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND THE KEY FOD ACCESS.*MR THE TI MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS. *NM

ABS SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. REAR WHEELS LOCK UP AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN ROAD IS WET THEN RELEASE BRAKES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. DOES SAME IF REAR WHEEL HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE DURING BRAKING. BRAKES RELEASE DURING MILD STOPS. THIS CONDITION HAS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE ACCIDENTS. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.