1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM BOLT BECAME LOOSE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM CONSUMER COMPALINED OF A NOISE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURED.*JB

I HAVE HAD TO REDO THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND CALIPERS TWICE AND THEY NEED REPLACING A THIRD TIME DUE TO WARPING OF THE ROTORS. THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER TORQUING OF THE WHEEL NUTS WHEN REPLACING THE WHEEL. I GOT THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED TORQUE SETTING AND MADE SURE THE BOLTS WERE HAND TORQUED TO THAT POUNDAGE SINCE THEY CLAIMED "TORQUE STICKS" SEEMS TO BE IN QUESTION. THE ROTORS STILL CONTINUE TO WARP. THE BRAKES FUNCTION BUT THE FRONT BRAKE PEDAL TREMBLES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AND THE WARPING ACCELERATES THE FAILURE OF THE CALIPERS. OTHER LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM ON DAKOTA TRUCKS ON A REGULAR BASIS. TS

CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT NOT STAYING LATCHED. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

WHILE PERFORMING A BRAKE INSPECTION ON THIS VEHICLE I FOUND THAT THE DISC BRAKE PADS THAT ARE USED ON THIS VEHICLE INCLUDE WHAT THEY ARE CALLING A "SHIM" THAT GETS GLUED ONTO BOTH THE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD SHOES WHICH AS NEAR AS I CAN TELL ACTS AS SOME SORT OF CUSHION BETWEEN THE PHENOLIC (PLASTIC) BRAKE CALIPER PISTON AND THE BRAKE PAD IN ORDER TO KEEP THE BRAKE PAD RIVET HEADS FROM COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE PHENOLIC (PLASTIC) CALIPER PISTON AND CAUSING THE CALIPER PISTON TO WEAR PREMATURELY OR EVEN CRACK. THIS "SHIM" IS MADE OF FERROUS METAL AND IS ONLY ABOUT A 32ND OF AN INCH THICK. WITH THE COMBINATION OF HEAT,STRESS AND SALT THAT IS USED ON MICHIGAN ROADWAYS THIS FERROUS METAL "SHIM" IS ENTIRELY INADEQUATE FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE AND HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY IN LESS THAN FOUR YEARS CAUSING THE CALIPER PISTON TO CRACK. A CRACKED CALIPER PISTON IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND CAN LEAD TO COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. IF THIS PART WERE MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL RATHER THAN FERROUS METAL IT WOULD GREATLY REDUCE THE CORROSION OF THIS PART AND INSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL CONCERNED. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE NHTSA IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE AS EVEN THE AFTERMARKET BRAKE PADS INCLUDE THE SAME TYPE OF SHIM.*AK

THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE FRONT TIRES. HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNED EACH TIME AND THE MECHANIC STATED MINOR ADJUSTMENT. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE CAMBER, THE LAST MECHANIC I TALKED TO (8/29/202) STATED THAT HAS HAD SEVERAL DOGDE DEKOTAS IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERS STATE THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM.*AK

INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A TRACTOR-TRAILER. I HIT THE TRAILER AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO SEE, AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CAN HEAR A HUMMING SOUND. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED IT WAS RACK AND PINION STEERING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND WENT BACKWARD INTO THE STREET. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK.*JB

CONSUMER RAN A STOP SIGN AT 30 TO 35 MPH, T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE, FULL FRONTAL INPACT, AND NONE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK