1995 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I OWNED A 1995 DODGE DAKOTA 4 X 4 THAT LOST THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL ON THE INTERSTATE (AT 65 MPH) IN DECEMBER 1996. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN INTO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP SHOP THE WEEK BEFORE BECAUSE, THE FRONT END WAS MAKING A NOISE AND, PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE SHOP TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ONE WEEK LATER I HAD THIS ACCIDENT .I NOW HAVE A PERMANENT NECK AND, BACK INJURY WHICH REQUIRE ME TO BE ON PAIN MANAGEMENT,HAVE EPIDURALS EVERY 3 MONTHS FOR THE CHRONIC CERVICAL AND,LUMBAR PAIN. I ALSO MISS WORK DUE TO THIS CONDITION. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER DODGE KNEW THERE WAS A DEFECT AT THIS TIME. I CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT, WAS NOT ABLE TO PURSUE THIS DUE TO THE FACT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO A DODGE DEALERSHIP BY THE WRECKER, WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AND, WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO OBTAIN THE PARTS OR, WHEEL FROM MY VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT A EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE DONE TO AVOID ANYONE ELSE BEING PERMANENTLY HURT OR, KILLED FOR CORPORATE GREED. PS..... I HAVE THE VIN # [XXX].. YOUR FORM DID NOT ACCEPT THIS VIN #. ALSO, THIS WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE POLICE AS THIS WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE INVOLVED. BUT, ALLSTATE INSURANCE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS AND, MY MEDICAL COSTS. *NM UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I AM SUBMITTING THIS REPORT AS A RESULT OF THE REPORTED ONGOING INVESTIGATION REGARDING A DAKOTA/DURANGO WHEEL PROBLEM. ON 21 MAY 97 THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY OF MY 1995 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK COLLAPSED JUST AFTER I HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY. VIN NUMBER: [XXX]. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED (INVOICE STATES SEIZED AND BROKEN STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY). I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN NOV 94. I PREVIOUSLY HAD REPORTED A PROBLEM REGARDING A NOISE FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO THE DEALER IN MARCH 95 (BUSHINGS REPLACED); APRIL 95 (REPLACED UPPER SPRING INSULATORS) AND AGAIN IN MAY 96 (FRONT END LUBRICATED). I HAVE THE DEALER REPAIR INVOICES DOCUMENTING THESE PROBLEMS AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. *JB UPDATED 08/03/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THIS IS JUST A RUN DOWN ON REPAIRS I MADE TO MY VEHICLE, BUT THEY ARE PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AT THE FACTORY. FIRST OF ALL, THE BRAKE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS TO HAVE AIR IN THE FRONT CALIPHERS TO WORK. I HAD TO PUT BEARINGS IN BOTH FRONT AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLIES. THE FRONT ONE CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITHOUT A BEARING IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY.

WHEN I DRIVE 50 + MILES, TRANSMISSION WON'T UP SHIFT UNLESS I TAKE FOOT OFF GAS, IT HAS DONE THIS ABOUT 12 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN FEB . ALSO TRUCK HAS ROLLED AHEAD WHEN IN PARK 6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN FEB.

WHEN TRYING TO USE HEADLIGHTS HIGH BEAM, THE HEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT ALL TOGETHER. BILL LUKE DODGE REPLACED A COMPONENT AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. A VIBRATION WAS NOTED AT AROUD 27 MPH WHEN THE TRUCK HAD LESS THAT 5,000 MILES. IT TOOK TWO TRIPS TO GET THEM TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AN FIX IT BY REPLACING THE DRIVE SHAFT UNDER WARRENTY. YOU ASKED THE QUESTION IF THE TRUCK HAD BEEN IN A CRASH. IT WAS A LESS THAN 10 MPH FENDER BENDER WHEN A VAN PULLED INTO THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ROOF AND SOME ON THE SIDE OF THE BOX.

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE WHEN SITTING DOWN AND I FELL BACK. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THE BOTTOM BOLT AND MIDDLE SCREW SNAPPED. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN IF I WAS ON A FREEWAY.*AK

DRIVER'S SEATBELT LATCH PLASTIC CASE CRACKED, CAUSING SEATBELT TO REMAIN LATCHED. CONTACTED 2 CHRYLSER DEALERSHIPS. ONE WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE OTHER DID A COMPUTER SEARCH FOR ALL DODGE WAREHOUSES. FOUND NO PARTS IN STOCK IN PROPER COLOR. THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 8 MONTH WAIT FOR PART. PART WAS REPLACED BY USED PART, FOUND AT A JUNKYARD. SECOND PART FAILED AS WELL, HELD TOGETHER BY TAPE AT THIS TIME.

THE SHEET METAL ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS TEARING IN TWO PLACES: AT THE DOOR LATCH AND AT THE LOWER HINGE. THE PROBLEM STARTED SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WHEN IT WAS NOTED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR BECAME NOTICEABLY MORE DIFFICULT TO CLOSE. IT FELT AS IF HINGE WAS STICKING. I TRIED LUBRICATING IT. IT DIDN'T HELP. I ALSO NOTED THAT THE LATCH WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SOMETIMES WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR, THE LATCH WOULD CLOSE WITHOUT LATCHING THE DOOR SHUT. I INSPECTED THE LATCH AND SAW THAT THE PLASTIC COVERING THE HOOKING MECHANISM WAS CHEWED UP. (THE LATCH POST ON THE DOORFRAME WAS NOT LOOSE OR OUT OF ALIGNMENT, IT WAS ALSO CHEWED UP.) I OBSERVED THAT THERE IS A ONE-INCH TEAR IN THE SHEET METAL BELOW THE INBOARD SCREW THAT ATTACHES THE LATCH TO THE DOOR. A SIMILAR TEAR IS NOTED AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE LOWER HINGE. I HAVE REPLACED THE LATCH LAST WEEK. THE NEW LATCH IS SHOWING PREMATURE WEAR. THE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IT HAS OPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.*AK

THE RIGHT SIDE FRAME RAIL CRACKED BEHIND THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER. *MR *CB *JB

LETTER FROM EDWARD BAILEY (LA)THE SUSPENSION MADE EXCESSIVE NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, THE BUSHINGS, FRONT SWAY BAR, UPPER CONTROL ARM, SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE ALL REPLACED. ALSO THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING. *TS *JB