1998 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A CHEVROLET, CELEBRITY AT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHILE WE WERE ON A TRIP TO PALM COAST, FL ON THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2001. THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED FROM NORMAL TO 0. WE PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT. THE TRUCK WAS STILL RUNNING, HOWEVER WE CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TOW IT TO THE NEAREST DODGE DEALERSHIP. WE TOLD THEM TO TAKE IT TALLAHASSEE AS WE WERE IN MADISON. AFTER ONE WEEK BEING IN THE SHOP THEY TOLD US THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN DUE TO NON-MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGES). WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED. IT WAS NOT EVERY 3000 MILES BUT IT WAS SUFFICIENT. THEY TOLD US THAT THE OIL HAD NEVER BEEN CHANGED IN THIS TRUCK. THIS IS TOTALLY UNTRUE. WE GAVE THEM RECEIPTS WHERE IT WAS CHANGED AND THEY SAID THE INSPECTOR FROM CHRYSLER HAD TO CHECK IT OUT. WE HAD TO PAY RUSSELL DODGE OVER $200.00 TO BREAK IT DOWN JUST FOR AN INSPECTION. THE INSPECTOR FOR CHRYSLER CAME AFTER 3 DAYS AND SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SO MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR PRESTIGE INFINITI DEALERSHIP IN TALLAHASSEE AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO THEIR GARAGE TO LOOK AT. THEY TOLD US THE ENGINE WAS GONE AND THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. WE BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE 6 CYLINDER 1998 DODGE TRUCK ENGINES, BECAUSE WE CAN PROVE THAT THE OIL WAS CHANGED, THEREFORE SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE WAS NOT WORKING AND CAUSED A BACK UP OF OIL OR SOMETHING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE FUNNY THING IS THAT WHEN WE CALLED TO GET A REPLACEMENT ENGINE, THE PERSON WE ORDERED IT FROM SAID THEY HAD SOLD 17 ENGINES FOR 1998 DODGE 6 CYCLINDERS IN THE LAST MONTH. NOW COME ON 17 IN A MONTH, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE???? A 1998 IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND OUR ENGINE HAD 42,000 MILES ON IT. SHOULD NOT AN ENGINE LAST MORE THAN 42,000 MILES WITHOUT BEING TOTALLED???? I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG HERE. ALSO THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION WILL NOT SEND US A COPY OF THEIR INSPECTION REPORT DO THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A 10 YEAR OLD WAS ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A TREE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS*AK

A CRACKED FIFTH GEAR LEFT ME COASTING IN NEUTRAL AT 55 MPH ON A SIX LANE LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY, DESPERATELY TRYING TO REACH THE SAFETY OF THE SHOULDER IN LATE EVENING TRAFFIC. *AK

CONSUMER'S SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER SIDE WASN'T RETRACTING ONCE IT HAS BEEN PULLED TO SECURE OCCUPANT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND THERE WAS ONLY A 36,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR SEAT BELTS. NO RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS ON THIRD CLUTCH FAN. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES. FIRST CLUTCH FAN WENT OUT AT 26,000, AND SECOND WENT OUT AT ANOTHER 19-20,000 MILES APART. DEALER COULDN'T EXPLAIN IF THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE PARTS. *AK

REAREND HAS FAILED TWICE , FIRST AT 20,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 25,000 LATER DUE TO BEARING AND RING/ PINION FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE FROM VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT WELDED TO VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING UP A HILL NOTICED VEHICLE NOT GAINING POWER. ALSO, WHILE ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE WILL NOT TRAVEL OVER 45 MPH. TECHNICIAN STATED CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS STRANDED AND WAS UNABLE TO GET TO WORK DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILURE. *YH

DRIVESHAFT DISCONNECTED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 75 MPH, CAUSING DAMAGES TO TRANSMISSON AND ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOTHING WOULD BE DONE. CONSUMER COMPLAINED NOT ABOUT WARRANTY, BUT DAMAGE OF DRIVESHAFT AT LESS THEN 19,000 MILES OF WEAR. ASKING FOR NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK