2005 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL POPPING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SWAY BAR AND THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

JUST LIKE OTHER 2005 DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS REPORTED WITH THE STEERING RACK PINION FAILED. FLUID LEAK AT STEERING RACK PINION WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO PULLED TO RIGHT. IT FAILED TO TURNED BACK TO RIGHT AFTER FAILED. COULD HAVE BEEN WORST IF NOT FOR ME WENT TO AN OPEN FIELD. NO INJURY OR DAMAGED REPORTED. IT SHOULD HAVE NOT FAILED ON TRUCK WITH ONLY 39500 MILES.

IN JANUARY 2009 I REPLACED THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION IN MY 2005 DODGE DAKOTA SLT 4X4 TRUCK. VIN NUMBER [XXX]. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION COST ME $3200.00, NOT TO MENTION THE HASSLE OF BREAKING DOWN WHEN I WAS VISITING OUT OF STATE. IN 2010, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE COMPONENT THAT ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. COSTING ME ANOTHER $300.00 RECENTLY WHILE USING MY HEATED SEAT OPTION, IT BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT AND THE SEAT COVER. I AM TIRED OF FIXING THIS TRUCK,AND IF I COULD GIVE IT BACK I WOULD, BUT SINCE THE HEATED SEATS ISN'T A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM, I WANT CHRYSLER TO ABSORB THE COST OF GETTING THIS CHECKED AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP. NOT ONLY DO I WANT YOU TO COVER THE COST OF FIXING THE ISSUE, BUT I ALSO WANT THE HOLE IN MY SEAT FIXED AS WELL. *TR

THE PINION GEAR SHAFT TO MY DIFFERENTIAL SHEARED OFF JUST AFT OF THE TAPERED ROLLER BEARING IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSING. THE PORTION OF THE SHAFT STILL ATTACHED TO THE DRIVE SHAFT THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL JOINT AND THE ROLLER BEARING PULLED OUT OF THE HOUSING AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE GEAR SHAFT. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A MAINTAINED DIRT ROAD. NO MODIFICATIONS OF ANY KIND HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE AND ASIDE FROM OCCASIONAL USE ON MAINTAINED DIRT ROADS, NO OFF-ROADING OR OTHER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED. CONSIDERING THE MILEAGE AND LIGHT USAGE OF THIS VEHICLE, THIS IS A VERY UNEXPECTED FAILURE. A GEAR SHAFT OF THIS TYPE SHOULD NOT FAIL, CERTAINLY NOT BEFORE THE U-JOINT ITSELF. THIS WOULD THEN SEEM TO MOST LIKELY BE A RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS IS CLEARLY A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS THIS FAILURE IS FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE DRIVE SHAFT DRAGGING ON THE GROUND AND A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. A FAILURE OF THIS TYPE AT HIGH SPEED WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

DRIVING VEHICLE, TURNED ON SEAT WARMERS, BACK STARTED GETTING VERY WARM AND A TERRIBLE SMELL. PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD, GOT OUT, SMOKE COMING FROM SEAT AND TWO BURN HOLES IN FABRIC.

2005 AND EARLY 2006 DODGE DAKOTA'S EQUIPPED WITH THE 8.25 INCH REAR AXLE HAVE A DEFECTIVE BRAKE DESIGN. THEY UTILIZE A SINGLE SPRING BETWEEN THE REAR BRAKE SHOES WHICH CREATES VARYING DEGREES OF BRAKE SHUDDERING UPON APPLICATION. IN ADDITION MANY OF THESE TRUCKS ARE EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE AXLES WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHUDDERING PROBLEM. IN LATE 2005, DODGE ISSUED A TSB TO THEIR DEALERS ON HOW TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS. THIS WAS SOON SUPERSEDED BY TSB 05-002-006. I PURCHASED A TRUCK WITH BOTH THE DEFECTIVE BRAKES AND DEFECTIVE AXLES IN AUGUST OF 2005. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER TSB BY CHRYSLER CORPORATION. I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE IS OVER ONE YEAR OLD THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE COST OF REPAIRING THESE FACTORY DEFECTS TO AN IMPORTANT SAFETY SYSTEM. DODGE ISSUED TWO TSB'S AND BEGAN INSTALLING A PROPERLY DESIGNED REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY ON ALL NEW DAKOTAS BUILT AFTER JANUARY 2006. I BELIEVE THAT DODGE SHOULD ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY RECALL FOR ALL AFFECTED 2005 AND EARLY 2006 DAKOTA TRUCKS AND REPAIR THEM FOR LITTLE OR NO COST TO THE OWNER. THIS PROBLEM HAS UNDOUBTEDLY INCREASED THE RISK FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS DUE TO DIMINISHED BRAKING POWER AND DRIVER REACTION TO THE PULSATING PEDAL ON HARD BRAKING. IN ADDITION, NUMEROUS OWNERS HAVE PROBABLY PAID FOR UNNECESSARY AND INEFFECTIVE REPAIRS SINCE THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS DESIGN DEFECT MIMIC THOSE OF OUT-OF-ROUND BRAKE DRUMS. *TR

WHILE ENTERING HIGHWAY (40MPH) MY VEHICLE WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN THAT RESULTED IN MINOR IMPACT DAMAGE WITH BRUSH AND DITCH. WHEN I REMOVED THE FLAT TIRE (LEFT FRONT), I FOUND THAT THE SWAY BAR LINK HAD SNAPPED. THIS 2005 DODGE DAKOTA ONLY HAS 58,00 MILES AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN HOUSE HOLD CHORES AND LOCAL DRIVING. I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS THROUGH ON-LINE FORUMS ABOUT THESE SWAY BAR LINKS, BUT DODGE HAS NO RECALL POSTED. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MUCH WORSE ACCIDENT HAD THERE BEEN OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS ON OR BESIDE THE ROAD WHEN MY VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I CANNOT PROVE, BUT BELIEVE THAT THE SWAY BAR FAILURE CAUSED MY SPIN-OUT AND THAT DODGE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR RESULTANT DAMAGES. *TR

AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLLY IN A 40 MPH CRASH IN MY 2005 DODGE DAKOTA PU. CRASH INVOLVED THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE INTO CONCRET BARRIER ON INTERSTATE. IN THE PAST, I HAVE REPORTED AN ISSUE WITH THE "CHECK AIR BAG LIGHT" COMING ON AND STAYING ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME FROM THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS NEW AND UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY INVESTIGATED WITHOUT FINDING ANY ISSUES. TODAYS INCIDENT CAUSES ME GREAT CONCERN OF POTENTIAL FAILURES IN OTHER FRONTAL CRASHES WITH MORE SERIOUS INJURIES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE GROUND WHICH ALSO PLAYED A PART IN THE VEHICLE SLIDING INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LEFT TIRE ROD CAME APART, BUT THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT. THE DEALER SAID THE RIGHT SIDE TIE ROD WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60000. UPDATED 01/11/2011*LJ

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I WAS REFERRED TO YOU BY WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM.THEY FELT THAT WHAT I HAD TO SAY MAY BE SAFETY RELATED. I HAVE A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW. STARTING IN MAY OF 2010 I STARTED TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT, OR MAYBE REAR END, ONLY WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT.I HAVE BEEN TO 3 GARAGES AND THE LAST ONE BEING A DEALERSHIP. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS, BOTH FRONT STAB LINKS, BOTH TIE RODS,BOTH REAR STAB LINKS, AND AS RECENT AS THIS SEPT.,BOTH LEAF SPRINGS. THE TRUCK STILL HAS THE SAME NOISE AND I'M OUT 2000.00. THE DEALER DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. NOW, ALL THIS HAPPENED BEFORE THE TRUCK TURNED 50,000. MILES. I KNOW IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. I ALSO,KNOW NOW, THE MANUFACTURER'S HAVE STUDIES ON HOW LONG A VEHICLE IS TO LAST IN ORDER FOR THE CONSUMER TO GIVE IT A PASSING GRADE AS TO BY IT AGAIN. I HAVE HAD MANY TRUCKS IN MY DAY AND I MAINTAINED ALL JUST AS WELL AS THIS ONE. I HAD AN S10 4X4 WITH 120,000 MILES ON IT AND THE FRONT AND REAR END WAS AS TIGHT AS THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. AN ACCIDENT ENDED THAT VEHICLE. I THINK DODGE SHOULD FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG AND FIX IT AT THEIR EXPENSE. NOT MINE OR THE DEALERSHIP BUT, THEIRS!!!!!! I KNOW MY PURCHASE WILL NOT MAKE OR BREAK DODGE. HOWEVER, I AM ONE AND DONE WITH DODGE PRODUCTS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT MY TROUBLES WITH MY DAKOTA. I'M ASKING YOU TOO, TO GO ON LINE AND GOOGLE DODGE DAKOTA 2005 FRONT END OR SUSPENSION TROUBLES. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME! *TR