2001 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I OWN A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4 SLE THAT WE PURCHASED NEW. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, AND WITH ONLY 49000 MILES ON THE TRUCK CURRENTLY, THE FOLLOWING FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED: (1) (FROM FEBRUARY 2004 TO PRESENT) THE FACTORY-INSTALLED EXTERNAL WIRING HARNESS (FOR TOWING A TRAILER) MELTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, SHORTING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. (2) BRAKES WOULD PULSATE ANYTIME BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DEALER ATTRIBUTED THIS TO WARPING OF ROTORS AND REPLACED PADS AND TURNED THE ROTORS. DEALER NOTED A SPRING ON DRIVER-SIDE CALIPER WAS MISSING AND REPLACED IT AS WELL. (3) THE HEATER/AC CONTROLS FAILED. (4) WENT FOR STATE INSPECTION AND INSPECTOR FAILED TRUCK DUE TO FAILURE OF UPPER BALL JOINTS AND BRAKES. THE SAME BRAKES I JUST HAD FIXED IN FEBRUARY. PREMATURE FAILURE OF BALL JOINTS ATTRIBUTED TO "TYPICAL PROBLEM FOR DAKOTAS/DURANGOS". WELL IF IT'S TYPICAL, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL?? THE DEALER HAD NO ANSWERS. FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF CALIPERS NOT RELEASING PROPERLY CAUSING THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS TO "GLAZE". DEALER OPTED TO PICK UP THE TAB FOR THE NEW ROTORS AND THE NEW PADS, ONLY AT MY REQUEST. THE NEW CALIPERS AND BRAKE LINES STILL COST ME $800. AGAIN I'M WONDERING WHY I'M PAYING FOR SO MUCH ON A TRUCK THAT IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 49000 MILES. (5) UNKNOWN PROBLEM AT STARTUP WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SPUTTER. PROBLEM EXISTS UNTIL ENGINE IS WARM THEN GOES AWAY. TWO DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND NEITHER CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AS THERE IS NO COMPUTER ERROR CODE COMING UP. ALL ITEMS MENTIONED WERE PAID FOR BY ME UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. HAD ANY OF THESE ISSUES BEEN A RESULT OF NEGLIGENCE, OR LOTS OF MILEAGE, OR HAD THE DODGE DEALERSHIP(S) OPTED TO PAY FOR ITEMS THAT WERE THE OBVIOUS RESULT OF POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP, I WOULDN'T COMPLAIN. BUT, THE FAILURES RELATING TO THE BRAKES COULD QUITE POSSIBLY HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH RISKS MY LIFE AND THAT OF MY WIFE, AND DODGE DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. *MR EACH TIME THE ENGINE WAS ON, THE WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON BUT NOT GO OFF. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD PROVIDE A FIX FOR THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *SC THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT HIS PROBLEM WAS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER TOLD THE DEALER HE PURCHASED A WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER TOLD HIM THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ONLY POWER TRAIN ISSUES.*JB

CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, AFTER LOADING THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE CONSUMER EXAMINED THE UNDER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ,AND NOTICED NOTHING WAS WRONG. AFTER A SECOND EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE REAR SPRING BROKE IN HALF. DEALER EXAMINED THE PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT REPAIR IT FOR FREE. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THE RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINT DISENGAGED. VEHICLE WAS MOVING ABOUT 5 MPH AT TIME OF INCIDENT.*AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK TWO WEEKS BEFORE TALKING TO THE DEALER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE COMING APART AND COULD NOT BE TURNED. (DEFECTIVE STEEL, BIG CHUNKS OF METAL MISSING, LAMINATED STEEL) THE DEALER STATED THAT IT SEEMED LIKE POCKETS WERE IN THE ROTORS. *SC *JB

ROTORS WARPED AT 25000 MILES. HAD DEALER REPLACE ROTORS WITH BREMBO ROTORS AND PADS WITH RAYBESTOS CERAMIC PADS. RECEIVED FROM DEALER AFTER REPLACEMENT- BRAKES DRAGGED. TOOK BACK TO DEALER TWICE- FINALLY, DEALER DISCOVERED THAT ABS SYSTEM IS NON-FUNCTIONAL. DC PAID FOR THE PARTS TO REPAIR SYSTEM- LABOR WAS MY EXPENSE ( I HAD TIMED OUT OF WARRANTY). DEALER SAYS THAT NEW PADS ARE CRACKED FROM DAMAGE DONE AFTER REPAIR. HAVE TO REPLACE PADS. *AK

AT 42,000 MILES THE FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY FAILED. AS A RESULT, WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BOUNCED UP AND DOWN. ALSO, A GRINDING NOISE WAS PRODUCED AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE DEALER STATED TIRE LOOSENED ON THE AXLE. *AK

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB AND WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR, AND NEARLY CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER THEY STATED TO ME THAT THE THE BRAKE PAD WAS SHEARED OFF BY THE RIVETS, CAUSING A METAL TO METAL CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR.*AK

MY PICK-UP PASSED VIRGINIA STATE VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION ON 28 OF MAY 2004. ON JUNE 9, I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A BUMPY ROAD AND THE UPPER RIGHT BALL JOINT SEPARATED. *LA

2001 DODGE DAKOTA HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN AND BRAKES.*MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, REVERSE, ETC. THE REAR TIRE ON THE RIGHT SIDE STUCK OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVESHAFT SEEMED TO HAVE ALOT O SLACK IN IT. THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN MAKING SHARP SLOW TURNS. THERE WAS A WHINING NOISE IN THE STEERING AND REAR END WHEN TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. THE BRAKE, ROTORS, CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED BETWEEN 55-8000 MILES. *NM