2001 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED THE PINON GEAR SHAFT BROKE CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO FALL OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROADWAY. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED SHORTLY AFTER THE DRIVESHAFT FELL INTO STREET. THE TRUCK HAD 56,000 MILES ON IT AND CHRYSLER/DODGE REFUSED TO COVER ANY PART OF THE REPAIR. *AK

WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT AXLE WAS DEFECTIVE, BUT FAILED TO FIX IT UNTIL IT WOULD BE RECALLED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND AGAIN. VEHICLE SLID SIDEWAYS AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON IS 2001 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 QUAD CAB. *PH THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FRONT END NOISE RETURNED AFTER A FEW WEEKS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION IS NOT DESIGNED OR THE EXTRA WEIGHT THAT IT CARRIES OVER THE STANDARD OR EXTRA CAB MODELS. *NM

UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT. DEALER STATED THE PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER AND NOT AVAILABLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, A CLANKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FRONT BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK THE SWAY BAR SQUEAKED. THE BROKEN SEAL CAUSED THE BALL JOINTS TO DRY. *SC *JB

THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE REAR-END LOCKING UP. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE REAR END PINION GEAR LOCKED UP, SHEARED THE BOLTS OFF THE DRIVESHAFT, BROKE THE REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND LEAKED OIL EVERYWHERE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONSUMER ABOUT ANOTHER DODGE VEHICLE THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK *SC *JB

2001 DODGE DAKOTA EQUIPPED WITH A 4.7 LITER EIGHT CYLINDER ENGINE WITH 46024 MILES BEGAN TO HAVE A LIGHT KNOCK. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO METROLINA DODGE WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SPUN A ROD, DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH A EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DAMAGE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE OIL HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED BY DODGE CERTIFIED MECHANICS. MY HUSBAND AND FATHER HAVE CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3500 MILES, BUT ACCORDING TO THE PEOPLE AT METROLINA IF DODGE DID NOT PERFORM ALL THE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE THEN THE WARRANTY IS VOIDED. MY HUSBAND WENT TO METROLINA DODGE TO HAVE THE SERVICE WRITER SHOW HIM THE SLUDGE BUILD UP THAT THEY WERE TELLING ME ABOUT. WHILE HE WAS THERE THE SERVICE WRITER KEVIN ST.CLAIR TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL 4.7 AND 2.7-LITER ENGINES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. KEVIN SAID THAT IT WOULD COST $6500.00 TO REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT, ONE ROD, AND THE BEARINGS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILT UP. *AK

WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS CONSUMER NOTICED A POPPING NOISE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED BY A TECHNICIAN , WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT AXLE HAD PROBLEMS, BUT FAILED TO FIX IT UNTIL IT WAS RECALLED A FEW MONTHS LATER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND AGAIN WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE SLIDING SIDEWAYS AND CRASHING INTO A TREE; VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK

BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED AFTER 29,000 MILES. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE COMPLAINING OF THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND DID NOT FIX IT. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC HE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A BALL JOINT ISSUE. THE VEHICAL IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTEE, AND I AM AFFAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO ASK ME TO PAY FOR THE FIX. I AM WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO CONTACT ME. *AK