2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. DEALER STATED THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WILL BW AVAILABLE. *AK

UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, I WOULD HEAR "POPPING" COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. BROUGHT IT IN FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BAD BALL JOINTS. REPLACED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS (LEFT AND RIGHT). THE CONDITION OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE READY TO POP OUT OF THE SOCKET.

INTERMITTENTLY THE BRAKES FAILED TO RELEASE FULLY AFTER BEING DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE PEDAL CAME BACK UP WHEN RELEASED, BUT THE BRAKES DRAGGED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE FRONT ROTORS OVERHEATED. THE DEALERSHIP TURNED THE FRONT ROTORS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED A MONTH LATER. THIS TIME THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS OVERHEATED. *AK *SC *JB

HELLO, I HAVE A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA SXT. I NOTICED WATER ON THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD OF THE VEHICLE. I CLEANED THE WATER AND ASSUMED I HAD LEFT THE WINDOW DOWN AT SOME POINT AND RAIN GOT INTO THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. TODAY I NOTICED THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD WAS SOAKED WITH WATER. I THOUGHT THAT MY HEATER CORE WAS BUSTED BUT THE FLUID WASN'T ANTIFREEZE IT WAS WATER. I PULLED THE CARPET BACK AND TO MY DISMAY THERE WAS 2 GALLONS OF WATER ON THE FLOOR BOARD UNDER THE CARPET. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 41000 MILES AND I THOUGHT THIS TO BE STRANGE AT SUCH AN EARLY TIME OF THE VEHICLE. I DECIDED TO LOOK ON THE INTERNET AND TYPED THE WORDS " DODGE DAKOTA PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD WET" AT MY YAHOO SEARCH ENGINE. I WAS AMAZED WHEN AT LEAST 50 MESSAGE BOARDS WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ASKING THE SAME QUESTION AND PEOPLE REPLYING TO THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE A LOT OF UPSET DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS IN THE MESSAGE BOARDS THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSATION VENT TUBE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM IN MANY DAKOTAS. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP YET BUT INTEND TO. I BELIEVE THERE TO ALSO BE A HEALTH CONCERN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS APPARENT DEFECT. I HAVE NOTICED AN ODOR IN THE VEHICLE IN THE PAST AND IT WAS APPARENT WHEN I PULLED THE CARPET UP TODAY WHAT IT IS. THERE IS MILDEW AND MOLD ALL OVER THE FLOORBOARD OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS CONDITION/WATER DEFECT. PLEASE GIVE THIS MATTER THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. BELOW ARE LINKS TO SOME OF THE RECENT MESSAGE BOARDS I HAVE FOUND REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC DEFECT. HTTP://WWW.WOODALLS.COM/FORUMS/INDEX.CFM/FUSEACTION/THREAD/TID/1543652/GOTOMSG/1569000.CFM HTTP://WWW.DAKOTAUSA.COM/VBULLETIN/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=11124 HTTP://WWW.DODGEDAKOTAS.COM/BOARDS/V8/2141.HTML HTTP://MYDODGESUCKS.ORG/DODGE_TRUCKS.HTM. *JB

CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED UP, AND THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE HOUSE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA A RECALL 04V21600 ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TWO MONTHS AGO. TWO MONTHS LATER, DEALERSHIP STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO CONDUCT THE RECALL. THIS DEALERSHIP IS THE ONLY ONE IN TOWN. THE NEXT DEALERSHIP IS ABOUT 350 MILES AWAY. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT ABS LOCKED UP WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON WET ROAD SURFACE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

FELT PULSING IN FRONT BRAKES DUE TO ROTOR OVERHEATING AND WARPING. BRAKE FAILURE, NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES.*AK

SHAKING IN FRONT END WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, ALSO RATTLE IN FRONT END. DODGE DEALER FOUND FRONT BRAKE ROTORS TO BE SEVERELY RUSTED AND PITTED AND THAT BRAKE PAD CLIPS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF FRONT PADS CAUSING RATTLE. ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED AND OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. DODGE REFUSED TO PAY FOR REPAIRS.*AK

PREMATURE FAILURE ON LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT FOR 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4, 36,990 MILES. POPPING SOUNDS COMING FROM FRONT LEFT, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. I WAS CHARGED FOR THE BALL JOINT CHECK AND DEDUCTABLE ON EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK