2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO A GEAR HIGHER THAN TWO. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ACEUM PISTON, IN THE VALVE BODY BROKE. *AK

WHEN HAVING NEW TIRES PUT ON MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE EFT FRONT TIE ROD WAS LOOSE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND GOT AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE TIE ROD WAS LOOSE AS WELL AS THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. THEY SAID THE BALL JOINTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH OTHER DODGE MODELS (DURANGO). THEY WOULD CONTACT ME WHEN THE PARTS CAME IN. THEY CALLED YESTERDAY (11-18-03). I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR NEXT TUESDAY, 11-25-03, TO HAVE IT FIXED. I HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY TRUCK, AND I ONLY HAVE 47,000+ MILES ON IT. THE WARRANTY WILL PAY FOR ALL BUT THE $100 DEDUCTIBLE AND THE $49.95 FOR THE SUBSEQUENT ALIGNMENT THAT WILL BE NECESSARY. WITH ALL OF THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS YOU HAVE HAD WITH THE DAKOTAS, DURANGOS, JEEPS, ETC. I FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY OF IT. MY HUSBAND SAYS SUSPENSION PROBLEMS LIKE THIS SHOULDN'T OCCUR IN VEHICLES WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE. I DO NOT USE THIS VEHICLE HARD. IT DOES NOT PULL ANYTHING, AND IT DOES NOT CARRY HEAVY LOADS. I AM THE ONLY OWNER.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE CHANGING HIGH BEAMS TO LOW BEAMS THAT HEADLIGHTS WOULD CUT OFF. *AK WHEN THE CONSUMER SWITCHED FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM THE HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE HEAD LIGHTS DIMMER, TURN SIGNAL AND WIPERS IS BAD. *NLM

WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE INSPECTED, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE WEARING PREMATURELY. *AK

FREQUENT POPPING FEELING IN THE STEERING WHEEL COMING FROM FRONT SUSPENSION. ALWAYS RELATES TO FRONT SUSPENSION UP/DOWN MOVEMENT. SEVERAL GARAGES HAVE INSPECTED, BUT CANNOT LOCATE PROBLEM. SUSPECT PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH EARLY SIGN OF BALL JOINT FAILURE. DEALER ADMITS HISTORY FRONT SUSPENSION AND BALL JOINT PROBLEMS IN THIS MODEL. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER WAS FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKES CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND COLLIDED WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS WEARING SEAT BELTS, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES USUALLY LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE TO THE RIGHT THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. *AK

THE RIGHT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE THEN THE FRONT AXLE BROKE AND CAUSED THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. CAUSING MY HUSBAND TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ENDING UP IN A 10-12 FT DEEP DITCH WITH WATER. *LA

TIE ROD BROKE ON A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA.*MR WHEN RETURNING HOME, THE CONSUMER TURNED THE CORNER AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO SLIDE. IMMEDIATELY IT BEGAN TO SHAKE SIDE TO SIDE LIKE A WASHING MACHINE WITH AN UNEVEN LOAD. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD ONTO A PARKING LOT. CONSUMER FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A FLAT TIRE, BUT IT WASN'T. A MAN AND WOMAN WHO SAW THE VEHICLE SHAKING, STOPPED TO SEE IF THE CONSUMER NEEDED HELP. THE MAN WENT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE TIE ROD WAS BROKEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER REPORTED THE FAILURE TO THE MANAGER ON AUGUST 4,2003 AND HE STATED THERE WASN'T A RECALL AND HE WASN'T SURE IF OTHER DODGE DAKOTA'S EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *PH *JB

DEFECTIVE OIL PUMP ON THE 4.7L DODGE DAKOTA ENGINE CAUSES ENGINE TO SEIZE WITHOUT WARNING AND NEED REPLACEMENT.

THE POWER STEERING COOLER LINE WAS CHAFFED(RUBBED A HOLE) FROM A BIGGER POWER STEERING HOSE WITH A GUARD ON IT. CHAFFED LINE TURNED INTO A LEAK OF THE POWER STEERING FLIUD, WHICH IN TIME WILL CAUSE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE TO THE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE THIS IS ON, IS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB PICKUP. HAS A 4.7L V-8 ENGINE W/ AUTOMATIC. HAS ABOUT 60,000 MILES ON IT AT TIME OF LEAK BEING NOTICED . *AK