2005 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I BOUGHT A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA ON FEB OF 2005. FROM THE VERY START I HAD A BAD VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE UNDER HEAVY BRAKING. WE FIRST TOOK THE VEHICLE AFTER 2000 MILES TO HAVE IT LOOK AT. DODGE COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM SO I TOOK IT BACK ANOTHER 7 TIMES BEFORE I ASKED FOR REPLACEMENT UNDER THE OHIO LEMON LAWS. DODGE CONTACTED ME IN EARLY OCTOBER WANTING TO LOOK AT THE TRUCK AGAIN BUT BEFORE I COULD BRING IT BACK IN, I GOT IN A ACCIDENT THAT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE NON WORKING BRAKES. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WHICH PUT A WOMEN IN THE HOSPITAL, MY WIFE TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO GET FIXED AND THE DEALER THREW HER OUT. WE LATER LEARNED THAT DODGE, DURING SOME RECALL WORK, NOTIFIED IT'S DEALER NETWORK NOT TO DO ANY MORE WORK ON THIS VEHICLES BRAKES. THIS FORCED US TO GO HIRE A LAWYER TO SUE FOR COMPENSATION. ALL ALONG I WAS STILL DRIVING THIS DANGEROUS VEHICLE. I GOT A CALL FROM THE LAWYERS ON MAY 30 TELLING ME THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE DEALER AND SELL THE VEHICLE BACK. I DID JUST THAT, THE DEALER LIED TO ME, TOLD ME HE DID NOT HAVE THE PAPERWORK YET, WHICH HE DID, AND NOT TO CALL HIM. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD CONTACT ME WHEN HE RECIEVED THE PAPERWORK. IN THE MEANTIME MY WIFE GOT IN A ACCIDENT JUNE 14, AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY BRAKES AND PUT ANOTHER PERSON IN THE HOSPITAL. NOW THE LAWYERS WANT ME TO FIX THE TRUCK AGAIN AND HURRY UP AND SELL IT BACK TO DODGE, SO THEY CAN GET THEIR MONEY. THEY SAID THAT I SHOULD NOT PURSUE ANYTHING ELSE. DODGE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TRAMPLE OVER ME LIKE THIS. THIS ISN'T RIGHT SOMEBODY SHOULD BE OUT THERE PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE AVERAGE PERSON. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED, NHTSA RECALL, # 05V460000, REGARDING THE POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN HAWAII AND THE CONTACT IS UNABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SENT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND EXPLAINED THEY WOULD NOT SHIP THE PART TO A MECHANIC IN HAWAII NOR WOULD THEY PAY FOR THE REPAIR BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, BRAKING MUST BEGIN 150 FEET PRIOR TO THE STOPPING POINT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, ROTORS AND DRUMS, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 55-65 MPH, THERE IS A VIBRATION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, MULTIPLE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED; INCLUDING THE REAR SHAFT AXLE, ACTUATORS, DRUMS, 6 NUT WHEELS, CALIPER, ROTORS, THE MASTER CYLINDER COVER, AND AXLE SEALANT AND SEALS. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

THERE IS A PULSATION IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM WHEN STOPPING. FIRST HAD FRONT ROTORS TURNED, REAR AXLES & DRUMS REPLACED AT 3,081 MILES (4 MONTHS OLD). HAD FRONT ROTORS REPLACED AT 8,561 MILES (11 MONTHS OLD). STILL FEEL PULSATION WHEN SLOWING FROM 45-50 MPH. *NM

WITHIN ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE OF OUR 2005 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB, WE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE THE VIBRATION IN THE TRUCK. WE HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK IN OVER 7 TIMES. AXLES, ROTORS, WHEEL BEARINGS, ETC., HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. A ZONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DCC SAID "IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE." BULL!! IF THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC, WHY WERE WE NOT TOLD ABOUT IT WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WE TOO ARE WAITING FOR A RECALL THAT WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE ISSUED! WE WANT RESULTS. FIX OUR TRUCK AND MAKE IT RIGHT...*NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 55 MPH THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SIX TIMES FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ENGAGING THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE WAS GOING STRAIGHT IT WORKED. THE MORE THE CONTACT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THE WHEELS TENDED TO STICK AND NOT WANT TO ROLL. THE FRONT WHEELS TENDED TO LOCK IF TURNING IT ALL THE WAY TO RIGHT OR LEFT. IF VEHICLE WAS OFF ROAD AND GOING DOWN GRASSY SURFACE AND HAD TO TURN THE WHEEL, THE BACK WHEELS WILL PUSH THE VEHICLE OR CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE WHERE HE WANTED TO GO. IF VEHICLE WAS ON A PAVEMENT IT JUST LOCK OR FROZE UP. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED IT WAS THE NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *AK

MY TRUCKS STEERING WHEEL PULSATES WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED ABOVE 40 MPH AND UNBEARABLY AT SPEEDS OF 60 TO 65. WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK IT WILL SHIMMY AND SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHEN GOING OVER ANY ROAD SERVICE THAT IS NOT PERFECTLY FLAT. I WILL NO LONGER OPERATE THIS VEHICLE WITH MY WIFE OR CHILDREN IN THE CAR. NO ONE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO TOW WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE PULSATION THROUGHOUT OUT THE TRUCK WILL GET YOU SICK. YOU WILL FEEL AS THOUGH YOU ARE ABOUT TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE AT ANY MOMENT DUE TO ITS INSTABILITY. AFTER A HALF HOURS USE IN TRAFFIC MY BRAKES HEAT UP AND FEEL LIKE A CAR WITH THE ABS BEING ACTIVATED EVERYTIME YOU TOUCH THE BRAKE. MY DEALER HAS MADE FIVE ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS TRUCK, THEY TRIED TO BLAME GOOD YEAR FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE TIRE. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO A GOOD YEAR DEALER AND THEY CONCLUDED THE TIRES ARE FINE AND THERE IS NO UNUSUAL WEAR PATTERN, I HAD THE SAME TIRES ON MY DURANGO. I HAVE ONLY 8,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK AND FEEL I HAVE SPENT TO MUCH TIME TRYING TO BE A TEST FOR DODGE TO CORRECT ITS ENGINEERING MISTAKES. I AM GOING TO BEGIN THE LEMON LAW PAPERWORK. PLEASE MAKE DODGE TRY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOME IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT HIGH SPEEDS, THERE WAS A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION THROUGH THE FRONT END AND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE BRAKE DRUMS, DISC, AND SHOES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.