2001 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

SIDEWALLS HAVE SPLIT ON ALL FOUR TIRES WHICH CAME NEW WITH THE TRUCK, TWO WERE SO BAD YOU COULD SEE THE INNER SIDEWALL. THE GARAGE FAILED THE TRUCK ON INSPECTION, SAID THE TIRES WERE A SAFETY HAZARD. I DID NOT MISUSE THESE TIRES NO 4-WHEELING, NO HEAVY LOADS, NO CONSTANT LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL; WORK WAS 10 MILES ONE WAY. MY MOTHER SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON THE PHONE WITH GOODYEAR AND SULLIVAN TIRE (THE NAME GOODYEAR GAVE US AS THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER). THERE WAS NO SATISFACTION BECAUSE GOODYEAR AND SULLIVAN INSISTED THEY COULD ONLY PRO-RATE THE TREAD ON A REPLACEMENT. THE TREAD WAS NOT THE PROBLEM!!! ALL FOUR TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THEY WERE A SAFETY HAZARD. MY MOTHER PAID $431.71 FOR FOUR NEW TIRES, WHICH IS LESS THAN $100 UNDER THE PRICE SULLIVAN WOULD HAVE CHARGED FOR FOUR NEW TIRES. THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN FREE OF CHARGE! I SEE FROM THE COMPLAINTS ALREADY SUBMITTED THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES. GOODYEAR INSISTED THEY HAD RECEIVED NO OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS TIRE. THEY OBVIOUSLY LIED. DT

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH IN RESULTING INTO A IMPACTING INTO DEER VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

ENGINE IDLE DROPS AND ALMOST STALLS WHEN SITTING AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS. ENGINE ALSO IDLES ROUGHLY. MILEAGE HAS DROPPED FROM 15-16 MPG IN THE CITY; DOWN TO 12-13 MPG IN THE CITY. THE DEALER HAS FLASHED THE ENGINE'S COMPUTER 2 TIMES SINCE AUGUST 2002. BUT, NEITHER FLASH HELPED THE PROBLEMS LISTED ABOVE. TO THE CONTRARY, THE CITY MILEAGE HAS DROPPED TO 11-12 MPG IN THE CITY. MY TRUCK HAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. DT

WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAY ALLUMINATED, DEALER NOTIFIED NOW SPARACTICALLY COMES ON. TS

I DO NOT HAVE THE EXACT DATES FOR EACH TIME THE TRANSFER CASE HAS FAILED, MY DOCUMENTS ARE IN THE VEHICLE, STILL IN IN THE SHOP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT BE THE WAY IT WAS DRIVEN (OF COURSE). I ASSURED THEM THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AND OFFERED FOR THEM TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE (IF THEY CAN REPAIR IT AGAIN) AS LONG AS THEY DROVE IT 20 MILES PER DAY AND ENGAGED THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM FOR AT LEAST 1/2 MILE PER DAY. THESE ARE THE EXACT DRIVING CONDITIONS EACH TIME THE TRANSFER CASE HAS WENT OUT. MY ONLY OTHER STIPULATION IS THAT WHOMEVER DROVE IT, DID NOT TRANSPORT CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE. (NO TAKERS SO FAR) WE LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTY AND OFF THE MAIN ROAD. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IS UTILIZED NOT BECAUSE OF ROUGH TERRAIN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE 45 DEGREE INCLINE (SAVES WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR TIRES). ANOTHER VEHICLE HAS BEEN PURCHASED TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND BECAUSE I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS TRUCK FOR FEAR OF LOSING CONTROL DUE TO YET ANOTHER MECHANICAL FAILURE. WE ARE NOT TALKING WINDSHIELD WIPERS HERE. RUSSEL AT THE DEALERSHIP HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND HAS "NOT RECEIVED ADEQUATE ANSWERS" TO HIS QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS TRANSFER CASE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THEY "NO LONG MADE THIS TRANSFER CASE" WHICH "SHOULD TELL HIM SOMETHING." HE HAS CHECKED THE GEARS IN THE TRANSFER CASE TO ENSURE THE RIGHT GEARS WERE IN THERE AND THEY WERE. HE ALSO THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THE PREVIOUS OWNERS DID NOT ENGAGE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. MY RESPONSE WAS "THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE FIRST TRANSFER CASE...WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TWO? WE HAVE PURCHASED DODGE PRODUCTS FOR WELL OVER 5 YEARS NOW AND LOOK AT NOTHING ELSE WHEN PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE. IT APPEARS HOWEVER, THAT WHEN YOU NEED THEM TO RIGHT A WRONG, IT IS THE CONSUMER WHO IS THE VICTIM, NOT THE BIG CORPORATION. I WILL RETHINK THE PURCHASING OF DODGE VEHICLES FROM NOW ON AND CAN ASSURE THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION THAT MY CUMMINGS DIESEL WILL BE THE LAST DODGE PRODUCT PURCHASED IN THIS HOUSEHOLD. DT

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH (POSSIBLY)THE BALL JOINTS. WHILE HE IS DRIVING THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND THAT GETS WORSE WHEN TURNING ON CURVES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND IS UNABLE TO HELP. TS OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE VEHICLE WILL SLIDE/SKATE OVER ANY BUMP/UNEVEN SURFACE AND CORNER, NOISE IN FRONT END/PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL/PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON-FOUND EVAP LEAK, BAD GAS CAP, REAR BRAKE DRUMS ARE HOPPING, ABS LIGHT ON, INTERNAL MAIL RELAY AND VALVE PLUG SHORTED, AND FRONT INNER BRAKE PAD SPRING CLIPS BENT OUT OF SHAPE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS THE FOLLOWING: REFUND OF THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, LESSEN THE BANK PAYMENTS FOR THE TIME OF USE, AND APPLY A REFUND TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW DODGE RAM. SCC

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 35-45 MPH WHILE ROADS WERE WET CONSUMER HIT GUARD RAILS BOUNCING BACK INTO TRAFFIC. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED ENGINE STALLS AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

WHILE DRIVING AT 30-40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL COLLISION. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

COMPLAINED TO WOODS DODGE IN BREVARD NC ABOUT NOISE IN FRONT AND SLIGHT BUMP IN BRAKES AT 12000 MILES. DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL DUE TO THE TYPE OF BRAKES PADS USED AND SAID TO DRIVE IT. WE DROVE IT UNITL IT HAD 24000 MILES AT WHICH TIME THE BUMPING BECAME A SHAKE DURING BRAKING. I SUSPECTED WARPED ROTORS AND THE DEALER CONFIRMED SAME. THE DEALER TRIED TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR AND ALSO STATED THAT THE PADS WERE BAD DUE TO THE BAD ROROR. I DISAGREED WITH THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND DODGE USED SUBSTANDARD ROTORS THAT HEATED EASILY. IF WATER WAS SPLASHED ON THE ROTORS THEY WOULD WARP. THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY PRESENT IN VECHICLES DRIVEN IN THE MOUNTAINS. I CONTINUED TO ARGUE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER BUT HE STILL CHARGED ME FOR THE REPAIR BUT DID REDUCE THE CHARGE SOME. NOW AT 37000 MILES I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC DID RECOMMEND THAT I BUY AN AFTERMARKEY ROTER SINCE THE DODGE ROTOR WAS NO GOOD! WOW WHAT A COMMENT FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP. ANYWAY THIS IS A DANGERIOUS SITUATION SINCE THE WARPED ROTORS COULD HEAT UP AND CRACK CAUSING A WHEEL LOCK UP. THE WARPAGE CAN ALSO CAUSE REDUCED STOPPING ABILITY. I THINK IF YOU LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER THAT YOU WILL FIND OTHER INFO WHERE THE ROTORS HAVE TO BE TURNED FREQUENTLY BUT DEALERS WHO ARE LINING THEIR POCKETS DUE TO A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND SUBSTANDARD PARTS. IF THESE ROTORS ARE SO THIN OR OF MATERIAL THAT WARP THIS EASILY THEN THEIR SHOULD BE A RECALL AND BETTER ROTORS INSTALLED ONTO THESE VEHICLES. *AK