2002 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

2002 DODGE DAKOTA PARKING SAFETY FAILURE: MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVE-WAY; NEITHER IGNITION KEY WAS IN THE VEHICLE NOR THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK DOWN THE DRIVE-WAY; LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE PROPERTY. THE DEALER, CARL GREGORY DODGE IN ATLANTA GA, FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND IT TOOK THE DEALER 4 DAYS TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER FINALLY INFORMED THE DEALER THAT IT WAS A BAD CASTING IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN PARTS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND YET THE DEALER HAS NO KNOWLEDGE AND THERE WERE NO RE-CALL. MY FRIEND ALSO TOLD ME A SIMILAR INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY ON DODGE DURANGO. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND A LITTLE BOY WAS KILLED. BOTH VEHICLES USE THE SAME STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. DODGE NEEDS TO MAKE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM.*AK

ONLY 27689 MILES SAFETY FRONT END COMPONENTS FAILED POWER STEERING RACK SEAL LEAKING FLUID.SWAY BAR BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED.SEAT RIGHT REAR COMING APART PASS SIDE PLASTIC RECLINER HANDLE BROKE MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4 SPORT HAS HAD SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS MAKE A POPPING SOUND WHEN STEP ON BRAKES OR MAKE A SHARP LEFT TURN. I NOW HAVE 29900 MILES AND THE POUNDING AND NOISE HAVE NOT STOPPED. VEHICLE FEELS LIKE YOU WILL LOOSE CONTROL WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE HIGHWAY. *AK

THE PASSANGER SIDE FLOOR FLOODS WITH ABOUT A GALLON OF WATER EVERY WEEK. SO EVERY WEEK FOR THE PASE TWO MONTHS, I HAD TO REMOVE THE CARPET AND SOAK UP THE WATER WITH TOWLES. SO FAR IT CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK

BAD VIBRATIONS IN FRONT BRAKES. ROTORS WERE VISIBLY WORN AND HAD PITS IN THEM. THIS WAS ONLY AFTER 16,000 MI. ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING, NO TOWING OR OFF ROAD DRIVING. WAS OUT OF WARRENTY AND HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT MANY HAVE THIS ISSUE. COULD PROVE TO BE A SERIOUS ISSUE IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF.*AK

FRONT ROTOR ON 2002 DAKOTA WARPING FOR SECOND TIME. HAD THEM TURNED ABOUT 10,000 MILES AGO AND ARE ALREADY STARTING TO WARP AGAIN. DEALER OFFERING NON-WARRANTY SOLUTION. DEALER ADMITS IT IS COMMON WITH THE DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS BUT THERE IS NO RECALL NOTICE ON THEM SO THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE DRIVER LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DEPLOY. *NLM. *AK *CB *JB

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE IN APRIL 02 I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATION WHEN STARTING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. BASICALLY WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL THERE IS A DEAD SPOT (HESITATION).IF THE VEHICLE ACCELERATOR IS IN THE DEAD SPOT AND THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED THIS CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION. *NLM

MY ROTORS ON MY DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 (2002) BEGAN TO WARP AT 15,000 MILES. I AM NOW AT 40,000 MILES AND THE VIBRATION HAS BECOME SO BAD THAT I WILL BE REPLACING THEM. THIS PROBLEM IS SO BAD THAT IT IS A VERY BAD SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS BEFORE 80,000 MILES. IN MY OPINION A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THIS SAFETY DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE. *NLM

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED/PULSATE/OUT OF ROUND. PADS ARE STILL OK, HAVE TORQUES LUG NUTS EVERYTIME TO 95 FT/LBS WITH A HAND TORQUE WRENCH. REAR BRAKES DRUMS ARE CONSTANTLY ADJUSTED. *NLM

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN THIS DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB 4X4 SHIFTS WITH SUCH FORCE IT THROWS THE PASSENGERS NECK AROUND. IT HANGS IN LOWER GEARS AND DOWN SHIFTS WITH TOO MUCH FORCE. THE WORD SMOOTH HAS NOT BEEN ENTERED IN THIS TRUCKS COMPUTER. *JB