2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

PREMATURE FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE: REPLACED LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING AT 72,026 MILES; NEEDS REPLACEMENT AGAIN AT 79,505 MILES; 15 MONTHS LATER. (2000 DODGE DAKOTA: P/N: 52009528AE. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE QUADCAB 4.7 PIECE OF CRAP TRUCK THAT I BOUGHT NEW. IT HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED SINCE NEW WITH THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. IN ADDITION, I HAVE REPLACED TWO OF THE COMPUTERS WHICH COST ME ABOUT $1800 COMBINED. FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO IT HAS BEEN RUNNING LIKE CRAP. IT STALLS, THE IDLE SPEED FLUCTUATES DRASTICALLY. AT TIMES THE IDLE SPEED WILL GO FROM 500 TO 2500 RPMS FLUCTUATING UP AND DOWN WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. THE PEOPLE NEXT TO ME MUST WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY VEHICLE LUNGING THE WAY IT DOES. THE SECOND COMPUTER THAT WAS REPLACED WAS DONE IN AN EFFORT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND IT FAILED. IM AM TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON A VEHICLE WITH SO FEW MILES FOR A PROBLEM THAT MANY MANY OTHER DODGE OWNER HAVE EXPERIENCED. I FEEL LIKE I WAS DUPED. MY WIFE'S TOYOTA CAMRY JUST HIT 130,000 MILES AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT. *TR

CLIPS IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL BROKE (BELIEVE THEY HELD THE SPRING TO THE CLUTCH PLATES). CAR IS DODGE DAKOTA 2000, WITH 80,000 MILES OF LIGHT USE ( NO TOWING, LIGHT AND INFREQUENT HAULING) BELEIVE THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT WITH THE CLIPS THAT MAY CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL.*CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE METALLIC BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,000. THE CONSUMER STATED HAD 2 FRONT BRAKE LINES PLUS SECOND LINE BETWEEN JUNCTION BLOCKS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND AFTER INSPECTION REVEALED ADDITIONAL RUST. UPDATED 11/20/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN HE DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. HE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE UPPER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND STATED THAT THE FRONT END WAS OUT OF SYMMETRY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, ROTORS, CALIPERS, AND TIRES. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 101,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 93,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION, BALL JOINTS, AND TIRE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS LATER, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 85,100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,400.

ROTORS AND FRONT BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT PREMATURLY. ROTOR WEAR INDICATES THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH THE CALIPER PRIMARILY APPLYING PREASSURE FROM THE PISTON SIDE WHILE THE OPOSING SIDE SEEMS TO BIND. REAR BRAKES ARE STILL ORIGINAL WHILE FRONT HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES.

TRUCK FUEL LEAK. 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB PURCHASED NEW DECEMBER 1999; MILEAGE 66,000 + ; EXTENSIVE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON VEHICLE, ALSO GARAGED WHEN NOT IN USE; TRUCK IS NOT 4WD AND IS ONLY DRIVEN OVER PAVED ROADS. . STARTED SMELLING FUEL IN GARAGE, THEN COULD SMELL FUEL WHEN TRUCK PARKED IN OPEN, FINALLY COULD SMELL FUEL WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH WINDOWS CLOSED AND AIR / FAN NOT ON RECIRCULATE. WENT TO DEALER, FOUND FUEL DRIPPING FROM VEHICLE TANK. DEALER SAYS IT IS A MOLDED FUEL LINE FROM THE TANK, AND IT IS BEING REPLACED NOW. THIS IS THE SECOND FUEL LEAK IN THIS VEHICLE!! JUST OVER 2 YEARS AGO, THE TRUCK INTERMITTENTLY QUIT WHILE DRIVING,AND IT TOOK 4 VISITS TO 3 DEALERS TO GET THE FUEL PUMP / FILTER DIAGNOSED AS THE PROBLEM. THAT REPAIR LEFT A FUEL LEAK WHICH REQUIRED 2 SUBSEQUENT TRIPS TO DEALER [ AND ONE OTHER REPAIR FACILITY] TO GET REPAIRED. DRIVER / OWNER IS 60+, WITH EXTENSIVE DRIVING EXPERIENCE, HAVING OWNED 3 TRUCKS, AND AT LEAST 10 OVER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE US, JAPAN, AND GERMANY, AND IS A PILOT BY TRAINING. DRIVER / OWNER HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED A FUEL LEAK IN A PREVIOUS VEHICLE; HE ALSO THINKS THAT HIS EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT OUTRAGEOUS , AND THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*JB

THE DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA HAVE FAILED TO WORK. THEY LOCK BUT DO NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE. THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED 2 TIMES AND HAVE FAILED A THIRD . I WAS TOLD THE DOOR LATCH/LOCK ASSEMBLY IS THE PART THAT IS FAILING ALSO THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE IS ALSO IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THE DOORS WILL UNLOCK FROM OUTSIDE WITH THE REMOTE BUT WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE. *JB