2004 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

HEATER/AC BLOWER MOTOR WIRING MELTS CAUSING FAILURE OF DEFROSTER, HEATER, A/C, PREMATURE FAILURE OF BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR, ETC. THIS MAY EVEN CAUSE A FIRE IF THE WIRES HAPPEN TO BE TOUCHING COMBUSTIBLES IN THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL WHEN THEY MELT. DODGE HAS RELEASED A KIT TO REPAIR THIS EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM. SEE MOPAR # 5017124AC. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL, NOT A FIX OFFERED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE: 1. WINDSHIELD MAY FOG UP REDUCING VISIBILITY AND LEADING TO ACCIDENT. 2. WIRING GETS HOT ENOUGH TO MELT INSULATION AND CONNECTOR AND COULD EASILY CAUSE A FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TR

THE CLOCK SPRING ON MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA IS BAD. THIS CONTROLS THE AIR BAG AND HORN. THE HORN IS REQUIRED FOR NYS INSPECTION. THIS PART IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE UNTIL NOVEMBER. IN THE MEAN TIME, I HAVE NO DRIVER AIR BAG AND A VEHICLE I CAN'T GET INSPECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY FOR AN ALIGNMENT WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE SEVERELY WORN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR UNEVENLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO UTILIZE EXTREME BODILY FORCE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TEMPORARILY REPAIR THE VEHICLE BY LUBRICATING THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. HE STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO SPRAY THE UNIVERSAL JOINT EVERY 1,500 TO 2,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB AND I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOW REGULATOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I HOWEVER HAVE CHANGED IT MYSELF TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR AND IT WAS ABOUT 95-100$ EACH TIME AND FINALLY DECIDED THAT THE LAST TIME THAT IT WENT OUT THAT I WASN'T GOING TO FIX IT UNTIL DODGE CAME UP WITH A BETTER DESIGN ON IT SO I NOW HAVE A PAIR OF C-CLAMP VICE GRIPS HOLDING MY WINDOW UP. IT IS BAD THAT I CANT ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN BUT ATLEAST I KNOW THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT FALLING DOWN AND THE INSIDE GETTING WET OR VANDALIZED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AREA. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE RESISTOR THAT CONTROLS THE HEATER AND BLOWER HAD OVERHEATED, BURNED AND FAILED. THE CONTACT INSTALLED A NEW RESISTOR HOWEVER, IT ALSO BURNED AND FAILED. HE PURCHASED A NEW RESISTOR AND CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RESISTOR AND THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO FAIL AT A RAPID PACE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HAVING THE DEALER PERFORM DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT HIS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT DECLINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED AND THE NEW RESISTOR WAS NOT INSTALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

I OWN 2 DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCTS, IN THE 6 YEARS I HAVE HAD THESE CARS I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR THE ELECTRIC WINDOW CABLES 9 TIMES AT A COST OF $250.00 EACH TIME. I HAVE ASKED THE LOCAL DEALERS WHY THEY KEEP BREAKING AND I AM TOLD THAT THEY USE PLASTIC PIECES THAT DON'T HOLD UP. THESE PRODUCTS ARE SUPPOSED TO CARRY A LIFETIME WARRANTY WHICH NONE OF THE DEALERS WILL HONOR. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO THE MECHANIC IN MY HOME TOWN AND HE SAID THEY REPLACE AT LEAST 5 TO 6 OF THESE CABLES A DAY. WHY IS CHRYSLER ALLOWED TO USE THESE PRODUCTS WITH NO CONSEQUENCES? THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THE CABLES SNAP WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING AND THE WINDOWS FALL DOWN INTO THE TRACKS. IF YOU ARE IN BAD WEATHER YOU HAVE NO CHANCE OF FIXING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOW CAN I GO ABOUT GETTING CHRYSLER TO RECALL THESE PRODUCTS AND MAKE THERE SUPPLIER ACCOUNTABLE? THINK ABOUT DRIVING ALONG AND YOUR WINDOW JUST FALLING DOWN TO THE TRACK AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. NO LOCKING YOUR CAR FOR SAFETY, NO PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM THE ELEMENTS, NO WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT SHELL OUT MORE MONEY FOR A PRODUCT THAT WILL ALWAYS FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED WITH CAUTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING WHEELS INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN PREMATURE WEAR TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE PART WAS ORDERED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE DRIVER STATED THAT HE WAS DRIVING 40 MPH THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF HIM AND CRASHED INTO HIS VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CENTER AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS VEHICLE WERE DESTROYED. THE FRONT END AND THE FRAME WAS REPLACED. THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WERE INJURED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 78,000.

MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA HAS STEERING PROBLEMS. AFTER TAKING IT TO A DODGE DEALER AND LEAVING IT FOR TWO DAYS THEY ARE UNABLE TO TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STEER. FLUID IS NOT LEAKING, I HAVE DAYS THAT THE STEERING IS BETTER THAN OTHER DAYS..BUT FOR THE MOST PART THE STEERING IS GETTING HARDER EVERYDAY. I FEEL THAT IT IS GETTING VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE,YET I CANNOT GET AN ANSWER TO WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND THIS FORUM, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER 2004 DAKOTA OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. INFACT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2000 TO 2003 DAKOTAS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. YET THE 2004 HAS THE SAME STEERING DESIGN. I THINK THE 2004 DAKOTA SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. PLEASE HELP!! AS I CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANY ANSWERS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THIS STEERING PROBLEM. *TR