2000 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

THERE HAS BEEN A FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP IN MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA SLE WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE.... 60K MILES, OUT OF WARRANTY...!! 60000 MILES !! THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT CLAIMS THAT IT WAS DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP OF THE PICK UP TUBE OF THE OIL PUMP. I CHANGED THE OIL OFTEN AND USE A GOOD QUALITY SYNTHETIC OIL... NO WAY "SLUDGE" COULD BE BUILT UP DUE TO THE OIL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS ENGINE HAVING BEEN KNOWN TO MAKE SLUDGE ON THE INTERNET... GREAT...!! IN A RELATED MATTER, I HAD THE OIL FILLER TUBE REPLACED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AS IT WAS SLUDGE UP... THE SERVICE FELLOW REPLACED A BAFFLE AND CAP ON THE FILLER TUBE.. THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SLUDGE BUILD UP ON THE INSIDE OF THE TUBE ASSEMBLY. ARE THE TWO RELATED..? I WOULD LIKE FOR DODGE TO PAY FOR THE OIL PUMP REPLACEMENT IF THEY KNEW BEFORE HAND THAT THIS ENGINE INDEED MAKES SLUDGE. *JB

ON MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA MY STEERING KNUCKLE SNAPPED PAST THE TIE ROD ON THE WHEEL PART OF THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE IF THE VEHICLE (FRONT) THIS PART IS APPROXIMATELY A 1 INCH BY ONE INCH OF SOLID STEEL. THIS RESULTED IN A CRASH WITH A PARKED MANATEE COUNTY PATROL CAR. I BELIEVE THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE SNAPPED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. THE INVESTIGATING POLICE OFFIER AGREED. I WAS NOT ISSUED ANY TRAFFIC VIOLATION AFTER THE OFFICER SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED . I PLAN TO BE FOLLOWING UP ON THIS WITH A PHONE CALL TO YOUR AGENY. I WONDER HOW MANY TICKING TIME BOMBS ARE OUT THERE? I AM AWARE OF THE RECALL OF UPPER BALL JOINTS FALLING OFF AND I AM WONDERING IF MAYBE DEFECTIVE STEEL IS THE CAUSE. *NM

I READ IN TODAY'S PAPER ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION OF 2004-05 DAKOTAS AND DURANGOS WITH THE INVESTIGATION INTO STEERING LOOSENESS AND PROBLEMS - OUR 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB HAD TO HAVE THE SHAFT REPLACED DUE TO A BROKEN CONNECTION - IT HAD LOOSENED FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL IT AFFECTED OUR DRIVING. THE DEALER REPAIRED IT TO THE TUNE OF $ 250 AND ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER MY MINISTER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER DODGE DURANGO ALSO 2000 - THE MECHANIC EVEN SAID "DO YOU KNOW A MRS. KSIONZYK FROM YOUR TOWN - I JUST REPLACED THE SAME THING ON HER DAKOTA" I DON'T THINK THIS IS A COINCIDENCE - THIS IS A VERY SMALL DEALER AND COMMUNITY. *JB

POWER LOCK ACTUATORS ALL FAILED ONE AFTER ANOTHER. THE FIRST ONE TO FAIL WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR IN 2002. THE OTHER REAR AND PASSENGER FRONT FAILED IN 2004 AND NOW THE DRIVER'S POWER LOCK ACTUATOR IS MALFUNCTIONING. IS THIS COMMON AND SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL IF SO?*JB

DT: 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONSUMER HAD AN INDICATION THAT IT LOOKED LIKE A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT UNLESS THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ON THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. SPOKE TO A MECHANIC, HE SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON NOW THAT THE AIRBAG WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND GO REFERENCE NUMBER 14124132. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS BEGAN AT NOON ON OCTOBER 4, 2005. . THE STEREO WAS COMPLETELY OUT. THIS OCCURRED WHEN ACTIVATING THE TILT ON STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS RADIO CONTROLS THAT GO THROUGH VIA THE CLOCKSPRING. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON DODGE DAKOTA ON A HILL. NO CRASH BUT I HEARD THIS IS HAPPENING TO TONS OF DODGE TRUCKS AT AROUND 70,000 MILES. SOME ONE COULD GET HURT. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. *NM

2000 DODGE DAKOTA DEVELOPED A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECENTLY READ WHERE THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT REGARDING A SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

BRAKES, OUT OF ROUND OR WARPED ROTORS AND DRUMS, PREVENTS SMOOTH STOPPING AND LOCKS-UP INDIVIDUAL WHEELS. FRONT ROTORS AND REAR DRUMS REPLACED TWICE IN 50K MILES, AND WORN OUT AGAIN. *JB

2000 DODGE DAKOTA RECALL #119667 (UPPER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT). I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO GET THE RECALL PERFORMED AND I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO PAY FOR AN ALIGNMENT TO SET CASTER, THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THE TOE ADJUSTMENT IS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT NOT THE CASTER, DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGREES WITH THEM. I HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS OF REPAIRING CARS FOR 18 YEARS AND 99% OF VEHICLES THAT HAVE UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED NEED A CASTER ADJUSTMENT. DODGE NEEDS TO INCLUDE THIS IN THE RECALL AND GIVE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAID FOR THIS ADJUSTMENT THEIR MONEY BACK. *NM

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT. THE COLOR IS SOLAR YELLOW. IN LATE APRIL OF THIS YEAR, I NOTICED THAT MY CLEAR COAT WAS STARTING TO PEEL AND IT WAS TURNING WHITE IN OTHER SECTIONS OF MY TRUCK. I TOOK IT INTO A DODGE DEALER WHICH TOLD ME THAT THE CLEAR COAT IS TOO THIN ON ALL PANELS. HE CONTACTED CHRYSLER TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG, AND THEY DENIED TO FIX IT SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SO I WROTE THEM A LETTER ASKING THEM TO RECONSIDER SINCE IT WASN'T MY FAULT THAT THE CLEAR COAT WAS TOO THIN ON THE WHOLE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY.