2003 DODGE DAKOTA Complaints

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT QUAD CAB 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. I'VE HAD AN EMBARRASSING SQUEAK IN MY STEERING AND FRONT END FOR 4 YEARS. AFTER LISTENING TO IT FOR A WHILE AFTER PURCHASING, I TOOK IT TO TRAIL DODGE ON 08/26/04 AND COMPLAINED. THE SERVICE NOTE SAID "CUSTOMER STATES THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE FROM RIGHT SIDE SUSPENSION AREA WHILE DRIVING. INSPECTED AND ROAD TESTED AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMER'S CONCERNS, NO NOISES HEARD AT THIS TIME (WET OUT) DID INSPECT FRONT END ALL IS TIGHT." IT TOOK IT IN TO FURY MOTORS, SOUTH ST. PAUL, MN, AT ABOUT 36,000 MILES AND THE SAME. THEY COULD NOT FIND IT AT THAT TIME. NOISE PERSISTED, TILL IT'S NOW EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ALL TOGETHER. TODAY, MAY 12, 2008, I BROUGHT IT BACK TO FURY MOTORS, BECAUSE OF THE SOUND, THAT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE (NOW 50,000 MILES), AND THEY TELL ME I NEED BOTH UPPER AND BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS, TO THE TUNE OF $1500!!!! THEN I GET ON LINE AND FIND OUT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL (NHTSA ACTION #EA03023). I CALLED FURY MOTORS TO LET THEM KNOW AND THEY STATE MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IT HAS BEEN THE SAME SOUND THAT WAS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, AND NOW I FIND OUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS AND I'M NOT COVERED??? PLEASE HELP! *TR

DURING OCTOBER OF 2007 THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA WENT BAD. ALL LIGHTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WOULD GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER A LOT OF ONLINE SEARCHING AND READING FORUMS IT SEEMED THAT A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CTM'S. MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AT THE TIME AND THE COST FOR A NEW CTM WAS $253.00 PLUS COST TO GET THE AUTO KEYS RESET. THE DEALER SAID NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, SO I HAD TO PAY. I PUT IT IN MYSELF. I CALLED CHRYSLER CORP. AND THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. MY MAIN QUESTION WAS AND STILL IS, THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. TRAVELING AT NIGHT WITH ALL LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF COULD VERY WELL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE BY CHRYSLER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 5-10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD THUD COMING FROM THE AXLE AREA. THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED COMPLETELY. EVENTUALLY, THE HORN BEGAN TO SOUND INTERMITTENTLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN WIPING AUTOMATICALLY, AND THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CONTINUED TO CHIME. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT ALL THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS SWITCH) WAS REFERENCED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,700.

2003 DODGE DAKOTA WITH SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEADLIGHTS, WIPER DELAY, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. HE STATES THAT THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEAD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AT ALL. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY DIDN'T HAVE A RECALL IN THEIR SYSTEM AND REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE AT NO CHARGE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE BALL JOINTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 71,000. UPDATED 03-25-08 *BF UPDATED 03/25/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DRIVES THE VEHICLE, THE CENTRAL TIMING MODULE FAILS AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS DIM. THE HEADLIGHTS, DOME LIGHT, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND DOOR LOCKS FAILED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. CHRYSLER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH) AND WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

REPLACE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS, SCREWS AND STUDS ON RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES OF ENGINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AND THE DOOR AJAR INDICATOR DISPLAYS SPORADICALLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH) AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER RECALL NUMBER B32. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, WHICH WOULD COST $500. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NHTSA WAS THE AGENCY THAT ISSUES RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000. UPDATED 01/29/08 *BF

25JAN06 TELL DODGE DEALER THAT PASS WINDOW INOP FROM PASS SIDE SWITCH WORKS FROM DRIVERS SIDE SWITCH. DODGE REPLACE SWITCH. 20APR06 TELL DODGE DEALER PASS WINDOW INOP FROM PASS SIDE BUT WORKS FROM DRIVERS SIDE. DODGE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. PERSISTS UP TO 7DEC07, HOPEFULLY MY MECHANIC FOUND THE TROUBLE. 1DEC07 "SERVICE 4WD" LIGHT CAME ON 3DEC07 CALLED TO GET APPTMT FOR TRUCK 4DEC07 REMOTE DOOR ENTRY WOULDN'T WORK OR DOOR LOCK FOR ALL DOORS ON DRIVER ARM REST, WINDSHIELD WASHER AND WIPER PULSE WOULDN'T WORK 5DEC07 HEADLIGHTS DID NOT COME ON DURING EVENING TRAFFIC COMMUTE, TURN SIGNALS WORKED 7DEC07 TAKE TRUCK TO SHOP FINDS SHORT TO GROUND IN CIRCUIT TO INTO LIGHTS (FUSE#1) PNK WIRE NEAR PARKING BRAKE PETAL, REPLACE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE (P/N 56049072AL). *TR

I OWN A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA (PICKUP) PURCHASED NEW (I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER). THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT 23,000 MILES (UNDER WARRANTY). THEY ARE NOW BAD AGAIN AT 78,000 MILES (NO WARRANTY NOW, THIS BILL WAS ON ME)! THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE ALSO REPLACED TWICE (THOSE ARE UNDER AN OFFICIAL NHTSA RECALL). MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. THESE PARTS SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT THIS OFTEN, AND I FEEL THIS IS A BAD DESIGN! THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE (IN MY OPINION) AND ALSO A BIG EXPENSE FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. I FEEL THE LOWER BALL JOINTS SHOULD ALSO BE AN OFFICIAL NHTSA RECALL!!! *TR