1999 Dodge Dakota complaints

UPON TRYING TO TRADE IN THIS VEHICLE, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT HAD BEEN REPAINTED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMS THAT THAT IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. HOWEVER, THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE HAS DECREASED GREATLY DUE TO THIS. I WAS OFFERED $7,000 AS A TRADE IN VALUE. THE DEALER WOULD LIKE TO REPAINT, BUT I FEEL THEY SHOULD REPLACE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

I COMPLAINED ABOUT A VIBRATION DURING BRAKING, WAS TOLD THE ROTORS AND PADS WERE WARPED, I HAD THEM RESURFACED AT 350.00 AND LESS THAN A MONTH LATER I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM... ALL THIS AT 19,000 MILES (ALL HIGHWAY MILES) CHRYSLER SAYS IT'S NOT A WARRANTY ITEM......*AK

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHING SOON AFTER VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEICLE, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLS DURING IDLE. *YH

THE REAR ABS FAILED AT 6002 MILES, IT WAS REPAIRED ON 06/16/2000 BY DON SCHMID DODGE,FAILED AGAIN AT 6102 MILES, REAR BRAKES DRAGGING TO THE POINT OF SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN ON BOTH FAILURES. ODOR OF HOT BRAKE LININGS AND RED HOT DRUMS ON THE FIRST FAILURE. *AK

IDLING IN PARK ON FLAT LAND, SLIPPED INTO REVERSE AND HIT PARKED CAR. 2 PREVIOUS INCIDENTS OF REVERSE INTO NUETRAL WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE. 3 INCIDENTS OF DRIVE INTO 2ND. SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF "SETTLING" SOUNDS WHILE IN DRIVE. MANUFACTURER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG AND REFUSING TO PERFORM WARRANTY REPAIR.

RIGHT SIDE EXCESSIVLY WEARING TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/30R15 )

WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD HAD TO APPLY BRAKES SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. ABS LIGHTS CAME ON, WHEELS LOCKED UP, AND DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD FLUCTUATE TO MAINTAIN STEERING CONTROL. *AK

I HAVE HAD BOTH PROBLEMS (ABS AND TIRE FAILURE) ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS. THE DATE ON THE REPORT WAS FOR THE MOST RECENT. I CAME AROUND A CURVE TO THE RIGHT, THEN TURNED TO THE LEFT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT FOR THE ROAD AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I STARTED HEADING FOR A DITCH IN SOMEONE'S YARD SO I APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED UP THEN RELEASED COMPLETELY. MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT CAUSING STEERING TO BE NONRESPONSIVE. IN MY FIRST ACCIDENT, I WAS FOLLOWING A FRIEND COMING FROM A LIGHT THAT JUST TURNED GREEN, AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO TURN, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THEY LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT RELEASE SO I TURNED THE WHEEL TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT CAUSING ME TO SLIDE ON THE WHEEL INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER MOTORIST. I HAVE WITNESSES IN BOTH CASES THAT SAY THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AND THAT I WAS NOT BREAKING ANY LAWS. NO CITATION WAS GIVEN IN EITHER CASE BECAUSE THE OFFICERS AGREED THAT I DID NOTHING WRONG.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/55/R17 )

WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF VHEICLE HITING A TREE, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOLY WITHOUT INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CHRYSLER DECLARED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. AFTER THREE TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE REAR BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE 9 INCH REAR DRUMS DID NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH FRICTION TO EFFECTIVELY STOP THE WEIGHT. I REPLACED THE DRUMS WITH FACTORY 10 INCH AND THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. CHRYSLER THEN REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME, AND DECLARED MY WARRANTY VOIDED. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER DAKOTA OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THE FRONT ROTORS ARE BEING WARPED AT 3000 MILES AFTER REPLACEMENT. *AK

I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY FOR A DEER. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED PROPERLY AND HELD ME AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK AND MY WIFE WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE DASH. I SUBSEQUENTLY CHECKED THE SEAT BELT AND FOUND IT WOULD NOT LOCK AT ALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ORDERED AND INSTALLED A NEW ONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE THE NEW SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK EITHER. THE SERVICE MANAGER TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THAT IF I FIRST WOULD LET THE BELT GO BACK AND THEN YANK ON IT IT WOULD WORK. I ASSURED HIM THAN IN A FRONTAL CRASH A BODY AT REST DOES NOT GO BACK AND THEN FORWARD. I REMINDED HIM THAT EINSTEIN FIGURED THAT OUT A LONG TIME AGO. HE SHOWED ME A JEEP IN THE SHOP WHOSE SEAT BELT ALSO WORKED THE SAME. I ASKED HIM TO SHOW ME A NEW DAKOTA AND COMPARE THE RESULTS. UPON CHECKING THE NEW DAKOTA HE FOUND THAT THE SEAT BELT INDEED LOCKED PROPERLY EACH TIME IT IS PLACED UNDER RAPID DECELERATION LOAD. HE AGREED TO ORDER ME ANOTHER SEAT BELT. I AM CONVINCED THAT SINCE I ALREADY HAVE A DEFECTIVE BELT AND THEY SENT ME ANOTHER DEFECTIVE BELT THAT DODGE HAS A LARGE INVENTORY BOTH ON THE ROAD AND IN THEIR WAREHOUSE OF BAD AND UNSAFE SEAT BELTS FOR THE DODGE DAKOTA. *AK

NOISE IN THE CLUTCH, DEALER MADE REVISION BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *SLC

PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT 10-15 MPH WHILE RAINING WINDOWS FOGGED UP, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER WAS MAKING A TURN AND HIT A POLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEARD NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. RIGHT/LEFT BALL JOINTS AND UPPER CONTROL ARM HAVE BEEN REPLACED, WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE FRONT BUMPER HAS BEGUN TO RUST. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT ALL THE TIME, CONSUMER FEARS THAT CAR MAY LOSE CONTROL, AND THERE MAY BE AN ACCIDENT. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. *AK *ML

NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF STEERING MECHANISM. HAS BEEN IN SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF SHOCKS, HOW2EVER THE DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 35-40 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AIR BAGS LIFT AND PEEL. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE IN NEUTRAL OR CLUTCH DEPRESSED WILL REV UP TO 3800 RPM'S WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICKLE HAS BEEN IN A CHRYSLER REPAIR SHOP 6 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS RETURNED EACH TIME. I FEAR THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE KNOCK. DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX TWICE USING TECH BULLETINS AND PROBLEM PERSISTS. ONLY FIX I HAVE FOUND WAS TO USE HIGHEST OCTANE FUEL. OWNERS MANUAL STATES ONLY 87 OCT. IS REQUIRED AND RESULTING DAMAGE FROM PROLONGED SPARK KNOCK MAY NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. A SERVICE TECH. STATED TO ME THERE IS NO FIX AVAIL. FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THERE ARE OTHER KEYS ON THE RING THE OTHER KEYS WILL GET JAMMED IN THE STEERING WHEEL DUE TO A HOLE IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSING. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK

AT A STOP OR SLOW RATE OF SPEED,AND TURNING STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO LEFT/TO RIGHT ,IT WILL HANG UP IN THE POSTION ,WILL NOT RETRACT BACK. DEALER HAS REPLACED RACK AND PINION AND STEERING COLUMN. DEALER CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO CLEAR LAKE DODGE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, AND NO PROBLEM WAS DETECTED.NEXT DAY THE OWNER REMOVED DRIVESHAFT AND FOUND WELDED BALANCE WEIGHT HAD COME OFF .OWNER TOOK DRIVESHAFT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND POINTED OUT PROBLEM AND NO SATISFACTOY SOLUTION WAS REACHED.

WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

5.2L ENGINE HAS A LOUD KNOCK WHEN WARM AND ACCELERATING PAST 2200RPM. THE ENGINE ALSO BURNS 2+ QTS OF OIL BETWEEN SCHEDULED CHANGES. CORTESE DODGE TWICE HAS TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED AT 9000 MILES, STILL THERE AT 12000 MILES

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50-60 MPH AND ACCELERATING , GOING UP HILL, ALL SERVICE LIGHTS WILL COME ON, AND FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS ALL BRAKE/HAZARD/DIRECTIONAL HEADLIGHTS ETC., WILL BECOME INOPERATIVE. BUT ENGINE WILL STILL RUN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEFECT. *AK

TOW RATING LOWERED FROM 6400LBS TO 2000LBS

VEHICLE GETS SQUIRELLY WHEN TOWING TRAILER 5000 POUNDS)WITHIN RATED 6000 WHEN PURCHASED

THE STRUCTURE IS BLEEDING THROUGH THE PAINT. VEHICLE SHOWING BLACK/BROWN SPOTS THAT LOOK LIKE BEGINNING OF RUST. BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEALER & MANFACTURER. OFFERED TO BUFF VEHICLE. WAS ALSO INFORMED GENERAL MANAGER WILL BE IN TOUCH & SO FAR HAS NOT. *AK

REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS ARE CONSTRUCTED ON HARD PLASTIC AND HURT CHILDREN DURING SUDDEN BRAKING, CONSUMER REPLACED PLASTIC WITH PADDING TO PREVENT POSSIBLE INJURY. MJS

WHILE MAKEING A SUDDEN STOP WHEN THE ROADS WERE WET FRONT BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TRAVELING, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

TIRE AND RIM IDENTIFICATION LABEL APPLIED TO ALL 1999 DAKOTA R/T PICKUP TRUCKS INCORRECTLY STATES RIM SIZE, TIRE SIZE AND TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 120

I WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE VEHICLE COLLISION WITH MYSELF BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO OTHER PICKUP TRUCKS. THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME HAD A TRAILER HITCH ON THE BACK CAUSING ALL OF THE IMPACT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FRONT END RESULTING IN A U-SHAPED INDENTATION GOING BACK INTO THE ENGINE OF MY TRUCK. THE COLLISION WAS ON AN INTERSTATE AND WE WERE MOVING AT APPROX. 50MPH SLOWING DUE TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPING SUDDENLY. I STRUCK THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, BOUNCED BACKWARD, THEN WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR VERY HARD PUSHING ME BACK INTO THE FRONT VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DEPLOYED. LATER SPEAKING WITH THE ACCIDENT APPRAISER HE STATED THAT THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE LOCATED ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRONT BUMPER AND NOT IN THE MIDDLE. BY THE IMPACT BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FRONT END THE SENSORS WERE NOT TRIGGERED BECAUSE THE SENSORS NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A COLLISION. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED, THERE WERE INJURIES FROM MOVING FORWARD, THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. SHOULDN'T THERE BE SENSORS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT ENDS ALSO JUST FOR THIS TYPE COLLISION, I.E. ALL OF THE IMPACT BEING IN THE CENTER OF THE FRONT END. THANK YOU.

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SPEED CONTROL; WHENEVER SPEED CONTROL IS ENGAGED WHILE GOING UP AN INCLINE OR WET SURFACE, IT CAUSES SUDDEN ACCELERATION. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIOS. REPAIRS / REPLACEMENT OF THROTTLE CABLE & TRANSMISSION MADE, AND PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER.*AK

DRIVER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING CHEST INJURIES, EVEN WITH SEATBELT WORN. *AK

VEHICLE BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VIBRATION. ALSO, WHENEVER VEHICLE RUNS OVER A ROUGH SURFACE OR A BUMP, IT CAUSES ERRATIC OPERATION OF POWER STEERING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND CORRECTION STILL UNRESOLVED. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

THERE IS A CRACK/POP AND SHIMMY FROM THE FRONT END AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS . DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK

TRANSMISSION WAS INCORRECTLY INSTALLED AT FACTORY, CAUSING SPROCKETS AND TRANSMISSION TO WEAR DOWN. DEALER WILL REPLACED TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

I HAVE HAD THREE THINGS WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK. ALL HAVE BEEN BECAUSE THE FACTORY DID NOT PUT THE PARTS TOGETER RIGHT IN THE FIRST TIME.I HAVE THE TRUCK IN THE SHOP FOR THE NOISES, IF IT IS NOT FIXED TO THE STANDARDS OF A NEW 1999 TRUCK, I WILL LIKE A DIFFERENT TRUCK. IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, I WILL SELL THIS AND NEVER BUY FROM DODGE AGAIN!!!

THE REAR END IS MAKING NOISE AT 40MPH, UNABLE TO RECTIFY REAR END NOISE. *AK BRAKE ROTORS WARPED BEFORE 12,000 MILES CAUSING BRAKE PULSATION. *MJS

WHEN FOOT IS ON GAS PEDAL THE MOTOR RACES, BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

FRONT BAKES LOCKED UP AND REAR BRAKES DID NOT WORK WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES THE BRAKES. NLM

TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FOR STANDARD - ON THE ROAD - USE. AT NO TIME PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE WAS IT REPORTED THAT, AS EQUIPPED, THE OWNERS MANUAL PROHIBITED THE USE OF TIRE CHAINS OR TRACTION DEVICES ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS SEVERLY RESTRICTS USE OF THE VEHICLE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISPUTE SETTLEMENT WHO REFUSED TO HEAR THE CASE AS IT WAS NOT "BROKEN". RATHER THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS LIMITED BY DESIGN. THE INABILITY TO USE TIRE CHAINS OR TRACTION DEVICES REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE WHEN USED ON THE ROADS DURING WINTER MONTHS. DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION AND THE DEALER OF PURCHASE POINT FINGERS TO EACH OTHER, ADVISING THAT EACH IS A FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND THE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS WITH THE OTHER PARTY. REPEATED CALLS TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION AND THE DEALER OF PURCHASE HAVE FAILED TO DISCOVER THE REASON FOR THE RESTRICTION. CONSEQUENTLY, I MUST ASSUME THAT TIRE CHAIN USE WOULD REPRESENT AN OPERATIONAL RISK.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P255/65/15 )

THE ENGINE PINGS IN NORMAL OPERATION AT SPEEDS FROM APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 70+ MILES PER HOUR AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS-UP. THE DEALER, DISPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS, HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WHICH, IN MY ESTIMATION IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DEALER CAN NOT (OR WILL NOT PERHAPS) SAY THAT THE PROBLEM WILL NOT LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE ENGINE OR SOME SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT. THE DEALER ADVISES THAT THEY HAVE CONTACTED DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ADVISE THAT WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCKS, LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE POWER LOCKS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

AN AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER LEGAL INVESTIGATOR IS TO INSPECT TRUCK TODAY 9/2/99. AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF THIS INCEDENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY A PASSING MOTORIST. THE WAS ORIGINALLY REPORTED TO NHTSA ON 8/30/99 VIA TELEPHONE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER HAD NO BRAKES/ NO POWER STEERING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *AK