2000 Dodge Dakota complaints

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK I NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY I DO NOT HAVE AN AUTOMATIC BECAUSE I HAD TO POWER SHIFT DOWN AND I BARELY MADE THE TURN NOT TO MENTION ALMOST HITTING A TELEPHONE POLE. I WAS JUST ABOUT HOME SO I PROCEEDED DRIVING SLOWLY BECAUSE I KNEW I HAD NO BRAKES ,AND I THEN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I QUICKLY THEN GOT TO THE HOUSE AND SPRAYED IT DOWN WITH THE HOSE. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND THE LAST THAT I HEARD WAS THE MAIN SWITCH WENT OUT, WHICH SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. I AM JUST THANKFUL THAT NOBODY GOT HURT. (LUCKILY IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHERE THERE WERE PEOPLE).*AK

FRONT ROTORS WARPED AFTER 6 MO./11,000 MILES, REPLACED ROTORS AND PADS. WARPED AGAIN AT 15 MONTHS, 33,000, BUT USED FOR ADDITIONAL YEAR+. REPLACED AGAIN AT 32 MONTHS/60,000. AGAIN WARPED AFTER 40 MO/73,000, BUT USED 5 MONTHS. REPLACING AGAIN WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE SLOTTED/DRILLED AND KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED.*AK

ROTORS WARPED FRONT ROTORS WARPED DUE TO POOR BACK BRAKES ADJUSTER. *AK

I HAVE 19,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK AND IT HAS HAD 3 BRAKE JOBES ALREADY AND HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS, DEALER IS UNRESPONSIVE, TRUCK PULSATES SO BAD IT'S A ROAD HAZARD. *AK

ROTORS AND DRUMS ON 2000 DODGE DAKOTA NEED TURNED OR CHANGED OFTEN. *AK

FRONT BRAKE DISKS HAVE WARPED TWICE IN 30,000 MILES. I DO MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. HAVE HAD THEM TURNED TWICE, THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM THEY KNOW OF WITH THE ROTORS. *JB

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED. 40,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. BALL JOINTS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THIS. DEALER WANTS $1,200.00 TO CHANGE THEM. TRUCK HAS ALREADY HAD NEW FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, NEW SWAY BAR BUSHINGS, NEW DRIVER SEAT CUSHION, NEW FUEL INJECTORS, NEW ELECTRIC MOTOR IN RIGHT REAR WINDOW. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO "RAM TOUGH". MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO "LIKE A ROCK". OLD PICKUP 1979 CHEVROLET NEVER HAD BALL JOINT PROBLEMS, MUCH LESS ANY THING ELSE MAJOR. THANKS RICK WORSFOLD. *NLM

HAVE HAD FRONT ROTORS WARP 5 TIMES IN LESS THAN 48,000 MILES. DEALER WILL NOT RECTIFY PROBLEM. *NLM

NOTICED PULSATING OF BRAKES AT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES. THE PULSATING HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY WORSE NOW AT 30,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT THE BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFE, PREDICTABLE STOPPING. *NLM

BRAKE ROTORS ARE WEARING AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WILL HAVE A HEAVY VIBRATION, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARP ON 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. I HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS TURNED TWICE, FOLLOWED BY REPLACEMENT OF THE ROTORS, ALL BEFORE 50,000 MILES. THE NEW ROTORS HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO WARP, LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AFTER INSTALLATION. NOTE: BRAKE PADS SHOW NO UNUSUAL WEAR AND HAVEN'T BEEN REPLACED; THE PADS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SACRIFICIAL PART, NOT THE ROTORS!!! ALL WORK HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY CLEAR LAKE DODGE AND ALLEN SAMUELS CHRYSLER, BOTH IN HOUSTON; AT NO TIME HAS EITHER PLACE MENTIONED ANY SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH DAKOTA BRAKE ROTORS. *AK

SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE WARPED BRAKE ROTORS ON NEWER DODGE DAKOTA'S. EVERYONE I TALK TO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. IF YOU REPLACE THEM, THEY GO BACK TO BEING WARPED AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES. *NLM

ELECTRICAL LOCKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED. IF YOU USE THE ELECTRICAL LOCK SYSTEM, THE DOORS DO NOT ELECTRONICALLY OPEN, YOU MUST MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCKS UP TO OPEN AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. YOU CANNOT MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCKS UP TO EXIT THE VEHICLE UNLESS YOU HIT THE ELECTRIC DOOR BUTTON UP AND THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON UP AND THEN OPEN THE DOOR. IF YOU DO NOT HIT THE ELECTRONIC BUTTON, WHICH DOES NOT ELECTRONICALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS BECAUSE IT HAS FAILED, THEN YOU CANNOT EVEN EXIT THE VEHICLE. YOU ARE LOCKED IN, CANNOT ESCAPE. MANUALLY AS WELL AS ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED. IF AN ACCIDENT CAUSES THE DRIVER TO BE PINNED IN THE VEHICLE, OR UNCONSCIOUS OR THE VEHICLE MANGLED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT YOU COULD NOT PUSH THE ELECTRIC BUTTON UP, MY CHILDREN (8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND 11 YEAR OLD SON) WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHAT IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND THEY COULDN'T GET OUT, IF WE WERE UNABLE TO PUSH THAT BUTTON OR THEY WERE UNABLE TO PUSH THAT ELECTRIC BUTTON UP, THE BUTTON MUST BE PUSHED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN ORDER FOR IT TO ALLOW YOU TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD RESULT IN POSSIBLE DEATH. WE TOLD DEALER, THEY WILL NOT FIX, THEY WANT TO CHARGE US $100.00 PER DOOR, I BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I HAVE TO DRIVE TO GET TO WORK, THE DEALER COULD CARE LESS.....WE SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER, THEY COULD CARE LESS AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NOT HAD A FATALITY SO UNTIL THEY DO, THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS SAFETY ISSUE. SOMEONE HAS TO BE

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

THE POWER SEAT ADJUSTMENTS ON THE DRIVER SIDE STOPPED WORKING IN 04/2003. THE SEAT WAS ALSO UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE SERIAL NUMBER FOR THE PART IS 5012532-AA. *NLM

I BEGAN TO SMELL HORRIBLE ANTIFREEZE/MUSTY SMELL (TRUCK HAD ALWAYS HAD MUSTY SMELL, BUT THIS WAS MUCH WORSE). IT WAS SO BAD THAT I HAD TO TURN THE HEAT OFF AND ROLL THE WINDOWS ALL THE WAY DOWN AND KEEP THEM THAT WAY THROUGH THE DEAD OF WINTER BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE SECOND TIME I TOOK IT IN, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM TO LOOK FOR AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK. SEEING AS HOW THEY ARE MECHANICS, THEY SHOULD KNOW THIS WAS A HEATER CORE PROBLEM. I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE THIRD TIME I TOOK IT IN (BY THIS TIME IT HAD GOTTEN TO WHERE HEAVY MIST WOULD COME OUT OF VENTS AND FOG UP THE ENTIRE CAB), THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MILDEW AND CHARGED ME TO CLEAN AND DEODERIZE. WHAT A RIPOFF SINCE THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM, MY VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY, AND IT STILL STINKS! I NOW HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH A DIFFERENT (HOPEFULLY BETTER) DEALER SINCE MY WARRANTY EXPIRES IN THREE WEEKS AND CHRYSLER "CUSTOMER SERVICE" TOLD ME I HAVE TO GET IT FIXED BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRES OR I WILL HAVE TO PAY...EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 10 MONTHS AND IT IS CHRYSLERS FAULT IT IS NOT ALREADY FIXED. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH NEW DAKOTA'S. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEARCH HEATER CORE DAKOTA ON THE INTERNET AND YOU'LL COME UP WITH MANY COMPLAINTS, MOST OF WHICH SAY THAT IF CHRYSLER FINALLY ADMITS THERE IS A PROBLEM, THEN THE PERSON IS STILL OUT OF A VEHICLE FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. HONORING WARRANTY ALS

THE BRAKE SYSTEM OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT WHILE BRAKING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT RELEASE WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A STOP, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE, SHE SAW THE WHEELS WERE HOT, BECAUSE THE BRAKES FAILED TO RELEASE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE DEALER STATED THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

CARRIED 2000 DODGE DAKOTA SLT BACK TO DEALER @ 8496 MILES FOR FRONT END SHIMMIE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS.

CARRIED 2000 DODGE DAKOTA SLT BACK TO DEALER @11503 MILESFOR FRONT END SHIMMIE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDTIONS.

RIGHT FRONT BRAKE STICKING AT RANDOM TIME HAD TO PRY PISTON BACK TO RELEASE PAD AND PREVENT FIRE AND RELEASE BRAKE DRAG. *NLM

POWER STEERING PUMP WENT BAD, CAUSING A MAJOR LEAK OF POWER STEERING FLUID TO BE SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING BOTH THE POWER STEERING TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSING THE DRIVE TRAIN BELT TO BEGIN SLIPPING. *NLM

VIOLENT PULSATION IN THE BRAKES STARTED AT 3000 MILES. PERSONALLY PAID FOR ROTOR RESURFACING AND BRAKE SERVICING. THE PULSATION RESUMED AT ABOUT 10000 MILES. *NLM

I STOPPED THE TRUCK AND PUT IN THE PARK POSITION, I THEN CAME OUT OF THE TRUCK, CLOSED THE DOOR AND THE TRUCK STARTED TO MOVE IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION, I RAN AFTER THE TRUCK TO SEE IF I COULD STOP IT BUT THE REVERSE SPEED WAS TO FAST FOR ME AND THE TRUCK HIT THE TREE DAMAGING THE REAR BUMPER AND I FELL BACK INJURING MY BACK. CHECKED THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT AFTER ABOVE INCIDENT TO SEE THE POINTER POSITION ABOVE "R". I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO DUPLICATE THE SAME SYMPTOM WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. THIS I KNOW FOR CERTAIN YOU CAN NOT GET OUT OF THE TRUCK WHEN IT IS IN REVERSE. *JB

REAR END OF TRUCK IS FAILING. THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURRING ON MANY OTHER DAKOTA'S AND THERE IS SHORTAGE OF USED AND REPLACEMENT PARTS.*JB

TOOK DELIVERY OF TRUCK ON 12/10/99. ON 2/12/00 (4524 MILES) REPORTED PROBLEM OF BRAKE PULSATION WHICH RESULTED IN THE FRONT ROTORS BEING REPLACED ON 5/1/00 (9998 MILES). SINCE THAT TIME, PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON 10/18/00 (21234 MILES) AND 10/15/02 (55228 MILES) AND TURNED TWICE WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD. *JB

THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT, FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER. *JB

BRAKE ROTOR WARPING AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN. I ONLY HAVE 48000 MILES ON MY TRUCK AND I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF ROTORS AND STILL THE SAME PADS WHICH HAVE ABOUT 3/8 OF AN INCH LEFT. THE DEALER TELLS ME IT IS HOW I DRIVE, I DISAGREE WITH THAT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE UNLESS THEY FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL HELP ANYTHING BUT OH WELL. *NLM

THE VEHICLES FRONT BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED PITTED AND WARPED WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *NLM *NLM

THE LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED IN HALF. *JB

BALL JOINTS FAILED. *NLM

WARPING ROTORS ON DODGE DAKOTA. I AM ON MY THIRD PAIR OF ROTOR'S WHICH ARE ALSO WARPED. THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME IT IS THE WAY I DRIVE. I AM SORRY, BUT I DRIVE MY COMPANY VAN A LOT HARDER THAN I DRIVE MY TRUCK, AND IT HAS NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH WARPING ROTOR'S. THIS KIND OF THING REALLY MAKES ME WANT TO BY ANOTHER DODGE, "NOT". *JB

CLUTCH FAILURE (BROKEN CENTER) AFTER ONLY 45000 MILES, ALSO TOOK OUT SLAVE CYLINDER IN THE PROCESS. VEHICLE WAS NOT USED FOR TOWING (OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL STALLED CAR), THE DEALER HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE AND CLUTCHES WERE ON A NATIONAL BACK-ORDER STATUS. PROBLEM MANIFEST ITSELF AS A "CANT GET TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR". WAS INTERMITTENT ALSO, PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN AND NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR 2 MONTHS.*JB

REAR TIRE ON PASSENGERS SIDE STICKS OUT ABOUT 2 INCHES MORE THAN THE DRIVERS SIDE. DEALER CALLED FACTORY. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL CONDITION. *NLM

WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60 AND 75 MPH VEHICLE WOULD SURGE, AND SPEED WOULD INCREASE AND DECREASE. THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. *JB

ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HOUSING GASKET LEAKING. FACTORY INSTALLED. BOLTS FOUND LOOSE.*JB

THERE WAS A STRONG GAS SMELL IN CAB WITH ALL WINDOWS CLOSED. I CLOSED THE VENT, BUT IT WAS STILL VERY STRONG AND GETTING WORSE. NO FUEL LEAKS FOUND. THIS HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES. SEEMS TO BE INTERMITTENT AND NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH RE/FUELING, OR FUEL TANK LEVEL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS POSSIBLY THE ORVR. SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD COMBINATION FOR A EXPLOSION. *JB

THE SLIDING SEAT BELT CLIP ON THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT OF THE 2000 DODGE DAKOTA EXTENDED CAB LOSES TENSION ON VERY SHORT TRIPS (I.E., 3 MILES OR MORE). THIS LOSS OF TENSION HAS RENDERED THE SEAT UNSAFE FOR TRANSPORTING CHILDREN AND ADULTS BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT STAY SNUG AGAINST A PERSON'S BODY AND LACKS A TENSIONING DEVICE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND DESPITE MULTIPLE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE DEFECTIVE CONDITION, THE MANUFACTURER ADHERES TO THE CLAIM THAT THE SEAT BELT OPERATES ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS OR THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT IS NOT MADE FOR TRANSPORTING CHILDREN EVEN THOUGH AN AVERAGE ADULT WOULD NOT FIT FOR LACK OF LEG AND SHOULDER ROOM. NEVERTHELESS, DESPITE THE UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION, MY HUSBAND HAS TRAVELED IN THAT SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT STILL COMES LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMS THAT THE SEAT BELT WILL OPERATE IF POSITIONED AT A PRECISE ANGLE WHICH IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DUPLICATE UNDER NORMAL USE. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE TURNING, MY DAUGHTER'S CAR SEAT FLIPPED BECAUSE THE SEATBELT WAS LOOSE.*JB

THERE SEEMS TO BE A WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. IS THIS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE? THE DEALER SAID IT WAS. I DON'T TRUST THE DEALER. *JB

THE RIM ON THE SPARE TIRE WAS CRACKED ALTHOUGH THE TIRE HAD NEVER BEEN USED. *NLM

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SLACK IN THE STEERING COLUMN. ALSO, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR UNEVENLY. THERE IS A RATTLING AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. *AK *JB

RADIO WAS POPPING DURING DRIVE FROM SEATTLE TO MONTANA. AFTER A DINNER BREAK IN IDAHO, ENGINE DIED AFTER DRIVING ACROSS BRIDGE TO GET BACK ON FREEWAY. SMOKE WAS ISSUING FROM HOOD (REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF HOOD) BEFORE COASTING TO A STOP. VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ENGINE WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED - VEHICILE TOTALLED. FIRE CHIEF (SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO) SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THE FIRE STARTED EITHER IN OR UNDER THE FUSE BOX UNDER HOOD. DODGE SENT A FIRE ENGINEER TO INSPECT VEHICLED BUT WON'T SHARE THE RESULTS.

EXPERIENCED WARPED ROTORS. DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. STATES DRIVING HABITS CAUSED IT. I DISAGREE.

2000 DODGE DAKOTA / MOTOR LOCKED UP AT 52,000 MILES / HAVING TO REPLACE MOTOR

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS OFF TRACK.*JB

VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE STUMP AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASED, THROWING DRIVER INTO THE WINDOW. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS CONTINUE TO WARP, CAUSING TRUCK TO VIBRATE WILDLY UNDER BRAKING. FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE TURNED @ 9K, 15K, 31K. NOW AT 45K UNABLE TO TURN THEM AGAIN AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE. FRONT SHOCKS ALSO BEING REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR.

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *TS. THE CONSUMER BACK WAS BROKE, ALSO THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT HIT HARD ENOUGH FOR THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. *JB

LATEST PROBLEM IS STALLING AT STOPS. ONE OCCURRED WHILE CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS. THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE TRANSMISSION. PH