2003 Dodge Dakota complaints

VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. *MR THERE WERE BACKFIRES AT TIMES, THE PEDAL WOULD BARELY MOVE AT STOP SIGNS, WHEN BACKING OUT, THE VEHICLE WOULD STAY IN SECOND GEAR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL THEN SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR, SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE, THEN AS SOON AS IT STARTED TO MISFIRE, THE VEHICLE WOULD DROP TO OVERDRIVE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THERE WAS A WHINE AND OR HOWL IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AROUND 50 MPH, THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NEVER COME ON, SOMETIMES THE SHIFT LEVER WOULD BE PLACED IN PARK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD START, AT TIMES WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE AND THE WOULD HAVE TO BE JERKED AROUND ON THE SHIFT LEVER, THE HEATER CONTROLS WERE INOPERATIVE, AND THERE WERE NOISES WHEN THE LIGHTS ON THE RADIO WERE TURNED ON. THE VALVE ON THE TRANSMISSION WAS CHANGE AND HELPED THE VEHICLE, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED UP OR DOWN IN GEAR IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM. *SC *JB

FRONT SUSPENSION POPPING WHEN STOPPING AND TURNING. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION POPPING WHEN STOPPING AND TURNING. *AK

AT 24775 MILES; THE RIGHT UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA 4X2. *AK

DEFECTIVE GOODYEAR TIRES, SIDEWALL BLOO OUT. *MR

NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON VEHICLE, OPERATED UNDER OPTIMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. FRONT ROTORS WARPED BEYOND REPAIR AFTER 18000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE DUE TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION. ROTORS SHOULD NOT HAVE WARPED AFTER ONLY 18000 MILES. *NM

WORN BALL JOINTS AT LESS THAN 30000 MILES. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM WITH NEW BALL JOINTS. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL COLLAPSED.*AK CONSUMER IS SEEKING CHRYSLER TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE. *LA

ONCE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM A STOPPED POSITION IT BACK FIRED. CONSUMER HAD TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND THE SPEED ONLY REACHED 2-5 MPH. *AK

I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DODGE CHRYSLER DAIMLER TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR CRUISE CONTROL. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT YOU ARE NEVER SURE HOW THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL RESPOND. SOMETIMES YOU NOTICE CARS AND TRUCK WHIZZING BY AND YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE TRAFFIC. BASED THE DEALERS REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER'S BULLETIN ON HOW TO TRY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM BY "RE TRAINING THE COMPUTER", I BELIEVE THE REAL FIX GOES BACK TO THE COMPUTER PROGRAM AND SENSORS USED IN THE SYSTEM. CAN YOU PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS ISSUE FOR ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOUR ADVISE IS? COPY OF PART OF THE CORRESPONDENCE TO DEALER FOLLOWS: DODGE COUNTRY OF APPLETON 4400 WEST COLLEGE AVENUE AS YOU CAN CONFIRM WE HAVE HAD OUR 2003 DODGE DAKOTA IN THREE OR MORE TIMES NOW TO TRY AND FIX THE CRUISE CONTROL. [XXX] THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO MAIN SYMPTOMS: 1) UNEXPECTED SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON CRUISE CONTROL - THESE EVENTS DO NOT SEEM TO COINCIDE WITH ANY SPECIFIC ROAD CONDITION. 2) NON - RESPONSIVE CRUISE CONTROL - THE VEHICLE SPEED DRIFTS DOWN 10 MPH OR MORE OFF OF SET POINT ON A VERY GRADUAL INCLINE WITH NO RESPONSE AT ALL BY THE CRUISE CONTROL. ONCE YOU REACH LEVEL ROAD THE SPEED WILL VERY SLOWLY CREEP UP OVER WHAT SEEMS LIKE SEVERAL MILES. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN CONSISTENTLY OR REPEAT UNDER ANY SPECIFIC ROAD CONDITION. SOMETIMES AT 60 - 70 MPH ON BOTH GENTLE AND STEEP INCLINES THE CRUISE WORKS FINE. SPEED MAY ONLY DROP OF ONE OR TWO MPH AND THE ENGINE DOESN'T EV

DODGE MANUFACTURED MY VEHICLE WITH A 20 GALLON TANK, THOUGH IT WAS BUILT FOR THE SPEC OF A 22 GALLON TANK AND AND ALL THE ELECTRONICS WERE SET TO A 22 GALLON TANK. WHEN I NOTICED THE ERRONEOUS OUTPUT FROM THE COMPUTER I ASKED MY DEALER TO INVESTIGATE. THIS IS WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THAT I HAD A 20 GALLON TANK AND THAT MY MODEL WOULD NOT ACCEPT A 22 GALLON TANK. THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD OTHERS ON THEIR LOT AT THE TIME WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH DODGE HAS PRINTED NEW WINDOW STICKERS FOR SINCE THEN. THE ONLY THING THEY COULD DO IS ADJUST THE COMPUTER TO BE CORRECT. MY COMPLAINT REVOLVES AROUND THE TRUCKS THAT WERE SOLD WITH THIS CONDITION, I BELIEVE A TSB SHOULD BE ISSUED TO CORRECT THE COMPUTERS TO 20 GALLON TANKS AND TO NOTIFY THE OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. SINCE BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO DODGES ATTENTION, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY EVASIVE IN THEIR RESPONSE WHEN I ASKED WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO FOR ALL THE OWNERS AFFECTED BY THIS. I BELIEVE IT POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM IN THAT IF AN OWNER RELIES ON THE COMPUTER, THEY COULD RUN OUT OF GAS AT AN INOPPURTUNE TIME. LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREEWAY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON MD RT 468 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:10 AM ON JANUARY 9, 2004, THE DRIVER OF MY TRUCK HIT A SMALL PATCH OF ICE AT WHICH TIME THE TRUCK WENT INTO A 360 DEGREE SPIN. AT SOME POINT DURING THE SPIN THE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF AT WHICH TIME THE DRIVER LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT RAN OFF OF THE ROAD AND HIT THREE TREES. AN INSPECTION OF THE WHEEL, TIRE ROD AND BALL JOINT REVEALED THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS RUSTED AND SNAPPED OFF. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD METAL BANGING COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE PREMATURELY WORN OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. DODGE SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *SC

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

THERE HAS BEEN A STARTLING NUMBER OF BALL JOINT FAILURES IN THE 1998-2003 DODGE DAKOTA AND DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES. I OWN A 2003 DAKOTA, AND HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECT MINE. BECAUSE MY VEHICLE ONLY HAD 8500 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME, THE BALL JOINTS CHECKED OUT OK. IT WAS HIS ESTIMATION THAT BECAUSE OF THE GREASELESS FITTING, HOWEVER, I COULD EXPECT THE SAME PROBLEM SO MANY OTHER DAKOTA OWNERS HAVE HAD IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THESE PARTS SHOULD LAST 100,000 MILES, BUT THE ONES ON THESE DODGE VEHICLES FAIL AT ABOUT 25,000 TO 30,000. I HAVE VOICED MY CONCERNS TO DODGE. THE PERSON I TALKED TO AT THEIR RECALL CENTER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEIR WAS AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING AT THIS TIME, AND TOLD ME TO LISTEN FOR "CLUNKING" NOISES IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. OF THE REPORTS I'VE SEEN OF FAILURE OF THE JOINT, FEW SAY THERE WAS ANY WARNING OF THIS TYPE, HOWEVER.*AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS LIFTED OFF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN TRAVELING OVER 60 MPH. *PH THE WIPERS COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED TO KEEP THE BLADES FROM HITTING THE WINDSHIELD FRAME. THE DEFROSTER AIR FLOW DOES NOT KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR OF FROZEN ICE OR SNOW. THE CONSUMER HAS SEVEN DODGE DAKOTA'S RANGING FROM 1994-2003 AND THEY ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *NM

TOWING PACKAGE 7 PIN TO 4 PIN ADAPTOR FOR TRAILER LIGHTS FREQUENTLY SHORT OR FAIL TO MAKE CONTACT WHICH CAUSES A EXTREME SAFETY SITUATION WHEN PULLING A TRAILER. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WHICH HAS KEPT ME FROM PULLING MY BOAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *JB

I OWN A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK. I HAVE 15,500 MILES ON IT AND ON 03/03/04 THE LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN 2001 I OWNED A 2001 DAKOTA AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. ( IT WAS TRADED AT 17,000) MILES. FROM 1987 UNTIL 2001 I OWNED A 1987 DAKOTA, AT THE TIME OF TRADE IT HAD 187,000 MILES WITH NO BALL JOINT PROBLEMS, AND IT IS STILL USED ON THE ROAD EVERY DAY.

BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT ON 1998 DODGE DAKOTA

UPPERBALL JOINT PREMATURE FAILURE 11,000 MILES. *AK

THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB TRUCK BEGAN MAKING NOISE AT ONLY 5000 MILES. THE SERVICE MANAGE AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL, BUT THERE IS NO MAUNFACTURER-AUTHORIZED REPAIR FOR IT. I AM WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES . *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS GETTING A REGULAR CHECK UP CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT, AND THE NUT HOLDING THEM TOGETHER WAS STRIPPED COMPLETELY. *AK THERE WAS ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR SEVEN WEEKS EARLIER. THE DEALER CHECKED THE FRONT END FOR NOISE AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. *SC

VEHICLE STALLED WHEN DRIVEN AT 50 MPH OR GREATER. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LEAST 4 TIMES. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NEITHER DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM NOR REPAIR IT. *AK *NM

DURING COLD WEATHER IT IS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS. DRIVER HAS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE DRIVING TO GET THE POWER STEERING TO FUNCTION. DEALER SAYS THIS IS POSSIBLY A NORMAL OCCURRENCE DURING COLD WEATHER. *AK

AT CERTAIN TIMES THE ENGINE OMITS A HIGH PITCH WHISTLE WHEN DRIVING. THE NOISE COMES AND GOES PERIODICALLY AND AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE THERE WAS A MOANING NOISE IN THE REAR BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE AWARE OF THE NOISE BUT WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT. *JB

(FRONT END SUSPENSION PROBLEM) THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED THREE TIMES WITH NO IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE OF THE UNSTABLE BALANCE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER CHANGE THE TIRES AND SHOCKS AND PLACE SAND BAGS ON IN THE VEHICLE TO STABILIZE THE BALANCE. *AK *SC *JB

MY 03 DAKOTA'S AXLE AIR BREATHER CAME LOOSE DUE TO A FAULTY MOUNTING CLIP. AS A RESULT THE CAP AT THE END OF THE TUBE, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT WATER (DUE TO SUBMERGING OR SPLASES FROM RIDING IN THE RAIN) BECAME INVERTED AND SERVED AS A RESERVOIR TO SUCK UP WATER INTO THE AXLE. DODGE CLAIMS THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT SUBMERSION. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN IN MORE THAN A FEW INCHES OF RAIN WATER FROM THE STREET.*AK

2003 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 19,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS WILL NEED REPLACING VERY SOON. *CB

THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE BUT WAS REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS. *NM

2003 DAKOTA QUAD CAB. IN COLD TEMPERATURES BELOW 15F THE FLUID SPRAYERS WILL FREEZE. CAUSING LOW TO ZERO VISIBILITY IN WINTER WEATHER DRIVING. WHEN TRUCK IS PARKED AND WARMED UP FOR 10-15 MINS FLUID WILL SPRAY FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT, AFTER YOU STOP IT POOLS UP IN THE TIPS OF THE SPRAYERS, AND WILL FREEZE ONCE YOU MOVE AGAIN. THE HOSE'S ARE ALSO NOT INSULATED TO PROTECT FROM THE COLD SO THEY DON'T FREEZE AS WELL. THIS CAN AND WILL CAUSE ZERO VISIBILITY, CAUSING THE DRIVE TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE AND POSSIBLY GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. *CB

AFTER 6,000 MILES ON MY 2003 DAKOTA, I HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS (ALL 4) TURNED BECAUSE THEY WERE WARPED. NOW DEALER DID IT FOR FREE. AGAIN 13,000 MILES THEY ARE WARPED NEED TURNED AGAIN. DEALER NOT PAYING I HAVE TO PAY THEM. IT IS CLOSE TO ANOTHER 6000 MILES AND THEY ARE STARTING TO BEHAVE IN THE WAY THEY DID WITH PEDAL PULSATING AND VIBRATING AND THE TRUCK REAR END FEELING LIKE IT IS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN AND I KNOW THE SAME PROBLEM IS THERE, AND THIS TIME IT IS GOING TO BE REPLACE ALL 4. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH ROTOR PROBLEMS, IT APPEARS THE BRAKES AREN'T MADE FOR A TRUCK THIS SIZE BUT FOR A SMALLER VERSION OF IT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED MY DODGE. *CB

WE HAVE RECENTLY SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO THE BUREAU OF AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS. OUR TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 6 TIMES FOR THE SAME AND NEW PROBLEMS. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN JUNE WITH 12 MILES ON IT. THEY RECENTLY HAD OUR VEHICLE FOR 3 DAYS IN A ROW AND WANTED TO KEEP IT FOR A 4TH DAY, HOWEVER WE DECLINED. BELOW PLEASE FIND A LIST OF THE PROBLEMS: 1) LOUD HOWLING NOISE WHEN BACKING UP IN REVERSE 2) SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN REVERSE OR DRIVE 3) IDLES ROUGHLY 4) OCCASIONALLY DIES WHEN BACKING IN REVERSE OR GOING FORWARD 5) WHEEL WELL GUARDS ARE STARTING TO PEEL AWAY 6) RUNS IN THE PAINT JOB 7) THERE WAS ELECTRICAL WIRING ISSUES 8) TRANSMISSION ISSUES

TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY JERKS/SHUDDERS WHEN ACCELERATING AROUND 30-40 MPH.

TRANSFER CASE LEAKS FLUID ON OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL. FIRST REPAIR ATTEMPT REPLACED SEAL. SECOND ATTEMPT AT 2531 MILES REPLACED SEAL AGAIN. THIRD ATTEMPT AT 2909 MILES REPLACED EXTENSION HOUSING ON TRANSFER CASE. EXTENSION CAME WITH NEW SEAL ALREADY INSTALLED. FOURTH ATTEMPT AT 6,745 MILES REPLACED EXTENSION HOUSING AGAIN ALSO NEW YOKE AND CHECKED BALANCE IN DRIVELINE.

PEELING PAINT FROM FRONT GRILLE ASSEMBLY. ALSO AT 10600 MILES THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD. BOTH UPSHIFTS AND DOWNSHIFTS CAUSE A NOISE AND A SLIGHT HESITATION, FOLLOWED BY A VERY HARSH SHIFT. AND THE ENGINE SEEMS TO ENGAGE THE ELECTRIC HEAT/EXCHANGER FAN ASSEMBLY CAUSING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CAB NOISE. NO TEMPERATURE CHANGE HAS BEEN DETECTED WITH THE DASH GAUGES WHEN THE ELECTRIC RADIATOR HAS ENGAGED. VERY NOISY. THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP LETTER AFTER THE TRUCK IS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. OCT. 5TH, 2003. 2:30 PM MST

AS TRUCK PULLS OUT (1-5MIN.)IT SLOWS DOWN AND BACKFIRES REAL LOUD. DOESNT STALL OUT, BUT NO POWER. WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS NOTHING HAPPENS IT STILL IS CRAWLING AROUND 5MI.THIS WILL HAPPEN ABOUT 1-3MMINUTES THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY PICKS UP BY ITSELF AND RESUMES SPEED. HAPPENING EVERY 2WKS THEN EVERY WK. SOMETIMES A DAY APART.HAD CO-PILOT ON TWICE BUT RESULTS WERE O. NOTHING SHOWS ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN IT HAPPEND, BUT THE BACKFIRING IS GETTING LOUDER. CALLED CONSUMER AROUND 5 TIMES BUT I AM RIGHT WHERE I STARTED.

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR WHEN CLIMBING GRADES. ALSO TRUCK WILL STALL OUT WITH NO WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS.

WHEN THE TRUCK IS STARTED AND PUT INTO DRIVE IT HESITATES THEN SHIFTS REALLY HARD. ALSO WHEN THE TRUCK IS STARTED AND ALLOWED TO WARM UP FOR AROUND THREE MINUTES IT DIES WHEN IT IS PUT IN REVERSE. WHEN IT DOES THIS NONE OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COME ON. THE TRUCK JUST DIES. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES NOW. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T GET THE PROBLEM TO REPLICATE AND TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT GOT WORSE. I AM NOW ON MY FORTH ATTEMPT TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO TELL ME THAT THEY CAN'T GET THE PROBLEM TO REPLICATE. SO I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPLICATED THE PROBLEM FOR THEM. THAT WAS ON 10-27-03. IT IS NOW 11-06-03 AND THEY CALLED ME TODAY TO TELL ME THAT THEY STILL CAN'T GET THE TRUCK TO REPLICATE. BUT THEY HAVE HOOKED UP A "CO-PILOT" WHICH WILL READ THE TRUCKS COMPUTER AND HOPEFULLY CATCH THE PROBLEM. I AM HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK FOR THREE MONTHS NOW AND THE [XXX] THING HAS DIED EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAVE PUT IT IN REVERSE. I AM POSITIVE THAT I AM BEING BENT OVER. I KNOW THAT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER AGAIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TRUCK WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN GOING UP GRADE. ENGINE WILL REV AT 4500-5000 RPM BUT WILL NOT SHIFT UNTIL I SLIGHTLY RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL. TRUCK WILL ALSO PERFORM MULTIPLE HARD UP SHIFTS WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL GOING UP GRADE... HAD THE TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES. FIRST TIME IN MAY, 1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASE, THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER WITH A "FLASH UPDATE" AND ADJUSTED THROTTLE LINKAGE. THAT WAS NO HELP. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I TOOK IT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE THIRD TIME, JANUARY 2004, I TOOK A TECHNICIAN FOR A TEST DRIVE, AND HE AGREED THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. THEY REPLACED THE "VALVE BODY" IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOW GOTTEN WORSE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRUCK IS NOW HAVING PROBLEM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. THEY CLAIM THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE SAME PART THEY JUST INSTALLED, THEY SAY IT MUST HAVE BEEN A DEFECTIVE "VALVE". FURTHERMORE, THE TECHNICIAN IS NOW SAYING THE ORIGINAL SHIFTING PROBLEM IS NORMAL BECAUSE DODGE REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION TO AVOID MULTIPLE UP & DOWN SHIFTING WHEN GOING UP A GRADE. THIS WAS DOWN TO PUT "LESS STRESS" ON THE TRANSMISSION. DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DODGE IS SAVING THE TRANSMISSION BY MAKING IT WORK LESS AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE BY LETTING IT REV AT 5000 RPM..... P.S. THIS SHIFTING PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE THE DAY I DROVE THE TRUCK OFF THE LOT. *LA

UPPER BALL JOINTS JOINTS WORN OUT AND ATTACHING NUT COMPLETELY STRIPPED OUT ON LEFT SIDE. HEARD A NOISE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT IN NOVEMBER 03. DEALER CLAIMED EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE, COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. DECEMBER 03 NOTICED TIRE WEAR ON INSIDE, TOOK THE TRUCK TO AN ALIGNMENT SHOP. IT WAS THERE THAT THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT THAT THE BALL JOINT ON THE RIGHT WAS WORN BADLY AND THE LEFT WAS ABOUT TO FALL APART. THE DEALERS KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I WAS TO LEAVE AN HOUR AFTER THE ALIGNMENT ON AN EIGHT HOUR TRIP THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY AND VERY WRONGED BY THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER FOR NOT NOTIFYING THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THIS PROBLEM. FOR THAT MATTER WHY HASN'T ANY SAFETY AGENCY STEPPED UP TO TELL US OF THIS PROBLEM???. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN IT EXCEEDED SPEEDS OF 45 MPH. THIS WAS DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, PER THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT TO THIRD GEAR UNLESS THE GAS PEDAL IS ALMOST FULLY RELEASED. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT TO PASS. *LA

CRUISE CONTROL LOSES SPEED UP LONG INCLINES. *LA

REAREND WHINES UNDER POWER FROM 50-60 MPH AND WHILE DECELERATING FROM 45-40 MPH. *LA

RATTLE IN DASHBOARD, DRIVERS SIDE. *LA

4X4 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB STALLS PERIODICALLY. HAS STALLED 12 TIMES BETWEEN THE PERIOD 10/30/03 AND 12/19/03. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS IT CANNOT RECREATE. USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF STARTING. TYPICALLY HAS BEEN AT SLOW SPEEDS (20 MPH OR LOWER), BUT HAS OCCURRED AS HIGH AS 40 MPH. TYPICALLY RESTARTS AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW MINUTES. WOULD NOT RESTART, HOWEVER, AFTER STALL ON 12/14/03. CURRENTLY ON 5TH SERVICE VISIT. DEALERSHIP TELLS ME NO ERROR CODES SHOW UP ON THE COMPUTER. I SUGGESTED INSTALLATION OF A CO-PILOT. AFTER LENGTHY WAIT FOR A CO-PILOT (NATIONAL BACKORDER PER CHRYSLER), EVENT WAS RECORDED ON CO-PILOT AND HAS BEEN SENT TO CHRYSLER. AS OF YET, NO WORD ON RESULTS OF CO-PILOT DATA. I HAVE BEGUN ARBITRATION PROCESS UNDER MN LEMON LAW TO HAVE VEHICLE REPLACED/REPURCHASED.

DODGE DAKOTA 2003 SPORT: FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, I WENT TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED (20,000MI) AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE OUT OF SPEC. BY THE MECHANIC AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. AFTER INSPECTION, THE DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG.I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SINCE THAT TIME, EVERYTIME I TURN LEFT WHILE APPLYING BRAKES IN A DOWNHILL SITUATION, A TERRIBLE GRINDING SOUND IS HEARD. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 54000MI AND I HEAR ABOUT WHEELS BREAKING OFF. I AM SCARED FOR MY FAMILIES AND PERSONAL SAFETY.*AK