1997 Dodge Dakota

BALL JOINT FAILURES: TRUCK FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO DEFECTIVE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS OR BALL JOINT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. ANOTHER BALL JOINT HAD BEEN REPLACED THE PREVIOUS YEAR. ALL DEFECTS OCCURRED AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE DAKOTA AND CHRYSLER WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS. PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON DOZENS OF INTERNET SITES, BLOGS, ETC AND ALL MECHANICS AND STATE INSPECTORS ALL NOD KNOWINGLY ABOUT THE DODGE PICKUP. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE AND FAILURE OF BALL JOINTS IS NOT A PROBLEM IN ALMOST ANY CAR EXCEPT CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. HOW DO THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASHES AND AT UNDER 50,000 MILES. IT IS TIME NHTSA FORCES DODGE TO RECALL AND REIMBURSE ALL COSTS TO THOSE ALREADY HAVING PAID FOR SUCH REPAIRS. THIS SHOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR ANY YEAR VEHICLE UP TO AT LEAST 100,000. I HAVE OWNED OVER A DOZEN VEHICLES AND MOST DRIVEN OVER 100,000 AND ONE AT 145,000 AND ONE 200,000 AND HAVE NEVER REPLACE BUT ONE BALL JOINT ON A 1970 CUTLASS. ONLY ONE HIGH MILEAGE VEHICLE WITH CV JOINTS BUT MAYBE NO BALL JOINTS HAD TO HAVE A CV JOINT REPLACED. THIS DOES NOT SPEAK WELL OF CHRYSLER/DODGE. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 50,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO BOG DOWN WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES IT WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 5 MPH WHILE REVING ABOUT 3500 RPM. PAID FOR TOW TO DODGE DEALER IN HAMPTON VA FOR ANALYSIS AND REPAIR. TOW OPERATOR REMARKED ALMOST ALL DODGE DAKOTAS TOWED FOR TRANNY WORK ENDED UP COSTING $2300-$2900 FOR A REPLACEMENT. I WAS LUCKY AND ONLY HAD TO REPLACE ALL PRESSURE REGULATING VALVES FOR ABOUT $670 (FUNNY HOW THEY ALL WENT BAD AT THE SAME TIME BUT I WOULD NOT ARGUE THE POINT SINCE THE PARTS WERE CHEAP COMPARED TO DOING IT OVER IN A FEW MONTHS). DEALER INDICATED THIS WAS A YEARS OLD PROBLEM WHICH WAS COMMON TO REPLACE THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND THAT MY $600 REPAIR WAS NOT GUARANTEED TO PREVENT TOTAL FAILURE. DODGE HAS NOT AGREED TO ANY RECALL TO FIX BUT SHOULD DO THIS. THEREFORE, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER OF ANY SORT. UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ALSO FAILED AT UNDER 50,000 MILES AND NO REPAIR RECALL ON THIS LONG STANDING PROBLEM AS WELL. SUBJECT ON ANOTHER COMPLAINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WHEN THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE FEATURE IS ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE BEGAN SINCE THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. HE CALLED THE DEALER, BUT BECAME ILL AND WAS UNABLE TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR BEFORE THE THIRTY DAY WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED A NEW STATE INSPECTION IN SPITE OF THE BRAKE AND BALL JOINT ISSUES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE FEATURE DISENGAGES WHILE DRIVING AND THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE COMPLETELY WORN, MAKING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE WHEEL HUB WAS REPLACED AND THERE WAS NO BRAKE LINING ON THE REAR AXLE. THE BRAKE CABLES WERE REPLACED AS WELL. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 116,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE LEAVING HIS DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH IN AN ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE CONTACT USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT OBSERVED BRAKE FLUID ON THE ENGINE AND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE SHOP MECHANIC STATED THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE RUSTED WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE REPAIR ORDER STATED THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTY AND ANY ONE OF THEM COULD HAVE FAILED. *AK UPDATED 2/13/2007 - *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT' OWNS 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT COMPLAINED THAT BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TURNED ON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT BRAKE REPAIR FACILITIES, AND BOTH STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON DUE TO THE SENSOR, WHICH MEANT THAT THE ABS WERE TURNED OFF. THE SENSOR WAS LOCATED ON THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIR FACILITIES DIDN'T KNOW WHY THE SENSOR WAS FAILING. WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE BRAKES THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES IN WET CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE HAD A DIFFICULTY STOPPING, CAUSING IT TO SLIDE.*AK

CATALYTIC CONVERTER INSPECTION. THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE WITH A 4.0 LITER ENGINE AND 1997 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A 2.5 LITER ENGINE. I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A 3.9 ENGINE AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE IN THE 2 MODELS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLES. *NM

I OWN A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SLT. THE ENGINE IS A 5.2 V8 WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES MY COMPLAINT STARTED AROUND 40,000 MILES. I AM GETTING A SEVERE SPARK KNOCK AND A TREMENDOUS OIL CONSUMPTION 2.5 QUARTS EVERY TWO HUNDRED MILES. THEY INSTALLED FAULTY ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM PAN GASKETS. THROUGH MY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON THIS. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CHECKED MY GAUGES I HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME BECAUSE MY ENGINE STALLED!!! THE DODGE DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS VERY COMMON, SO WHY ARE THEY NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY? *NM