2002 Dodge Dakota

I WAS DRIVING TO PA FROM FL IN MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB WITH A V-8 4.7L ENGINE (MSRP $27,000)WHEN I HEARD A TICKING NOISE WHILE IN SC. ALL FLUID LEVELS WERE FINE, SO I CONTINUED ON MY JOURNEY ON TUES. OCT. 11, 2005 I FOUND OUT THE DIAGNOSIS WHICH WAS THAT 3 RODS INSIDE THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND A NEW ENGINE WAS REQUIRED TO FIX IT. I WAS SHOCKED AND ASSUMED THAT CHRYSLER WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY SINCE I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH CHRYSLER. THE CHRYSLER ADJUSTOR FINALLY ARRIVED TO CHECK OUT MY TRUCK ON FRI. OCT. 14 AND THAT IS WHEN I HEARD THE HORRENDOUS NEWS THAT CHRYSLER WAS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR END OF THE CONTRACT AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF MAINTENANCE ON MY TRUCK. AFTER I FOUND THAT OUT I IMMEDIATELY HAD ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS FAXED TO ME FROM FL WHICH PROVED THAT I FAITHFULLY CHANGED MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES OR LESS. I ASSUMED THAT THIS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THEM TO FIX MY ENGINE. I DECIDED TO LEAVE SC DUE TO COSTLY HOTEL EXPENSES AND HAD MY SISTER COME FROM VA TO PICK MY DAUGHTER AND I UP WHERE WE AT LEAST HAD A FREE PLACE TO STAY TEMPORARILY TILL MY TRUCK WAS FIXED. I FOUND OUT THE TERRIBLE NEWS ON MON. OCT. 24TH THAT MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS MEANT NOTHING TO THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION. I RECEIVED THE RESPONSE "LACK OF MAINTENANCE" AS BEING THE REASON WHY THEY WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS SHOCKED THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PAID ALMOST 1800.00 FOR TO COVER THIS TYPE OF SITUATION WOULD NOT COVER THIS REPAIR. MY TRUCK HAD 41,369 MILES ON IT WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE ESTIMATE I RECEIVED FOR REPAIRING THE ENGINE WAS $7,301.00. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED WHY MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE NOT HONORED AND WAS TOLD "THIS IS THE FINAL DECISION MAM". I ASKED FOR FAXES TO BE SENT TO ME REGARDING THE ADJUSTORS REPORT & A LETTER FROM CHRYSLER SAYING THAT RESPONSIBILITY WAS NOT BEING TAKEN BY THEM FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT SEND THAT TO ME. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BLINKERS AND TAIL LIGHTS WHERE OPERATING POORLY. HE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT OTHER VEHICLES HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM WAS THE MODULE OR THE FLASHER MODULE. IF THE SHORT IN THE TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT FIXED IT WILL BLOW OUT THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH .HE HAS AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS FIXED AT A DEALERSHIP.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT HAS A PICKUP TRUCK THAT HAS ORIGINAL FACTORY GOODYEAR WRANGLER ST TIRES, P215/75R15. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED SLITS UP TO THREE INCHES LONG ON THE SIDEWALL ABOVE THE BEAD RUNNING WITH THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE DOWN TO THE INNER FABRIC ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES. BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER COVERED BY WARRANTY HE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT BRANDS. HE EXPERIENCED NO FURTHER PROBLEMS AFTER THE TIRE REPLACEMENT. *AK THERE WERE CRACKS ON 3 OF THE 4 TIRES. UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE OIL PRESSURE STAYING ON HIGH MOST OF THE TIME SINCE AUGUST 12, 2002. IN SEPTEMBER 2002 THE OBD LIGHT CAME ON. SHE KEPT TAKING VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. EVERY TIME SHE TOOK IT IN TO A DEALERSHIP THEY WOULD SAY THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING IN AUGUST 2005 THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DIE. THE CONTACT HEARD A SOUND, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ,AND THEN THREE SECONDS LATER IT DIED. AFTERWARDS, SHE TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE. THE CONTACT HAS COPIES OF MOST OF THE OIL CHANGES. THE CONTACT HAS THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES. SHE FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ONLINE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. AND THAT THE WHOLE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. . THE CONTACT CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF DODGE ,AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE AREA REPRESENTATIVE TOLD DODGE THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND THAT THERE WAS LACK OF MAINTENANCE, AND THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

THE BRAKE ROTOR ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA CONTINUOUSLY WARP. I HAD THEM TURNED AT 30,000 BY THE DEALER AND NOW I GOING TO REPLACE THEM AT 42,000. I DO NOT TOW ANYTHING WITH MY TRUCK OR USE HARD BRAKING. I'VE READ MULTIPLE MESSAGE BOARD WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. DODGE SAYS IT'S NOT AN EQUIPMENT PROBLEM, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT IS. I WOULD HOPE THE NHTSA WOULD INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE DODGE CORRECT IT. DODGE HAS PUT THE WRONG MATERIAL ON THESE TRUCK AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED, BUT DODGE DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY.*JB

DT: WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED THERE WAS ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HORN, AND LIGHTING SYSTEM. ALL OF THEM CAME ON AND OFF ALL BY THEMSELVES. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A DEALER BUT PLANNED TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER WAS REFERRED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NO CORRECTIONS OR REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS OCCURRED. THIS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. NHTSA RECALL 03V389000 WAS ISSUED BUT IT WAS FOR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES ONLY-THE CONSUMER HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA BRAKE CALIPERS LOCK UP, THE DATE BELOW IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON APRIL 20TH 2005, THE LEFT CALIPER LOCKED UP. I HAD THAT CALIPER REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THE RIGHT CALIPER LOCKED UP ON THE RIGHT SIDE ON JUNE 3RD 2005. NOW THE THIRD TIME AROUND AND I HAVE INFORMATION THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. ON AUGUST 12TH I PAID FOR A TOW CHARGE AND CAME CLOSE TO A FIRE. ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT INFORMED ME OF THE SAME PROBLEM HAD THERE CALIPER CATCH FIRE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION HELPS. I HAD NO LUCK WITH THE MANUFACTURER. I WILL TRY AND HAVE THEM HOLD THIS CALIPER FOR YOU TO LOOK AT. THANKS. *NM

DRIVING <30MIN AT 20-50MPH,TOWING A LIGHT TRAILER, WHILE TURNING INTO DRIVEWAY, DEPRESSED CLUTCH, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND STAYED DOWN, DROVE 100 YARDS FURTHER, PARKED, OPENED HOOD. FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM UNDER FIREWALL BELOW BRAKE AND CLUTCH HYDRAULICS AND VISIBLE BEHIND LEFT FRONT TIRE. FLAME HEIGHTS WERE ~6 - 10 INCHES. MOVED OTHER VEHICLES FROM AREA AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE WITH DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER. CHRYSLER FOUND CLUTCH ASY HOSE MELTED, EVAP HOSE MELTED, AND FUEL LINE DAMAGED FROM FIRE. CHRYSLER REPLACED THE HYD CLUTCH ACY, REPLACED EVAP HOSES AND FLEX FUEL LINE. CHRYSLER DID AN INDEPENDENT SPECIAL INVESTIGATION AND CONCLUDED THEY HAD "NO MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY". CHYSLER SUBMITTED BILL FOR $526.54 TO ALLSTATE. ALLSTATE PAYED CLAIM. OWNER'S OPINION IS THAT PLASTIC CLUTCH HYDRAULIC LINE FAILED, SPRAYING HYDRAULIC FLUID ON NEARBY EXHAUST, IGNITING FLUID AND PLASTIC PARTS AND OTHER FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. INVESTIGATOR PHOTOGRAPHED ALL CRITICAL AREAS BUT CHRYSLER DID NOT RETURN OLD PARTS. *NM

EVER SINCE THIS TRUCK WAS NEW IT FEELS AS THOUGH SOME COMPONENT IN THE FRONT END SUSPENSION IS LOOSE, I CAN FEEL IT THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN. FIVE TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO FIND AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM HAVE RESULTED IN: NOTHING OUT OF SPECS ON THE FIRST VISIT; REPLACED THE FRONT SHOCKS ON THE SECOND VISIT; REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY ON THE THIRD VISIT; REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE FOURTH VISIT; AND ALIGNED THE STEERING COLUMN ON THE FIFTH VISIT. LOOKING THOUGH THE CONSUMER COMPLAINT SECTION I FOUND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME EXACT COMPLAINT WITH THEIR DAKOTA TRUCKS. *JB