2003 Dodge Dakota

I HAVE OWNED A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA V6 FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN UNION CITY GA YESTERDAY FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. AFTER WAITING 2 HOURS, THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE HAVING A PROBLEM GETTING OIL IN THE ENGINE BECAUSE THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE WHICH WAS CAUSING THE OIL TO GO IN SLOWLY. THEY RECOMMENDED ADDING AN OIL ADDITIVE. AN HOUR LATER THEY RETURNED MY CAR TO ME. I STARTED DRIVING OUT OF THE LOT MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH. TWO BLOCKS LATER THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE STARTED A LITTLE TICKING AND RAN ROUGHER. I TURNED AROUND, DRIVING ABOUT 5 MPH, BARELY MADE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS 6 QT OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. THEY WOULD HAVE TO START OVER. HALF HOUR LATER, THEY CAME OUT AND SAID NOW THEY HAD NO OIL PRESSURE AT ALL AND THEY WOULD HAD TO REMOVE THE OIL PAN AND MAYBE HAVE TO REPLACE THE OIL PLUMP AND OTHER PARTS. I MAY NEED A NEW ENGINE OR HAVE IT REBUILT. THEY WOULD CALL ME TODAY AND LET ME KNOW. MIND YOU, I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL THEY DID THE OIL CHANGE THIS TIME. NOW THAT I CHECK THE COMPUTER, I FIND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SLUDGE AND LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE IN THE DODGE DAKOTA FOR NO REASON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS NO OIL PRESSURE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY, WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE O2 SENSORS, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR EMISSION WARNING. DEALER REPLACED $400 OF EMISSION CONTROL COMPONENTS. 2 WEEKS LATER SAME EMU WARNING. READ THIS BLOG SITE REGARDING GASOLINE FUEL CAPS. DEALER QUOTED $30 FOR REPLACEMENT. BOUGHT PLASTIC FUEL CAP @ CAN TIRE FOR $8. INSTALLED ON VEHICLE, EMU WARNING DISAPPEARED AND HAS NOT RETURNED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHT SOCKET BURNED WHERE THE BULB WAS PLUGGED IN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SOCKET WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THEY OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,940.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V596000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

STEERING SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT HAS EXCESSIVE WEAR, APPEARS IT IS DUE TO POOR DESIGN AS ROAD SPLASH HITS THE LOWER STEERING JOINT AND POOR SEALS ALLOW RUST AND CAUSE IT TO SEIZE, MAKING STEERING DIFFICULT AND THEN WHEN IT IS LUBED BY SPRAYING A LUBRICAANT ON IT IT FAILS A SHORT TIME LATER. SURVEY THE DODGE DEALERS AND SEE HOW MANY OF THESE JOINTS THEY ARE REPLACING... THIS PART IS ALSO ON NATIONAL BANK ORDER PER MY LOCAL DEALER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DROVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO DEFECTIVE CALIPERS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES RUPTURED BEHIND THE FUEL TANK DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A LOT OF SALT WAS NOT USED ON THE ROADWAYS, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MARYLAND. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000. UPDATED 9/27/11 *CN UPDATED 10/007/11

ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE 9/18/2010 ORIGINAL TIRE: DUNLOP ROVERS LT 265/70R16 LOAD RANGE C DA8D633V2709 GOODYEAR/MR. TIRE AUTO CEDAR BRIDGE AVE STORE # 1014 BRICK NJ 08723 (732)477-3480. CUSTOMER ID# [XXX] $892.82 ON JULY 14, 2011 I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO MAIN STREET IN TOMS RIVER WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER THE RIGHT TIRE ALSO EXPLODED. I DROVE ABOUT 100 FEET TO A PARKING LOT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES THERE WAS A LARGE GASH ABOUT 5 INCHES LONG ON ONE TIRE AND ON THE OTHER TIRE THERE WERE 2 DIFFERENT GASHES ABOUT 4 AND 5 INCHES LONG. I PUT A SPARE ON ONE WHEEL AND HAD A HARD TIME GETTING THE 2ND WHEEL OFF SO I HIT IT WITH THE LUG WRENCH. I TOOK THAT TIRE TO A NEARBY STS AND BOUGHT A CHEAP TIRE $171.00 AND PUT IT ON AND DROVE HOME. TWO DAYS LATER, SATURDAY JULY 16, 2011, I TOOK THE TRUCK TO GOODYEAR WHERE I PURCHASED THE TIRES LESS THEN A YEAR AGO. THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE THE BACK OF THE RIM WAS SCORED IT MUST NOT HAVE EXPLODED, IT MUST HAVE BEEN CUT IN A CARWASH. THEY CHARGED US $85.41 FOR 2 NEW TIRES. THEY TOLD US THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE ROAD IT HAD TO HAVE HAPPENED AT A CAR WASH. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN TO A CAR WASH SINCE I HAVE HAD IT SEVERAL YEARS. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE 2 BAD TIRES WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER SR-A?S BUT I STILL HAVE 2 DUNLOP TIRES ON THE BACK OF MY TRUCK. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY, AND MY FAMILY?S SAFETY, DRIVING ON THESE TIRES. I HAVE A PICTURE OF ONE TIRE AND I HAVE PICTURES OF THE INSIDE OF THE RIMS. GOODYEAR KEPT BOTH TIRES. I AM A FORMER MECHANIC, FRONT END SPECIALIST, FOR 22 YEARS, I AM A RETIRES US ARMY VET, AND CURRENTLY WORKING AS SHERIFF'S OFFICER, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN TIRES THAT LOOKED LIKE THIS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR