2004 Dodge Dakota

HERE'S WHAT I SUBMITTED TO THE DODGE WEBSITE: LAST NIGHT I RETURNED FROM MY DODGE DEALERSHIP AFTER HAVING NEW BRAKE PADS AND NEW ROTORS INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING FINE AND THE BRAKES ARE OPERATING PERFECTLY. THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, WES, WAS HELPFUL AND PROFESSIONAL. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK SPENDING $900 ON NEW ROTORS SHOULD BE REQUIRED AFTER TWO YEARS OF OPERATION AND LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. I AM METICULOUS ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND TIRE ROTATION. I DO NOT RIDE THE TRUCK HARD AND ALL OF MY DRIVING IS COUNTRY, NOT CITY, MILEAGE. EVEN YOUR DODGE PERSONNEL COULD NOT GIVE ME ANY REASON WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO SOON. I AM NOT A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH EITHER THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES OR THE MATERIALS OR COMPONENTS USED IN THE BRAKE DESIGN. I BOUGHT A NEW '91 DODGE DAYTONA AND SAID I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE DUE TO PROBLEMS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS. IN 2003, I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE DODGE ANOTHER SHOT AND BOUGHT A NEW LOADED, DAKOTA TRUCK. REST ASSURED, THIS WILL BE THE LAST DODGE VEHICLE I EVER OWN. SINCERELY, WILLIAM WILSON. *JB

TOOK DELIVERY OF TRUCK ON 6/24/04 WITH 341 MILES AT DELIVERY. NOT EVEN SIX MONTHS LATER, 12/16/04 IN FOR SERVICE DUE TO VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS, MILEAGE 12,031. A LITTLE OVER SIX MONTHS LATER, 6/27/05 IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN, FOR THE SAME VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. AGAIN THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS, MILEAGE 25,033. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT WARRANTY THEM AGAIN, THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WOULD WARRANTY THE BRAKES. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, AT APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES NOTICED THE VIBRATION AGAIN. CALLED THE DEALER AND WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE (800) NUMBER AND SEE WHAT THEY SAID. FIRST SPOKE WITH MATT, THEN WAS TRANSFERRED TO DON IN OUT OF WARRANTY DEPARTMENT (WHEN CALLING THE 800 NUMBER) I WAS TOLD THAT IF IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CALIPERS THEY WOULD PAY TO REPAIR THE CALIPERS AND ROTORS, HOWEVER IF IT WAS DUE TO THE ROTORS ONLY, WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. ASKED ABOUT THE LEMON LAWS, AS THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN FOR THE SAME REPAIR SINCE OWNING THE TRUCK. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SOMEONE HAVING THIS MUCH TROUBLE WITH BRAKES. THIS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BRAKES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 12, 0000 MILES. WAS FURTHER TOLD BY DON, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT MY STATE ATTORNEYS OFFICE TO DEAL WITH THE LEMON LAW ISSUE. IN LOOKING AT THE LEMON LAW BOOK THAT I WAS PROVIDED UPON DELIVER OF MY TRUCK IT STATES I SHOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER/DODGE IN WRITING BY MAIL OR CONTACT THROUGH WEBSITE. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST DODGE TRUCK, BUT AFTER THIS ORDEAL I AM STARTING TO THINK IT WILL BE MY LAST, WITH THE PROBLEM I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THIS BRAKE ISSUE. *JB

BOUGHT DAKOTA NEW JAN,04 AT 10000,15000,AND 18000ROTORS WERE REPLACED FOR SHAKE IN TK WHEN BRAKING STILL HAS PROBLEM FRONT HUBS AND BEARINGS REPLACED HAS POPPING NOISE IN FRONT END WHEN TURNING SOMETIMES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TRUCK PULLS TO LEFT FRONT DRIVESHAFT AND DRIVER WINDOW REGULATER HAS BEEN REPLACED ALSO 2 SENSORS IN TRANS REPLACED.TEMPERATURE GUAGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HOT 1 TIME WHEN TRUCK WAS STARTED. WISH DODGE WOULD JUST BUY IT BACK.MY FIRST AND LAST DODGE EVER. *AK

I OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA [XXX]. I NOW HAVE 40,000 MILES ON IT. MY FRONT BRAKES (DISC) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO PULSATING. THIS PULSATING IS ATTRIBUTED TO ROTORS WARPING. THE ROTOR WARPING IS CAUSED BY TOO MUCH HEAT FRICTION IN THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, THE ROTORS WARP CAUSING A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS IN BRAKING POWER. THE BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS WERE ALSO REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY WERE 'LOOSE' AND THEY MADE A CLUNKING SOUND OFTEN. SINCE THE PARTS WERE REPLACED, THE SAME SOUND STILL OCCURS LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE OEM PARTS ARE FAULTY. I DO NOT USE THIS VEHICLE FOR MEDIUM OR HEAVY LOADS AT ANY TIME; I DO, HOWEVER, USE THIS VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS IN THE CAPACITY OF A PASSENGER VEHICLE.*AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

GOT DODGE DAKOTA 4X2 BRAND NEW. BRAKES SQUEALED AFTER 6,000 MILES, FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 12,000 MILES THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHILE TURNING, TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, SAID IT WAS FIXED. IT WAS NOT FIXED. AT 14,000 MILES, BOTH TIE RODS SNAPPED WHILE MAKING A TURN FROM A COMPLETE STOP. FIXED UNDER WARENTY. NOW AT 15,000 MILES, THE CLUNKING NOISE IS BACK WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND MAKING TURN. THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

WHEN BRAKE ROTORS HEAT UP THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. AT FIRST SHAKING IS MINOR NOT ALWAYS NOTICEABLE. BUT AS BRAKES HEAT AND COOL STEERING WHEEL SHAKE BECOMES WORSE AND HAPPENS EVERY TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED. SEVERE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN BRAKING. CHRYSLER STATES NOT A WARRANTY ITEM AS BRAKES ONLY COVERED FOR 12,000 MILES AND MY COMPLAINT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. *JB

CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ENGAGE ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, A LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD WHILE BRAKING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. DEALER REPLACED BOTH ROTORS AND BRAKE LIGHT 4 TIMES DUE TO MOISTURE BUILD UP. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK