2004 Dodge Dakota

1. NORMAL DRIVING (4 YEARS 95,000 MILES) 2. THE STEERING IS UNPREDICTABLE AND VERY STIFF. I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME TURNING THE VEHICLE WITH TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL. THE STIFFNESS IS SPORADIC AND CHOPPY. IT MAKES THE TRUCK MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. 3. GREASING THE TWO U-JOINTS ON THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. A GREASE TIP ON BOTH JOINTS WOULD PERMANENTLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY I NOTICED A KNOCK IN THE FRONT END WHILE I JUST WENT DOWN THE STREET, THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A BALL JOINT OR TIE ROD. THEN ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING BECAME CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE. VERY JERKY AND IT FELT GUMMY. I HAD THE RACK REPLACED AS SUGGESTED BY THE "5-STAR DEALER" AND THAT ONLY FIXED THE NOISE, NOT THE STEERING ISSUE. READ ONLINE ABOUT IT BEING THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND U-JOINTS, SO I SPRAYED THEM WITH LUBRICANT AND AM GOING TO SEE HOW THE TRUCK RUNS LATER. SOME OF THOSE ENGINEERS REALLY NEED TO DESIGN GREASED FITTINGS INTO THE VEHICLE. *TR

STEERING VERY TIGHT - TAKES TWO HANDS TO TURN STEERING WHEEL - READ DODGE FORUM AND FOUND THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS FREEZING UP. I SOAKED WITH PENETRATING SPRAY OIL AND IT IMMEDIATELY FREED UP. NOW CONCERNED THAT THE KNUCKLES ARE WEAKENED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. POOR DESIGN THAT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LACK OF STEERING RESPONSE. *TR

I STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTY TO STEERING MY VEHICLE. AS EACH DAY PASSED IT BECAME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FELT AS IF IT HAD NO STEERING WHEEL FLUID. AND BY JANUARY I COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL AT ALL. I COULD BARELY MAKE A TURN. THIS OCCURRED EVERY DAY AND I WAS AFRAID I WAS GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I CHANGED THE STEERING FLUID AND THE TIRES THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER LAST WEEK WHO REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A STEERING SHAFT FAILURE BEFORE IN A VEHICLE. *TR

STEERING BEGAN TO FEEL LOOSE AND HEARD A CLUNK INFRONT END. BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER WORK WAS COMPLETED STILL HAD STEERING ISSUES. DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL, LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS FAILING. WHEN IT WAS REMOVED TO BE REPLACED THE LOWER U-JOINT CAME APART. IMAGINE THAT HAPPENING AT 55 MPH. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, STEERING WHEEL FELT A LITTLE LOOSE. LUCKILY ONLY WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPOT - THE STEERING WHEEL FELL OFF INTO LAP. THE METAL BRACKET WAS CRACKED. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A DEALERSHIP AND A NEW PART WAS ORDERED, CURRENTLY WAITING TO BE FIXED. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEMED CONCERNED, NOR CAN THEY DETERMINE IF IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFAULT. A CLAIM WAS STARTED WITH THE CHRYSLER CORPORATE OFFICE. WILL HAVE TO SEE IF RETRIBUTION WILL BE MADE. TRUCK HAS 125K MILES, HOWEVER REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. NO OTHER ISSUES OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY. A 9-MONTH PREGNANT WIFE AND HUSBAND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE SHOULD INVESTIGATE BEFORE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT OR DEATH OCCURS. *TR

I JUST READ ABOUT THE STEERING PROBLEMS BEING EXPERIENCED ON THE 2004 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB MODELS. I HAVE TWICE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM . ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND ONCE AT MY OWN EXPENSE. THE STEERING JUST FREEZES UP AND THE WHEEL CANNOT BE TURNED WITH OUT A LOT OF EFFORT. WHEN YOU ROUND A CORNER, IT DOES NOT RECOVER AND YOU MUST TURN THE WHEEL BACK YOURSELF TO HAVE THE VEHICLE CONTINUE ON A STRAIGHT COURSE AFTER THE TURN. BOTH TIMES I WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE THE "MIDDLE STEERING SHAFT" REPLACED. APPARENTLY THERE IS A TOP,MIDDLE AND LOWER STEERING SHAFT AND BOTH TIMES AT DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITIES IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE MIDDLE SHAFT THAT HAD FAILED. IT COMPLETELY FREEZES UP ON YOU. *TR