2004 Dodge Dakota

1) NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, JUST REGULAR DRIVING 2) ITS VERY HARD TO STEER SOMETIMES, ITS LIKE STIFF-LOOSE-STIFF-LOOSE WHEN I TURN EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND GUYS ON DODGEFORUM.COM HAVE PINPOINTED THE PROBLEM BUT DEALERS WONT CHANGE THE PART, THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHEN THE PROBLEM IS IN THE INTERMEDIATE ARM, ITS EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND WHY SHOULD WE PAY FOR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT? THE CONSEQUENCES UNFORTUNATELY CAN BE DEADLY. SOMETIMES ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER OR MAKE A QUICK TURN, IF SOMEONE CUTS YOU OFF AND YOU CANT TURN, WELL BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN. 3)I CANNOT GET THE PART (INTERMEDIATE ARM) BECAUSE THEY ARE ON BACKORDER, COINCIDENCE?? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WAS TOWED TO THE DRIVER'S RESIDENCE. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I KEPT HEARING NOISES FROM THE BRAKES AND FRONT END. THIS WAS GOING INTO THE 2ND YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. MY DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 15 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING PARTS, SWAY BAR, BRAKES ROTORS, CALIBER AND STILL MAKE A A MOANING GROANING NOISE WHEN EVER I TURN OR GO OVER BUMPS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA SLT IS A PIECE OF CRAP. FIRST I HAD TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY AT 53,000 MILES, NOW THE TORQUE CONVERTER TRIES TO LOCK TOO SOON (AT 30 MPH), WHICH RESULTS IN THE TRUCK SHUDDERING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. IT ONLY OCCURS UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. HEAVY ACCELERATION KEEPS THE CONVERTER FROM LOCKING. *TR

WHILE HAVING MY TIRES ROTATED AT SEARS, THE TECH INFORMED ME THAT THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA WERE VERY BADLY WORN, BOTH UPPER AND LOWER. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES AND IS DRIVEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON PAVEMENT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER, LITHIA DODGE OF ROSEBURG OREGON, I SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER PHIL TYLER AND LOT MANAGER WAYNE KNOWLES, AND DODGE CORPORATE, BUT BOTH REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE FURTHER. *TR

STEERING WHEEL WOULD STIFFEN AS IF THERE WERE NO POWER STEERING ABILITY. WHEN HE TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL, IT DOES NOT TURN BACK UNLESS HE DOES IT MANUALLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD LEAD TO THE STEERING WHEEL DISCONNECTING FROM THE RACK UNIT. I BELIEVE THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS THE LOWER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. IF I SPRAY THE U JOINTS OF THE STEERING SHAFT WITH WD 40 OR PB BLASTER IT STEERS GREAT, BUT WEARS OFF WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT!! NOW TRUCK HAS 57,000 MILES. HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE HAD IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD STIFFEN AS IF THERE WERE NO POWER STEERING ABILITY. WHEN HE TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL, IT DOES NOT TURN BACK UNLESS HE DOES IT MANUALLY. THE FAILURE BEGAN APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO. THE CONTACT FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD LEAD TO THE STEERING WHEEL DISCONNECTING FROM THE RACK UNIT. HE BELIEVES THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS THE LOWER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 43,000.